Italian-Inspired Chicken with Pasta and Tomatoes
on Jan 10, 2011, Updated Mar 06, 2025
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This is the ultimate family dinner solution — juicy chicken with pasta and tomatoes! A simple meal combining tender chicken thighs, aromatic herbs, and a rich tomato sauce that will have your kids asking for seconds. Perfect for busy moms who need a delicious, crowd-pleasing meal without spending hours in the kitchen!
The most delicious flavor combo and the heartiest ingredients to make for a meal you’ll crave on extra-chilly nights when you only want to snuggle up on the couch with your family and watch a movie. The greatest thing is that creating such a rich meal takes almost no effort and you’re all set for a cozy, cozy dinner.
The chicken thighs slowly bake in a rich tomato sauce, absorbing all those beautiful herbs and creating a tender and juicy chicken meal that tastes like you spent all day cooking. The hands-on time for this dish is very minimal and the oven does most of the work!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Chicken with Pasta and Tomatoes Recipe
- So Juicy: Chicken thighs have a higher fat content than chicken breasts, contributing to their juiciness and tenderness, especially when cooked properly.
- Super Easy: It’s so easy and to prepare this dish, making it a popular choice for weeknight meals or when hands-on time is limited. With just a few simple ingredients, you can create a satisfying dish that’s mostly cooked in the oven.
- Budget-Friendly: Chicken thighs are not only more flavorful than breasts but also typically less expensive, making this a wallet-friendly option for feeding hungry families.
- Make-Ahead Marvel: This dish reheats beautifully, making it perfect for meal prep or busy weeknights when everyone eats at different times.
🍗 I stock up on chicken thighs when they go on sale so I’m always ready for an easy-to-prep flavorful oven meal!
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken thighs — bone-in and skin-on
- Olive oil
- Butter
- Tomatoes — canned or fresh
- Tomato paste
- Fresh rosemary, thyme, basil, and parsley — or 1 teaspoon each dried herbs
- Garlic
- Pasta
- Parmesan — for serving
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Chicken With Pasta And Tomatoes
Step 1: Add the chicken thighs to the pan and sear till golden and crispy.
Step 2: Pour in tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and pepper. Bring sauce to a boil, then turn off heat. Add herbs, garlic, and chicken to the pan.
Step 3: Cover the pan and bake for 1 hour. Remove pot from oven, and allow it to sit while you boil the pasta. Cook the pasta to al dente. Drain and add to a large serving bowl.
Step 4: Pour sauce over cooked pasta, then arrange chicken pieces over the top. Sprinkle generously with fresh parmesan and serve.
Recipe FAQs
You can truly pick any type of pasta that you like or prefer for this dish — it’s flexible! I used cavatappi noodles that are like little corkscrews simply because they’re fun and hang onto the sauce well! Penne, spaghetti, or bowtie pasta would also work well for this dish.
I prefer storing pasta sauce and noodles separately so that the noodles don’t soak up a bunch of sauce and become soggy. Store the sauce (with the chicken) in one airtight container and the noodles in another container (with a drizzle of olive oil over top so they don’t stick together too much).
Pasta and tomato garlic sauce with chicken will store well in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Heat olive oil and butter in an oven-safe pan over medium-high heat. When the oil and butter are hot, add the chicken and let it sear until browned and the skin is crispy on all sides, about 2 minutes. It won’t cook all the way through yet, so don’t worry about that. It will finish cooking in the oven.
Expert Tips
- Bone-In: recommend using bone-in chicken thighs with the skin. The bone helps retain moisture, and the skin crisps up beautifully when cooked properly.
- Don’t Skip the Browning: Taking the time to properly brown the chicken thighs creates a beautiful depth of flavor and helps the skin get crispy. Those browned bits on the bottom of the pan are flavor gold!
- Fresh Herbs at the End: If using fresh herbs, reserve a small amount to sprinkle over the finished dish just before serving. This adds a beautiful pop of color and fresh flavor that elevates the entire meal.
- Garlic Tip: Be careful not to burn the garlic, as it can become bitter. It burns very quickly!
Other Flavorful Chicken Thigh Recipes
Chicken thighs are such a great ingredient for a filling meal that’s flavorful and tender. Here are some really great recipes that use chicken thighs!
- Roasted Chicken Thighs & Potatoes: Perfect sheet pan meal on a night you need the oven to do the work.
- Creamy Tuscan Chicken: Hands-down one of my family’s favorite meals — creamy, rich flavors and a tasty sauce that pairs well with almost anything.
- Oven Baked Chicken Thighs: Absolutely the JUICIEST chicken thighs ever – and they are delightfully crispy on the outside.
More Chicken Recipes to Consider
Pasta Dishes
Creamy Chicken and Vegetable Baked Pasta
Soups, Stews & Chowders
White Chicken Chili
Chicken Recipes
Kung Pow Chicken
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Italian-Inspired Chicken with Pasta and Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
- Salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 can diced tomatoes, (28 ounces)
- 1 can whole tomatoes, (14 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon each fresh rosemary, thyme, basil, and parsley, (or 1 teaspoon each dried herbs)
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 16 ounces pasta
- Grated parmesan, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Salt and pepper chicken thighs well.
- Heat an ovenproof skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and butter. When oil/butter is hot, add chicken thighs to the pan. Using tongs, brown on all sides, about 2 minutes. Remove chicken from pan.
- Pour in tomatoes with their juice and add tomato paste. Add salt and pepper to taste, stirring to combine. Bring sauce to a boil, then turn off heat.
- Add herbs and garlic and return the chicken to the pan.
- Put lid on the pot and cook in the oven for 1 hour.
- Remove pot from oven, and allow it to sit on the counter with the lid on while you boil the pasta.
- Cook the pasta to al dente. Drain and add to a large serving bowl.
- Remove lid and check sauce. If it’s overly thin, remove the chicken from the pot and boil the sauce on the stovetop for 5 to 10 minutes. Check seasonings and adjust as needed.
- To serve, pour sauce over cooked pasta, then arrange chicken pieces over the top. Sprinkle generously with fresh parmesan and serve.
Notes
- Coordinate cooking times so that the chicken thighs and pasta finish around the same time to ensure both components are served hot and fresh.
- This meal goes perfectly with some good veggie sides, like salads or steamed broccoli.
- Chicken thighs are versatile and can take on various flavors. Consider marinating them before cooking or adding a sauce/glaze towards the end of cooking for extra flavor.
- While in the oven, baste the chicken thighs occasionally with the pan juices. This adds moisture and enhances the flavor.
