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Chicken Penne Pasta Recipe

High-Protein Chicken Penne Pasta

A quick, high-protein chicken penne pasta tossed in a rich homemade tomato sauce — no heavy cream, ready in under 40 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Calories: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 250 g Penne Pasta —
  • 250 g Chicken Boneless Cut into cubes
  • 1 Medium Onion Finely diced
  • 4 cloves Garlic Finely chopped
  • 2 Medium Tomatoes Blended or grated into a puree
Oil
  • 2 tbsp Cooking Oil Divided
Seasoning
  • 1 tsp Salt Adjust to taste
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Red Chili Flakes
  • 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp Paprika Optional

Equipment

  • Pot
  • Frying pan
  • Knife
  • Cutting board
  • Wooden Spoon
  • Mixing Bowl

Method
 

  1. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add salt and 1 tbsp oil, then add the penne pasta. Cook for 10 minutes until al dente.
  2. Drain the pasta — don't rinse — and reserve ½ cup of the pasta water.
  3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add chicken cubes and cook until golden on all sides, 5–6 minutes.
  4. Add the diced onion and cook for 3 minutes until soft.
  5. Add the chopped garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  6. Pour in the tomato puree and mix well.
  7. Add salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, chili flakes, and paprika. Stir to combine.
  8. Simmer on medium-low heat for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and the raw tomato smell is gone.
  9. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce. Gently toss to coat and cook 1–2 minutes on medium-low heat. If the sauce looks too thick, add 2–3 tbsp of the reserved pasta water.
  10. (Optional) Sprinkle mozzarella on top, cover, and let it sit off heat for 2 minutes until melted.
  11. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.

Notes

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat with a splash of water or milk over low heat to loosen the sauce — microwave works too, just cover the bowl to keep it from drying out.