Easy Weeknight Chicken Tomato Basil Rigatoni: A Flavorful 30-Minute Pasta Recipe
There’s nothing quite like a comforting bowl of pasta to bring joy to a busy weeknight. This **Chicken Tomato Basil Rigatoni recipe** is more than just a meal; it’s a culinary triumph that’s both incredibly simple and bursting with fresh, vibrant flavors. Imagine perfectly cooked rigatoni, tender pieces of chicken, all lovingly coated in a rich, homemade tomato basil sauce. Best of all? This delicious **weeknight rigatoni pasta** comes together in just 30 minutes, making it the ideal solution for those evenings when you crave something wholesome and satisfying without spending hours in the kitchen.
Whether you’re looking to utilize leftover roasted chicken or start with fresh ingredients, this recipe offers versatility and guaranteed deliciousness. It’s a fantastic **easy chicken pasta recipe** that will quickly become a staple in your family’s dinner rotation. Get ready to transform simple ingredients into a truly memorable meal that tastes like it took all day to prepare!
As an avid home cook, I’m constantly on the hunt for clever, delicious ways to transform **leftover roasted chicken** into exciting new meals. There’s something incredibly satisfying about minimizing food waste while maximizing flavor, and this **easy chicken pasta** fits that bill perfectly. Our weekends often involve roasting a whole chicken – a tradition my husband affectionately refers to as our “Game of Thrones” feast, conjuring images of hearty, wholesome meals. This ritual leaves us with an abundance of succulent leftover chicken, which I strategically plan to use throughout the busy week, along with the bones for a nutrient-rich homemade chicken broth. Utilizing these leftovers isn’t just economical; it’s a huge time-saver on hectic weeknights, allowing us to put a fantastic meal on the table in record time.
This approach to cooking ensures that nothing goes to waste, and every part of the chicken is put to good use. The beauty of this **tomato basil rigatoni with chicken** lies in its adaptability. While it shines with pre-cooked chicken, I’ll also share how to quickly prepare fresh chicken if you don’t have leftovers on hand. It’s truly a versatile dish designed for modern living, proving that incredible flavor doesn’t have to be complicated.
My inspiration for this particular **chicken rigatoni recipe** stemmed from a similar concept for a chicken tomato penne dish I encountered online some time ago. While the original source (a “Recipe 30” website, which I can no longer seem to pinpoint) may be elusive, the core idea resonated with me immediately: a simple, flavorful tomato sauce paired with chicken and pasta. I envisioned how perfectly this concept would complement my abundance of **leftover roast chicken**, transforming it into a fresh, exciting dinner. Adapting the original idea and refining the flavors, I developed this incredibly satisfying **Chicken Tomato Basil Rigatoni**, swapping penne for the delightful ridged texture of rigatoni, which holds the rich sauce beautifully. It truly is a testament to how culinary inspirations, even fleeting ones, can lead to new family favorites.
Crafting Your Perfect Tomato Basil Rigatoni: Simple Steps to Deliciousness
One of the most appealing aspects of this **quick pasta dinner** is its straightforwardness. You don’t need a gourmet chef’s skills or an extensive list of ingredients to create something truly exceptional. The magic happens with just a few fresh components and simple cooking techniques, culminating in a dish that tastes both sophisticated and deeply comforting. This **30-minute rigatoni recipe** minimizes fuss without compromising on flavor, making it perfect for novice cooks and seasoned culinary enthusiasts alike. Let’s walk through the effortless steps to achieve this delightful meal, step-by-step:
- Begin by sautéing aromatic vegetables like carrots and garlic with a hint of dried oregano in a Dutch oven or deep pot, building a foundational layer of flavor for our **homemade tomato basil sauce**.
- Introduce high-quality tomato puree, allowing it to simmer gently and deepen its inherent sweetness and tang.
- A secret weapon for creaminess and depth: a generous addition of grated Parmesan cheese, blended seamlessly into the sauce until smooth and luxurious.
- Stir in your pre-cooked or freshly prepared chicken, allowing it to absorb the wonderful flavors of the rich sauce.
- Combine with perfectly al dente rigatoni pasta, ensuring every ridged piece is coated in the savory goodness.
- Finish with another sprinkle of fresh Parmesan for that irresistible cheesy touch.
- Garnish with fragrant fresh basil, adding a final flourish of bright, herbaceous notes before serving your spectacular **chicken tomato basil pasta**. (For comprehensive details and exact measurements, please refer to the complete recipe card below).
Each step is designed for efficiency and maximum flavor impact, transforming simple pantry staples into a meal that feels indulgent yet is surprisingly simple to prepare. It’s the kind of **easy weeknight dinner** that will have everyone asking for seconds!
The Magic of Leftovers: From Weekend Roast to Weeknight Delight
Our weekend tradition of roasting a whole chicken isn’t just about the delicious Sunday dinner; it’s a strategic move that sets us up for several amazing meals throughout the week. My husband, a fan of all things medieval and epic, absolutely adores this “Game of Thrones” style feast, making it a regular Sunday staple in our home. What truly makes this tradition even more valuable is the foresight to utilize every part of the bird. Once dinner is concluded, he meticulously strips all the remaining meat from the bones, ensuring not a single shred goes to waste. The bones, instead of being discarded, become the foundation for something truly remarkable: a rich, homemade chicken broth.
