Save There's something about the smell of garlic hitting hot butter that makes you forget why you even opened the fridge in the first place. I was having one of those evenings where I needed dinner to feel like comfort, not just sustenance, and this creamy tomato basil chicken came together almost by accident. The sauce started as an improvisation—a can of tomatoes, some cream I had lingering, and the basil from my kitchen windowsill—but it became the kind of dish you crave on ordinary Tuesday nights.
I made this for my neighbor one night when she'd had a rough week, and watching her face when she took that first bite—the way she closed her eyes—reminded me that food is sometimes the best conversation starter. She asked for the recipe before she'd finished eating, which is always the highest compliment.
Ingredients
- Penne pasta (12 oz): Use dried penne; it holds the sauce beautifully because of those little ridges.
- Chicken breasts (1 lb): Pound them gently to an even thickness so they cook at the same rate and stay tender.
- Salt and black pepper: Season generously; it's the backbone of every layer of flavor.
- Olive oil (1 tbsp): Good quality oil makes the sear sing, but any oil you trust will work.
- Unsalted butter (2 tbsp): Butter builds the foundation of your sauce; don't skip this step.
- Yellow onion (1 medium): Chop it finely so it dissolves into the sauce and adds sweetness without texture.
- Garlic cloves (3): Mince them fresh; jarred garlic never quite has the same punch.
- Red pepper flakes (1/2 tsp, optional): A gentle warmth that sneaks up on you; add more if you like heat.
- Crushed tomatoes (14 oz can): San Marzano if you can find them, but any good quality crushed tomatoes will shine.
- Heavy cream (1/2 cup): This is what transforms the tomatoes into something rich and elegant.
- Parmesan cheese (1/3 cup, freshly grated): Freshly grated makes all the difference; pre-shredded varieties have additives that prevent melting smoothly.
- Fresh basil (1/2 cup): Add half during cooking and half right before serving for bright, fresh flavor in every bite.
Instructions
- Start the pasta:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and add penne, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom. Cook until just al dente—that moment where it still has a tiny bit of resistance when you bite it. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining; you'll use this to loosen the sauce later.
- Prepare the chicken:
- Pat your chicken breasts dry with paper towels and sprinkle them evenly with salt and pepper on both sides. This helps them develop a golden crust instead of steaming.
- Sear the chicken:
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Lay the chicken in carefully and let it sit undisturbed for 5–6 minutes; you'll know it's ready to flip when it releases easily and has turned golden. Cook the other side for 5–6 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a plate and let it rest while you build the sauce.
- Build the sauce foundation:
- In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat and add the chopped onion, stirring often until it turns translucent and soft, about 3–4 minutes. You want it tender enough that it almost disappears into the sauce.
- Add aromatics:
- Stir in the minced garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for just about 1 minute until your kitchen smells incredible and the garlic has softened slightly.
- Introduce the tomatoes:
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes and let them simmer gently for 5 minutes, which helps the flavors settle and marry together.
- Cream and mellow:
- Lower the heat to low or medium-low and slowly pour in the heavy cream, stirring constantly to blend it smoothly into the tomato base. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until the sauce takes on a beautiful peachy-pink color and thickens slightly.
- Finish with cheese and basil:
- Stir in the grated parmesan and half of the fresh basil, mixing until the cheese melts completely and disappears into the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Bring it together:
- Slice the rested chicken into bite-sized pieces and add it back to the skillet along with the drained pasta. Toss everything gently to coat, adding splashes of reserved pasta water as needed until the sauce feels silky and clings to every piece. You want it creamy, not thick or clumpy.
- Serve with love:
- Plate immediately while everything is warm, garnish with the remaining fresh basil and a shower of extra parmesan, and serve with something cold to drink.
Save There's a moment during cooking when everything in the pan comes together and suddenly smells like something you'd order at a nice restaurant, and that's when you know you've got it right. This dish transformed from a random weeknight dinner into something I now make whenever I want to feel like I've got my life together.
Why Fresh Basil Makes the Difference
Basil is the voice of this dish, and dried basil is barely a whisper by comparison. I learned this the hard way after trying the shortcut one night, and the sauce tasted flat and one-dimensional. Fresh basil brings brightness and a subtle peppery note that cream and tomato need to feel balanced. Add half of it during cooking to infuse the sauce, and save the other half for finishing so you get both the deep herbal notes and the fresh pop.
The Secret to Creamy Without Breaking
Heavy cream and tomatoes want to separate; it's just their nature. The trick is adding the cream slowly over low heat while stirring constantly, like you're coaxing them to get along. If you dump cold cream into a hot pan of tomatoes and turn away, you're asking for trouble. The gentler you are with this step, the more luxurious and smooth your sauce becomes.
Variations and Personal Touches
This recipe is a foundation, not a fence, so feel free to play with it. I've added a splash of white wine after the onions to deepen the flavor, swapped spinach for basil when I was out of fresh herbs, and even thrown in sautéed mushrooms for a heartier version on nights when I wanted something more substantial. Each change teaches you something new about how the flavors balance.
- A squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the very end brightens everything and cuts through the richness beautifully.
- If you want heat, increase the red pepper flakes or add a pinch of cayenne; it complements the cream without overwhelming it.
- For a vegetarian version, skip the chicken entirely and add sautéed zucchini, mushrooms, or spinach instead for substance and depth.
Save This is the kind of dinner that reminds you why cooking at home matters, not because it's complicated, but because it's genuinely good and made with your own two hands. Make it for someone you care about, and you'll understand why it stays in rotation.