Fuss-free one pot pasta is a meal the whole family will love! This 20-minute recipe is inspired by caprese salad, with fire-roasted tomatoes, mozzarella, and plenty of fresh basil. You’ll look forward to eating it all summer long!
If you’re looking for an effortless dinner that’s packed with flavor, one pot pastas are a great option!
Instead of boiling pasta in one pot and preparing the rest of the meal in another, you cook everything together. That way, the pasta itself gets infused with flavor and you only have one pot to wash! Fewer dishes to clean up is always a win if you ask me!
This one pot chicken caprese pasta recipe is so easy to make on weeknights and you’ll love it’s bright, fresh flavor. I always end up standing over the pot and eating way too much even before I dish it up. It’s so good that I just can’t stop after one bite!
Ingredients for Chicken Caprese One Pot Pasta
To make this easy pasta recipe, you’ll need a few simple ingredients:
- Ground chicken. You could use diced chicken breast instead if you want, but I love how the finer texture of ground chicken works with delicate pasta like spaghetti. It combines with the other ingredients into something similar to a meat sauce or Bolognese, so you get some chicken in every bite.
- Pasta. Obviously, you can’t make one pot pasta without some sort of pasta! For this recipe, I like to use spaghetti, linguini, or angel hair. Barilla protein+ is great for an added protein boost, but you can use your favorite pasta. Whole wheat and gluten-free options work well, too!
- Fire-roasted diced tomatoes. I love the subtle charred flavor of fire-roasted tomatoes. They have so much more depth than regular tomatoes and really take this caprese pasta to the next level. I use one can, so this pasta isn’t super tomato-y. If you love tomatoes, add a second can. If you want something closer to a red sauce instead of a tomato-cream sauce, you can also add a can of fire-roasted crushed tomatoes.
- Roasted Red Peppers. Along with the fire-roasted tomatoes, roasted red peppers help give this pasta a subtle smoky flavor. They also add a touch of sweetness that I really love and make this pasta extra special. If you don’t have any, you can leave them out or add 1 finely diced red bell pepper along with the onion.
- Low sodium broth. You can use chicken broth or vegetable broth for this recipe, but make sure you buy a low sodium or no salt added version. The broth will reduce considerably as the pasta cooks, so regular versions can make your pasta too salty.
- Bocconcini (small fresh mozzarella balls). I love the milky flavor of fresh mozzarella. Bocconcini are super fun, and small enough to be bite-sized. You can also cut a larger piece of mozzarella into 1-inch cubes if you prefer.
- Heavy cream. A generous splash of heavy cream gives this pasta a luxurious richness.
- Fresh basil. Fresh basil gives this pasta so much flavor, so don’t skip it. Dried simply doesn’t work in this recipe.
- Onions and Garlic. Duh what recipe is complete without them?
How to make one pot pasta
If you’ve never made one pot pasta before, you’re in for a real treat! It’s so fun to make — it almost seems like magic! Below I’ve outlined the steps to making a delicious chicken caprese pasta but you can also use this easy one pot pasta formula to come up with your own creations! I’ve made everything from one pot cacio e pepe to spicy tortellini.
Instead of boiling a big pot of water to cook your pasta in, you add it to the same pot as the rest of your ingredients. The pasta will absorb the broth and soften as it cooks, giving it tons of flavor. At the same time, the rest of the ingredients cook down into a rich sauce. Give everything a stir and you’re good to go!
First, you’ll want to start by broiling your meat in a little olive oil. It’s always good to start with this step because it gives the chicken some color and extra flavor. Otherwise you’d just be poaching it, which is fine but not as tasty.
Next, I like to add the garlic and seasoning and give everything a stir. This opens up the flavors more than just throwing them in along with everything else would.
Once the garlic has toasted for a minute or two, add in all of the remaining ingredients except for the mozzarella and bring it to a simmer. You might want to break your pasta in half so it fits into the pot, or you can just keep an eye on it and gently push it into the pot as it begins to soften.
Simmer everything for about 10 minutes give or take a minute or two since different brands or types of pasta cook at different rates. When the pasta is soft and the liquid has reduced it’s done! So easy.
Just stir in your mozzarella and dish it up! I also like to add a little more fresh basil at the end to really make those flavors pop.
More recipes you’ll love
- Mushroom and Lentil Bolognese
- One Pot Sausage and Eggplant Pasta
- One Pot Shrimp Udon Bowls
- Gluten-Free Caprese Pasta
- 20 No Cook Meals to make this summer
One Pot Chicken Caprese Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock
- 1 pound spaghetti I used Barilla Protein+
- 1 onion diced
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup roasted red bell pepper strips
- ¼ cup fresh basil chopped, plus additional for serving
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup fresh mozzarella balls Bocconcini size
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until it’s browned and cooked through. Stir in the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for a minute or two.
- Pour in the chicken stock, pasta, tomatoes, onion, red peppers, basil, and cream. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
- Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the pasta has soaked up most of the liquid and the sauce has thickened.
- When the pasta is cooked, stir in the mozzarella and garnish with additional basil.
Delish!!! The only issue was that the recipe didn’t say when to add the fire roasted tomatoes?
Add them in step 2!