Rotini Pasta with Chicken, Broccoli, Tomatoes, Parmesan, and Fresh Basil
I wanted to make a quick and simple dinner using ingredients that I had on hand, so I made this rotini pasta with chicken, broccoli, tomatoes, parmesan, and fresh basil It was a healthy, flavorful, and delicious meal. My kids thought this pasta was a bit spicy because of the crushed red pepper flakes but ate it anyway and my husband and I thought it was tasty. This rotini pasta with chicken, broccoli, tomatoes, parmesan, and fresh basil paired nicely with our house salad with Fran’s vinaigrette.
How to Make Rotini Pasta with Chicken, Broccoli, Tomatoes, Parmesan, and Fresh Basil
Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Season both sides of the chicken breasts with sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, and garlic powder, to taste. Add the chicken breasts to the hot skillet and cook for 5-6 minutes before flipping and cooking the other side for another 5-6 minutes, or until the chicken breasts are cooked through. Remove from the skillet and set on a cutting board loosely covered by a tin foil tent.
Prepare the rotini in a large pot of salted water per instructions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
While the pasta is cooking, add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet you cooked the chicken in then add the onion and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and grape tomatoes then cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
Add the chicken broth and cook for 3 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the broccoli is just tender. Dice the chicken and add it and their juices back to the pan.
Add the cooked & drained rotini pasta, Parmesan cheese, and fresh basil then mix until combined; add any reserved pasta water needed. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.
Pour into a serving bowl with a little more Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top, if desired. Serve immediately. Enjoy.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil (divided)
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts trimmed of any fat
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
- Garlic powder to taste
- 7 oz whole-grain rotini pasta cooked per instructions
- ½ sweet yellow onion chopped
- Dash of crushed red pepper flakes more if desired
- 4-5 small cloves of garlic minced
- 1 cup of grape tomatoes
- 1 ½ cups of chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups of broccoli florets
- ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese finely grated (more if desired)
- 2 tbsp fresh basil chopped
Instructions
- Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Season both sides of the chicken breasts with sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, and garlic powder, to taste.
- Prepare the rotini in a large pot of salted water per instructions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
- While the pasta is cooking, add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet you cooked the chicken in then add the onion and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and grape tomatoes then cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the broccoli and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the broccoli is just tender.
- Dice the chicken and add it and their juices back to the pan. Add the cooked & drained rotini pasta, Parmesan cheese, and fresh basil then mix until combined; add any reserved pasta water needed. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.
- Pour into a serving bowl with a little more Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top, if desired. Serve immediately. Enjoy.
What a great combination of ingredients! And so healthy too. I can have a big bowl of this with extra red pepper flakes. 🙂
I could definitely go for a second dinner right now with this gorgeous pasta!
Lovely pasta dish, Pam… bet it tasted wonderful!!
A perfect one-dish meal with all my favorite ingredients.
The perfect one-dish meal!
I love it when thrown together meals like this turn out beautifully!
What a gorgeous, delicious ! Looks so scrumptious, Pam
There are lots of days when fast and easy are required. And every day is “What’s in the fridge that I can use?” day. This is just inspired!
I love this recipe, it’s pretty similar to the pasta I make. I love how simple it is but how yummy it is!
A really wholesome meal! I like my pasta prepared this way too…simple, fresh and seasonal!
Delicious and healthy meal Pam.
I love pasta and chicken dishes. This one looks really tasty.
Loved this recipe! Made it tonight for dinner and am definitely adding it to my favorite dinner meals! Awesome recipe, thaaaanks!!!
Made this for dinner and just had to say how awesome it was! And healthy! I had a somewhat similar recipe, but this one is far superiour since it called for fresh instead of canned tomatoes! It will be a regular for me!! Thanks!!
Lynda,
I’m so happy you loved this recipe. Thank you for taking the time to let me know.
-Pam
I just made this! Don’t forget to sprinkle some bacon pieces on it! It’s to die for!