Chicken and pasta can become a tomato-based dinner or a green pesto meal using the same basic cooking order. The two recipes below each serve four and keep the pasta timing separate from the chicken’s safe cooking endpoint.
Tomato chicken penne
Ingredients: 300 g penne, 500 g chicken breast in even bite-size pieces, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 chopped onion, 1 diced courgette, 2 chopped garlic cloves, 400 g canned chopped tomatoes and 1 teaspoon dried oregano.
- Cook the penne according to its packet.
- In a wide pan, heat the oil and fry the chicken over medium-high heat, turning until cooked to the temperature below. Transfer to a clean plate.
- Soften the onion and courgette in the same pan for about 6 minutes, adding a splash of water if they catch. Stir in garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add tomatoes and oregano. Simmer for about 10 minutes, then combine with the chicken and drained pasta. Adjust seasoning.
Allow roughly 35 minutes. Use a wide pan so the vegetables can soften without the pan overflowing.
Pesto chicken pasta with green beans
Ingredients: 300 g fusilli, 500 g diced chicken breast, 250 g trimmed green beans, 1 tablespoon oil, 60 g pesto and up to 100 ml pasta water.
- Cook the pasta. Add green beans for the final 6–8 minutes, or cook separately until tender.
- Fry the chicken in oil as above and verify its temperature.
- Reserve pasta water, then drain. Off the heat, toss pasta, beans and chicken with pesto. Loosen with water a spoonful at a time.
Allow approximately 25–30 minutes. Pesto commonly contains nuts and dairy: check the specific label or use a suitable alternative. For either recipe, use package guidance for gluten-free pasta because its timing and texture differ.
Safety: chicken must reach 74°C/165°F internally. Keep raw poultry separate; wash hands and utensils after handling it.
