A rustic Italian classic gets a streamlined update for busy evenings. Tender chicken breasts simmer in a rich, herb-infused tomato broth alongside crisp zucchini, earthy mushrooms, and sweet bell peppers. You'll build the entire savory sauce in a single skillet while the pasta boils on the side. It's a hearty, budget-friendly meal that tastes like it took hours to develop.
Prep
15 min
Cook
40 min
Total
55 min
Servings
3
Course
Category Meat Pasta
Ingredients
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (¾ to 1 lb)
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped (½ cup)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ cup chopped green bell pepper
¾ cup sliced zucchini or yellow summer squash
¾ cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 ⁄ 8 teaspoon pepper
1½ cups uncooked bow-tie (farfalle), radiatore (nuggets) or rotini pasta
Instructions
1Slice each chicken breast crosswise into three equal pieces. Warm the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken for about 5 minutes, stirring often, then push the meat to one side of the pan.
2Add the chopped onion, garlic, bell pepper, zucchini, and mushrooms to the empty side of the skillet. Sauté the vegetables for roughly 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they become crisp-tender.
3Stir the undrained diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and black pepper into the chicken and vegetables. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat. Cover the skillet and let it simmer for 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside.
4While the chicken simmers, boil and drain the pasta according to the package instructions.
5Remove the lid from the skillet and simmer the chicken mixture for an additional 5 minutes so the sauce reduces slightly. Portion the cooked pasta into bowls and spoon the warm chicken and vegetable sauce generously over the top.
Notes
Budget tip: Buy boneless chicken breasts in bulk and freeze them to save money on recipes like this.
Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The flavors often deepen by the second day.
Swap: If you don't have bow-tie pasta, penne, rotini, or even egg noodles work beautifully to catch the rich tomato sauce.