Spaghetti tossed in a delicious tomato sauce with zucchini, fresh basil, and tender chicken. This quick and easy chicken tomato zucchini pasta is ready in 30 minutes. A great Italian meal for all the pasta lovers!
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This chicken tomato zucchini pasta features spaghetti with juicy seasoned chicken thighs, zucchini, garlic, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil in marinara sauce.
The taste of the chicken with the marinara sauce with the noodles is a match made in heaven! Also that fresh basil is a must for this dish.
This pasta is a fast and satisfying meal to make on busy weeknights when you have little time to cook because it's made with fresh and simple ingredients.
The best part about this tomato chicken pasta dish is it's packed with vegetables, like zucchini and tomatoes making it great for picky eaters. It's even better when it's made during squash season (June to August).
I love making this Italian dish for myself and my husband as we love pasta! Since this makes for a large batch, we love having the leftovers through the week.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.
- Skinless Boneless Chicken Thighs: or substitute with bone-in chicken thighs and debone them yourself or boneless chicken breast. Not a fan of chicken? Substitute with ground beef, pork or turkey.
- Spaghetti: or substitute with spaghettini, linguine or fettuccine and cook to package directions.
- Marinara Sauce: make sure it's good quality marinara sauce that you enjoy. Marinara sauce is tomato sauce that has been seasoned with basil and garlic.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: or substitute with vegetable oil, canola oil or a neutral tasting oil as a last resort.
- Garlic
- Yellow & Green Zucchini (aka courgette): or substitute with carrots, broccoli, or button mushrooms.
- Cherry Tomatoes: or substitute with grape tomatoes.
- Fresh Basil
- Salt and Black Pepper
Expert Tips
- Use fresh chicken thighs by performing a smell test at the grocery store. If you smell a gamey odor, get a fresher pack.
- Don't forget to season the pasta cooking water with salt. The salt seasons the pasta and we'll be using the reserved pasta water to enhance the sauce.
- Don't over cook the pasta. I always subtract 1 minute from the instructed time on the package directions.
- Remember to reserve some pasta cooking water. Since this water is seasoned and starchy, it enhances the taste and texture of the pasta sauce.
- Allow the cherry tomatoes to release some of the juices into the pan for best taste.
- Avoid over cooking the pasta in the sauce. Once the noodles are incorporated, remove the pan off heat.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make chicken tomato zucchini pasta:
- Bring a large pot of water to boil on medium-high heat and season with 1 tablespoon of salt. Boil pasta until al dente according to packet instructions, about 9-10 minutes for spaghetti. Then reserve ¼ cup or 60 ml of the cooking pasta water and set aside. Strain pasta.
- Then season sliced chicken with a pinch of salt and black pepper and set aside.
- Next heat extra-virgin olive oil in a large pan on medium heat and cook and chicken with minced garlic for 5-7 minutes until the chicken is 50% cooked.
- Add sliced zucchini into the pan and sauté until it has softened.
- Then add cherry tomatoes and cook for another 3 minutes until juices release from the tomatoes. Add reserved pasta water with the marinara sauce.
- Lastly add in cooked pasta, fresh basil leaves and toss until noodles are coated in sauce. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Storage
- Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat.
- Freezer friendly? I don't recommend freezing this pasta dish as the vegetables and noodles will become soggy.
Pairing Suggestions
This chicken tomato zucchini pasta serves well with other Italian dishes like:
- Starters like fresh salad with Italian dressing, Caesar salad, or antipasto salad, calamari, garlic bread, bruschetta, or Italian wedding soup
- Pizza or risotto
- Italian meatballs or chicken parmesan
- Sautéed or grilled vegetables
- Stuffed mushrooms
- Baked Italian eggplant
FAQ
Chicken tomato zucchini pasta can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, microwave or in a pan on the stovetop on medium heat with a few splashes of water to loosen the noodles.
This helps the marinara sauce stick to the pasta better and thickens the pasta sauce.
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📖 Recipe
Quick & Easy Chicken Tomato Zucchini Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs thinly sliced
- 1 lb spaghetti or spaghettini, linguine or fettuccine
- 2 zucchinis sliced
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- salt for seasoning pasta water and to season to taste
- black pepper season to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil on medium-high heat and season with 1 tablespoon of salt. Boil pasta until al dente according to packet instructions, about 9-10 minutes for spaghetti. Then reserve ¼ cup or 60 ml of the cooking pasta water and set aside. Strain pasta.
- Season sliced chicken with a pinch of salt and black pepper and set aside.
- Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a large pan on medium heat and cook and chicken with minced garlic for 5-7 minutes until the chicken is 50% cooked.
- Add sliced zucchini into the pan and sauté until it has softened.
- Then add cherry tomatoes and cook for another 3 minutes until juices release from the tomatoes. Add reserved pasta water with the marinara sauce.
- Lastly add in cooked pasta, fresh basil leaves and toss until noodles are coated in sauce. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Denise
This was so easy yo make snd so satisfying
Used fresh zucchini and tomatoes from our garden. Will make this again.
christieathome
So glad you enjoyed this! Thank you for making my recipe!
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
This is such a fabulous way to change up the flavors of pasta night while also using some garden fresh veggies!
Barbara
Very yummy and satisfying. I like that there are more veggies in this pasta.