This Rotini Pasta with Chicken is creamy and rich with herbs and garlic. You'll love this tasty dish with its hint of spice and how utterly satisfying it is.
This Rotini Pasta with Chicken is one of those meals that brings everyone to the table with a smile. It’s creamy, cheesy, and full of savory chicken and herbs — plus a hint of spice for extra flavor. Best part? It uses simple ingredients and cooks fast, making it ideal for busy family nights.
Cozy. Satisfying. Made with love. Everything a family dinner should be.
Table of contents
🎥Video Tutorial
🥘 Ingredients You’ll Need
- Rotini pasta (10 oz / 285 g) – Uncooked
- Chicken breast or thighs (12 oz / 340 g) – Cut into pieces
- Olive oil (2 tbsp / 30 ml)
- Onion (½ medium / 75 g) – Diced
- Garlic (3 cloves) – Minced
- Tomato paste (2 ½ tbsp / 40 g)
- Heavy cream or Half & Half (1 cup / 240 ml)
- Parmesan cheese (½ cup / 50 g) – Grated
- Dried basil (1 tsp / 1 g) – Or Italian seasoning
- Sea salt (½ tsp / 3 g) – To taste
- Black pepper (¼ tsp / 1 g) – To taste
- Red pepper flakes (¼ tsp / 0.5 g) – Optional, for heat
How to make Rotini Pasta with Chicken
1. Cook the rotini. Add rotini pasta to salted boiling water and cook 12–13 minutes, according to package instructions.
2. Cook onion. While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, until softened and lightly browned.
3. Add chicken and tomato paste. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, and chicken. Cook 7–8 minutes, until chicken is nearly cooked through.
4. Make the sauce. Reduce the heat to low. Add the heavy cream, Parmesan, dried basil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a gentle simmer. Drain pasta and reserve pasta water.
5. Combine & serve. Add pasta to the sauce and stir well. Thin the sauce with a splash of pasta water if needed. Serve immediately. 😍
💡 Helpful Tips
- Salt your pasta water for best flavor
- Cook pasta al dente so it stays firm in the sauce
- Reserve pasta water — the starch helps sauce cling to rotini
- Serve right away — creamy sauces are best fresh
➕ Add-Ins & Substitutions
- Proteins: Italian sausage, ground beef, bacon, or meatballs
- Veggies: Bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, peas
- Herbs & spices: Fresh basil, parsley, garlic powder, oregano
- Cheeses: Mozzarella, cheddar, goat cheese, Pecorino Romano
🧊 Storage & Reheating
- Add a splash of cream or pasta water to restore sauce texture
- Refrigerate: Up to 4 days in an airtight container
- Reheat: Gently in the microwave or on the stovetop
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
- Bread. Serve this Paccheri Pasta with Tomato Sauce with some bread to sop up the delicious sauce. Try this Air Fryer Garlic Bread or Potato Flatbread.
- Proteins. Make this a side dish to be served with Air Fryer Pork Chops, Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast, Salmon in Creamy Sauce, Quick Maple Sriracha Tofu, or Crunchy Baked Shrimp.
- Salad. Start the meal with a green salad, like this Wedge Salad, Mediterranean Quinoa Salad, Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad, Jennifer Aniston Salad, or Simple Kale Salad.
- Soup. Enjoy this pasta with a bowl of Hearty Mushroom Soup, Turkey Cabbage Soup, Red Lentil Soup with Bacon, or Moroccan Chickpea Soup.
❓ FAQs
Can I make this less spicy?
Of course! Just skip the red pepper flakes or reduce the amount.
Can I use a different pasta shape?
Yes! Penne, rigatoni, or fusilli all work great.
Can I lighten this dish?
Use Half & Half instead of heavy cream — still creamy and delicious!
Can I make it dairy-free?
Use coconut cream and a dairy-free Parmesan alternative.
💛 Final Thoughts
This Rotini Pasta with Chicken checks all the family-dinner boxes: easy, comforting, flavorful, and picky-eater approved! Save it for nights when you need a guaranteed win at the table.
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment below — I love your feedback!
Please refer to the recipe card below for the nutrition information and daily values.
More tasty pasta recipes:
Rotini Pasta with Chicken
VIDEO TUTORIAL
Ingredients
- 10 oz. uncooked rotini pasta
- 12 oz. chicken breast, or chicken thights, cut into pieces
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- ½ medium onion, diced
- 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 2 ½ tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 cup heavy cream (of Half & Half)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- 1 tsp. dried basil or Italian seassoning
- ½ tsp. sea salt or to taste
- ¼ tsp. pepper or to taste
- ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes or to taste
Instructions
- Cook the rotini. Add rotini pasta to salted boiling water and cook 12–13 minutes, according to package instructions.10 oz. uncooked rotini pasta
- Cook onion. While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, until softened and lightly browned.2 tbsp. olive oil, ½ medium onion, diced
- Add chicken and tomato paste. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, and chicken. Cook 7–8 minutes, until chicken is nearly cooked through.12 oz. chicken breast, or chicken thights, cut into pieces, 3 medium garlic cloves, minced, 2 ½ tbsp. tomato paste
- Make the sauce. Reduce the heat to low. Add the heavy cream, Parmesan, dried basil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a gentle simmer. Drain pasta and reserve pasta water.1 cup heavy cream (of Half & Half), ½ cup grated Parmesan, 1 tsp. dried basil, ½ tsp. sea salt, ¼ tsp. pepper, ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
- Combine & serve. Add pasta to the sauce and stir well. Thin the sauce with a splash of pasta water if needed. Serve immediately. 😍
Notes
💡 Helpful Tips
- Salt your pasta water for best flavor
- Cook pasta al dente so it stays firm in the sauce
- Reserve pasta water — the starch helps sauce cling to rotini
- Serve right away — creamy sauces are best fresh
➕ Add-Ins & Substitutions
- Proteins: Italian sausage, ground beef, bacon, or meatballs
- Veggies: Bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, peas
- Herbs & spices: Fresh basil, parsley, garlic powder, oregano
- Cheeses: Mozzarella, cheddar, goat cheese, Pecorino Romano
Nutrition
💭 A Little Note from My Kitchen
Before you go, here’s a reminder that every meal you cook is a beautiful way of saying “I love you.” 💛
Stan says
Love the recipe
Tania Sheff says
Thanks, Stan!
Natalia says
Very good pasta! I think I will try it with shrimp next time.
Tania Sheff says
Great idea, Natalia!