One Pot Tomato, Basil, and Chicken Pasta
One-pot pasta combines the flavors of tomato, basil and chicken to create a delicious and satisfying dish.
One-pot pasta combines the flavors of tomato, basil and chicken to create a delicious and satisfying dish.
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup fresh basil chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil separated
- 12 ounces pasta (i used bowties)
- 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes (hunt's diced tomatoes with basil, garlic + oregano (or a comparable brand of italian-seasoned diced tomatoes)
- 1 can (15 ounces) crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (omit to make a vegetarian dish)
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or 1/4 teaspoon if you want a less-spicy dish)
- 2 teaspoons dried italian seasoning
- 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (substitute vegetable broth to make vegetarian)
- parmesan cheese for serving
- Carbohydrate 35.1197222401468 g
- Cholesterol 41.390303726 mg
- Fat 3.52696417640117 g
- Fiber 0.615842958299426 g
- Protein 8.4091992807628 g
- Saturated Fat 0.499780829870558 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Recipe (192g)
- Sodium 450.344164512119 mg
- Sugar 34.5038792818474 g
- Trans Fat 0.506709749443696 g
- Calories 206 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the chopped onions + cook until onions are translucent + softened, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic + cook for 1 minute more, until fragrant.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the stock pot – the pasta, diced tomatoes with their liquid, crushed tomatoes, shredded chicken, red pepper flakes, italian seasoning, fresh basil, chicken broth, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt + pepper. Stir everything together until well combined.
- Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to a simmer + cook for 10-15 minutes (depending on the type of pasta you choose), stirring frequently. Cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated + pasta has reached an al dente consistency. Add more salt + pepper if needed + stir well. Serve with a generous topping of freshly grated Parmesan cheese + enjoy!
The ingredient list fails to mention how starch behavior dictates the outcome of a one-pot pasta. Cooking dried pasta directly in tomato liquid releases amylose starches straight into the sauce rather than discarding them down the drain. This natural thickening action creates a glossy, cohesive emulsion, but it demands constant vigilance. Because starches settle quickly against the metal, maintain medium heat and stir the mixture every sixty seconds during the simmer phase to prevent scorching. Sautéing the chopped onions in a heavy-bottomed stockpot for seven minutes builds a sweet aromatic base before any liquid enters the vessel. Crushed tomatoes supply concentrated pectin, which works alongside the pasta starch to body the sauce. Monitoring the liquid absorption closely ensures the pasta achieves an al dente bite without dissolving into mush by the fifteen-minute mark. Similar starch-gelatinization methods define traditional regional Italian risotto techniques, applying continuous agitation to release starches into the cooking liquid. Pre-cooked shredded chicken should be added alongside the dry ingredients since it only requires gentle warming through rather than prolonged simmering. Finish the dish by folding in fresh basil off the heat to preserve its volatile essential oils, then grate hard parmesan cheese over the top just before serving.
