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    Home » Recipes » Pasta

    30 Minute Chicken Caprese Pasta

    Published: Feb 5, 2016 · Modified: Mar 17, 2023 by Jessie · This post may contain affiliate links; if you buy something we'll earn a commission at no cost to you.

    Jump to Recipe

    This easy caprese pasta recipe is ready in just half an hour and is perfect for busy weeknights! Fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil come together in a delicious chicken pasta recipe.

    Two white bowls of caprese pasta on a white background. this recipe

    Simple meals = the best meals.

    Red tongs tossing spaghetti noodles with diced mozzarella in a dark skillet.

    I've been struggling lately with the whole "making dinner that is actually dinner and not just a toasted bagel" thing. We've been so busy that by the time we land on our couch at the end of the day, we're totally wiped out. Which means cooking sounds juuuuuuuust terrible.

    I'm actually pretty sure we've ordered pizza in every week of 2016 so far.

    Spaghetti in a white bowl topped with chopped tomatoes and fresh basil.

    And while we're being honest with each other (which obviously we are because INTERNET FRIENDS), I will also tell you that more often than not our pizza ordering ends up being 2 or 3 pizzas because if we do THAT, we save like FIVE WHOLE DOLLARS (coupons = winning) and - BONUS - we don't have to cook for another three days because LEFTOVERS.

    (We're really, REALLY GOOD at adulting).

    Caprese pasta in a shallow white bowl with fresh basil and tomatoes.

    But this morning, I woke up craving ... I don't know. Nutrients?

    Something fresh. Something that was not leftovers. Something that perhaps involved protein and/or vegetables. Something bright and summery (even though it's February).

    Caprese spaghetti in a white bowl with tomatoes and basil.

    And what do we do when we're craving fresh, bright, kind-of-nutritious summer-ish food things?

    We caprese, my friend.

    WE CAPRESE.

    This chicken caprese pasta is the perfect quick-fresh-flavorful dinner. It's also ready in less than half an hour so you can get back to re-watching 30 Rock on Netflix for the 500th time being a productive, responsible adult.

    (PS - this tastes SO much better than pizza).

    Wooden fork twirling a bite of spaghetti in a shallow white bowl.
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    Pasta topped with tomatoes and basil in a shallow white bowl.

    30 Minute Chicken Caprese Pasta

    ★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews
    • Author: Jessie
    • Prep Time: 10 mins
    • Cook Time: 20 mins
    • Total Time: 30 minutes
    • Yield: Serves 4
    • Category: Pasta
    • Cuisine: Italian-American
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    Description

    An easy weeknight pasta recipe.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • ½ lb. spaghetti
    • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 cups cooked chicken (dice up a rotisserie chicken or grab our slow cooker shredded chicken!)
    • salt and pepper, to taste
    • 4 oz fresh mozzarella, diced
    • 2 roma tomatoes, diced
    • ½ cup fresh basil, chopped

    Instructions

    1. Cook the spaghetti in very salty water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
    2. Heat 2 Tbsp. of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
    3. Add garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
    4. Add chicken pieces to skillet and cook until chicken is heated through, about 2 minutes.
    5. Remove skillet from heat. Add pasta and diced mozzarella to skillet and toss with kitchen tongs to combine.
    6. Drizzle in just enough of the remaining olive oil to lightly coat the pasta - you may not need it all.
    7. Add a generous pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper to the pasta and toss to combine.
    8. Divide pasta between plates and top with diced tomatoes and fresh basil. Serve immediately.

    Notes

    You could also top this pasta with some freshly grated parmesan cheese or a drizzle of balsamic reduction to mix it up a bit.

    Don't be afraid of seasoning - be sure to add salt and pepper to the finished dish to help bring everything together!

    Leave out the chicken to make this a vegetarian dish.

    Use high-quality olive oil for this recipe - it makes all the difference!

    We like to keep a bunch of grilled chicken in our fridge to use in recipes like this throughout the week. If you don't have pre-cooked chicken on hand, just dice up two raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts and sauté the pieces in a bit of olive oil until cooked through (do this between recipe steps 2 and 3), then proceed as directed by the recipe.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 4 servings
    • Calories: 550
    • Sugar: 4.2 g
    • Sodium: 819.5 mg
    • Fat: 23.4 g
    • Carbohydrates: 47.1 g
    • Protein: 36.4 g
    • Cholesterol: 81.9 mg

    Keywords: caprese, chicken, pasta

    Tag @lifeasastrawberry on Instagram to show us what you're cooking! Nutrition information is calculated per serving; it is approximate and will vary based on many factors.

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    I'm Jessie, and I like to talk about food. Tag your recipes #LifeAsAStrawberry on social media to share your creations! Learn about our team!

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    1. Rhonda

      January 09, 2023 at 2:07 pm

      I was looking for something besides just a marinara or meat sauce for spaghetti and found this. Loved it! It is This recipe was so fresh and easy to make. Plus it was ready in no time!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Team Life As A Strawberry

        January 10, 2023 at 12:57 pm

        We love that this pasta was exactly what you were looking for!

        Reply
    2. Team Life As A Strawberry

      January 06, 2023 at 12:09 pm

      YAY! We're so glad you enjoyed this quick and easy dinner!

      Reply
    3. Jessie

      February 09, 2016 at 9:11 am

      Hi Josh, I'm so glad you found the blog! Thanks for following along, and welcome! I'm so glad you liked the recipe - it's quickly become one of our favorites. Thanks for letting me know how it turned out! (Also, allllll of the high fives for CAPRESE-ing) 😉

      Reply
    4. Josh A.

      February 06, 2016 at 9:03 pm

      Hi there! New follower here, and really excited to be subscribed to your blog! Anywho, I was craving "fresh, bright, kind-of-nutritious summer-ish food" (since its in the 80s here in southern Cali) lol and decided to CAPRESE. Followed this recipe today and it was awesome! Can't wait to try other dishes!

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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