Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Pesto Chicken is an amazing dish. Roasting the tomatoes concentrates the tomato flavor and makes them melt-in-your-mouth delicious. The grilled easy pesto sauce chicken perfectly matches the tomatoes and the garlic white wine sauce. The tomatoes take a few hours to roast, but they can be done well in advance, which makes preparation a snap!
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🍅 The Ingredients
Simple, everyday ingredients like roasted tomatoes, pesto, and chicken combine effortlessly to create a deeply flavorful and satisfying pasta dish. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and variations) below.
🌿 Substitutions and Variations
- Chicken – We love the taste of boneless chicken thighs, but you can certainly go with boneless chicken breasts. Skin-on, bone-in thighs are wonderful, too; leave the meat on the bone. If desired, toss cubed ham at the very end for even more flavor.
- Tomatoes – Any type of tomato will work for this dish. Romas roast nicely, but you can’t go wrong with vine-ripe tomatoes. Make sure they are red and juicy. If you are pressed for time, skip the roasting and add top-notch canned tomatoes, such as San Marzano.
- Seasonings – Fresh herbs are best, but dried will work, too. Use any of the following herbs for excellent results: Thyme, basil, parsley, or marjoram.
- Wine – If you prefer not to cook with alcohol, simply increase the amount of broth.
See the recipe card (with video) below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
👩🏼🍳 How To Make Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Pesto Chicken
- Step 1: Place the halved tomatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment (or a silicone mat), season with salt, pepper, and thyme, drizzle with oil, and roast for 2½ hours at 300°F.
- Step 2: Brush the chicken with oil, season with salt and pepper, and grill until fully cooked.
- Step 3: Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and toss with the easy pesto sauce.
- Step 4: Boil the pasta until just al dente.
- Step 5: Sauté the onion and garlic, and then simmer with the white wine, broth, and sprinkle in the cheese.
- Step 6: Stir in the tomatoes and chicken.
Expert Tip
To roast the tomatoes, we line our baking sheet with a silicone mat for even baking. However, parchment paper or foil will work just fine, as well. Remember, the tomatoes can be baked ahead of time, up to 12 hours in advance.
🍽️ How To Serve
- This pasta is a filling dish and can be served with just some warm, easy skillet dinner rolls and a nice white wine, such as Chardonnay, or a robust red wine such as Zinfandel.
- For the perfect Italian feast, we love to cut a head of cold iceberg lettuce into fourths and then top each wedge with homemade blue cheese dressing, crumbled cooked bacon, halved cherry tomatoes, and a sprinkle of finely chopped red onion. It’s the perfect start to the feast.
- Cheesy garlic bread is a wonderful addition to the feast, too. Finish up with a ricotta cheesecake for the end of a stunning Italian-themed dinner party or a fun night at home with your loved ones.
🙋🏽♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, store-bought pesto works well and saves time, but easy homemade pesto can add a fresher, more vibrant flavor if you prefer.
Coat it in olive oil, season it, and then grill it over medium-high heat, turning once, until just cooked through to keep it juicy and flavorful. Use a digital thermometer to ensure you’ve reached an internal temperature of 160°F.
Absolutely! Roasted tomatoes can be prepared a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator, which actually helps deepen their flavor before combining with the pasta.
Ready to make a pasta dish that will rival your favorite Italian joint in town? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Pesto Chicken
Video
Equipment
- 1 Baking sheet lined with a silicone mat, parchment paper, or foil.
- 1 large (12") skillet
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs Roma tomatoes halved
- 3 tablespoon Olive oil divided
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon thyme dried
- 4 chicken thighs boneless, skinless
- ⅓ cup pesto sauce
- 3 cups penne pasta
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup white wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese grated, plus extra for garnish
- 2 tablespoon parsley fresh, chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- Place the halved tomatoes, cut side up, on the baking sheet (lined with a silicone mat, parchment paper, or foil). Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil, then sprinkle them with salt, pepper, and dried thyme. Bake them for 2 hours. Carefully flip the tomatoes over and bake for another 30 minutes. Remove from the oven. Use immediately, or set aside for up to 12 hours.1½ lbs Roma tomatoes, 3 tablespoon Olive oil, Salt and pepper, 1 tablespoon thyme
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
- Turn your grill to medium-high heat. Brush olive oil all over the chicken thighs and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Grill them until lightly charred and fully cooked with an internal temperature of 165°F. Cut them into bite-sized pieces and toss them in a medium-sized bowl with the pesto sauce. Set aside.4 chicken thighs, ⅓ cup pesto sauce
- Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, usually about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, saving about 1 cup of the pasta water.3 cups penne pasta
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds to one minute. Add the wine and let it simmer for about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and simmer until reduced by about half, usually about 10 minutes (just long enough for the pasta to cook).1 cup onion, 4 cloves garlic, ¼ cup white wine, 1 cup chicken broth
- Stir in 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, red pepper flakes, the butter, and the Parmesan cheese, stirring often to prevent the cheese from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Gently stir the chicken and cooked pasta. Stir until fully mixed. Next, gently stir in the tomatoes, being careful not to break them apart. Add about ½ cup of the reserved pasta water and let simmer lightly for a few minutes.½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, ⅓ cup parmesan cheese
- Serve at once with extra Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley for garnish (if using).2 tablespoon parsley
Priya says
Simple, healthy, and delicious! Thanks for sharing; I love this recipe and will definitely try it this weekend!
Kris Longwell says
Awesome!
Stephanie Lanzalotto says
So sorry I misspelled your name wrong, Kris. I wish I could edit my comment!!
Kris Longwell says
Don’t worry one bit!! I see it spelled that way more than with a ‘K’…LOL!!! No biggie!!! Have a wonderful Sunday!
Stephanie Lanzalotto says
I made this last night, and WOW! It is absolutely wonderful. I made it exactly as written, plus I made Chris and Wesley’s pesto with basil from my garden (used pecans instead of pignolis as I didn’t have them on hand). It was delicious and delightful and I will place this recipe among my favorite pasta dishes. Chris & Wesley’s recipes never disappoint. Food is love. I love their food and I love to share it with my favorite people.
Kris Longwell says
Stephanie! You have melted our hearts! Thank you so so much and we are THRILLED you are enjoying our recipes! And homemade pesto with pecans is perfection! Thank you again for sharing, your kind words, and the wonderful review. That means so so much to us!! xoxo Kris & Wesley
Patricia Naimola says
This was great! I truly make at least 2 of Chris and Wesley’s recipes a week and this was right up there. So much flavor! Don’t think twice about making it…you won’t regret it!
Kris Longwell says
Hi Patricia! You make our day all the time! We are thrilled you enjoyed the pasta and THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing and for the amazing review! You (and your review) mean so much to us!!! xoxo Kris & Wesley