This isn’t just any broth; it’s liquid gold for our kitchen. I simply transfer the stripped chicken bones to a crockpot, adding an aromatic medley of fresh carrots, celery, onions, garlic, and a generous sprig of parsley, along with a pinch of salt. This concoction simmers slowly overnight, extracting all the wonderful flavors and nutrients from the bones and vegetables. The following morning, I portion out this beautiful, golden broth and freeze it, creating a ready-made, wholesome base for countless future meals. It’s especially invaluable for the various vegetable soups I frequently prepare for my son, ensuring he gets a boost of natural goodness. Beyond its incredible flavor, homemade chicken broth is celebrated for its health benefits, rich in collagen and amino acids – truly one of the healthiest things you can consume. Of course, the quality of your initial chicken makes all the difference in the final product of both your roasted meal and your subsequent broth.
From these weekend feasts, I typically yield enough leftover chicken, often equivalent to two chicken breasts, which provides two additional dinners during the week. This is where the creative challenge begins: finding exciting and diverse ways to incorporate this pre-cooked protein. In the past, I’ve transformed it into a delightful filling for my Margarita Pizza Quesadilla or blended it into a hearty Leftover Turkey Spanish Rice (which works just as wonderfully with chicken). If I happen to have a batch of my rich vodka sauce on hand, a quick and satisfying dinner is achieved by adding the chicken to my beloved Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola. However, discovering this particular **chicken tomato basil rigatoni recipe** has been a game-changer. Its vibrant, fresh flavors and remarkable ease of preparation have earned it a prime spot on my list of go-to **easy weeknight meals**. It’s proof that simple ingredients, thoughtfully combined, can create truly extraordinary dishes.
Versatile & Customizable: Make This Rigatoni Your Own
One of the many charms of this **Chicken Tomato Basil Rigatoni** is its incredible flexibility. While it’s a fantastic solution for **using up leftover chicken**, you absolutely don’t need to wait for a Sunday roast to enjoy it. If you have fresh chicken on hand, simply slice a chicken breast into bite-sized pieces, season them generously with salt and pepper, and quickly sauté them in a tablespoon or two of butter or olive oil until perfectly golden brown and cooked through. Then, simply add this freshly cooked chicken to your luscious tomato basil sauce just before combining with the pasta.
For those seeking a meat-free option, this recipe easily adapts into a delightful vegetarian meal. Simply omit the chicken entirely, and you’ll still be left with an incredibly flavorful and satisfying **tomato basil rigatoni** that highlights the rich, herbaceous sauce. You can even consider adding some sautéed mushrooms, zucchini, or bell peppers for extra texture and nutritional value, making it a truly customizable dish for any dietary preference.
To elevate your **Italian pasta dinner** experience, I highly recommend serving this **savory rigatoni** alongside a fresh, crisp green salad with a light vinaigrette. And for the ultimate comfort food pairing, there’s nothing better than a slice of warm, crusty bread to sop up every last drop of that exquisite sauce. My Homemade Dutch Oven Crusty Bread is a perfect accompaniment, adding an artisanal touch to your meal. This **easy weeknight rigatoni** truly delivers on both flavor and convenience, promising a happy pasta dinner for everyone around your table. Enjoy every delicious bite!
Chicken Tomato Basil Rigatoni Recipe
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Ingredients
- 5 small cloves of garlic , roughly chopped
- 1 large or two small carrots , roughly chopped
- 2 cans of Tomato Puree (28 oz each)
- 1 cup of bail leaves
- 1/3 cup and 2 tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese
- 10 oz of Rigatoni Pasta
- 3 tablespoon of butter (+ extra if you have fresh chicken)
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 cup of cubed cooked chicken or one fresh chicken breast , sliced into little pieces
- 1 tsp of dried oregano
Instructions
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Heat up olive in Dutch oven or other deep pot with a lid
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Add garlic, carrot and oregano and cook for a couple of minutes until caramelized
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Add 2 cans of tomato pure and cook for a minute
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Add basil, salt, stir it and cover
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Let it cook for about 15 minutes on a low heat
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In the meantime, if you don’t have leftover chicken, heat up butter in a skillet
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Season the sliced chicken with salt and pepper and cook it on each side until golden brown
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Boil large pot of salty water and cook pasta according to instructions
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After the sauce was cooking for 15 minutes, add 1/3 cup of grated parmesan, mix it, cover and cook for another 15 minutes
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Once sauce is cooked, blend it either by using handheld blender or in a standing blender in batches until smooth
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If using standing blender, place the sauce back into your pot, add butter and let it dissolve
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Then add cooked chicken
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Add pasta (reserving one cup of pasta water) and and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoon of parmesan cheese
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Mix everything well and and sprinkle with some more basil
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If the sauce is too thick add some pasta water to thin it out
Notes
You can cook your pasta for a little less then instructed as it will continue cooking in the sauce
I used leftover chicken from my roasted chicken, but leftover turkey will do well as well.
If you’re a fan of this delightful **Chicken Tomato Basil Rigatoni**, you’ll surely love these other quick and easy pasta and meal ideas perfect for any weeknight:
- Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola
2. Leftover Turkey Spanish Rice
3.Margarita Pizza Quesadilla
4. Homemade Dutch Oven Crusty Bread
5. Easy Shrimp Scampi Spaghetti
