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One-Pot Creamy Pink Pasta with Chicken 

ByMelissa Jo Posted on Updated on
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A fork lifts creamy rigatoni pasta mixed with herbs above a plate topped with sliced grilled chicken and garnished with grated cheese, set on a kitchen counter.

If you love one-pot meals, you’ve officially found the right spot. From my One-Pot Beef Stroganoff, Winner Winner Chicken One-Pot Dinner, and One-Pot Chicken and Dirty Rice, this site is all about bold flavor with minimal cleanup — and this One-Pot Creamy Pink Pasta with Chicken may be the creamiest one yet.

Even the pasta cooks right in the sauce. What starts as a brothy tomato-cream base transforms into a rich, silky pink sauce as the pasta releases its starch, creating a restaurant-quality dish using just one pot.

This is comfort food at its finest — cozy, indulgent, and unbelievably easy.

A hand holds a small bowl of assorted spices above a plate of raw chicken thighs on a kitchen counter. Two orange pepper mills and white cabinets are visible in the background.
Raw chicken pieces on a white plate are heavily coated with various seasonings, sitting on a wooden countertop. Two red pepper mills are visible in the background.
Three seasoned chicken thighs are sizzling in hot oil in a white Dutch oven on a stovetop, with a white pot lid and a tomato-themed canister visible in the background.
A can of Mutti crushed tomatoes, a tube of double concentrated tomato paste, a small pile of chopped onions, and a bottle of Sutter Home Chardonnay on a wooden kitchen counter.
A hand holds a measuring cup filled with chopped onions above a pot with sizzling oil and browned bits on the bottom, ready for sautéing.
A hand squeezes Cento double concentrated tomato paste from a tube into a white pot containing sautéed onions and oil on a stovetop.
A hand pours a clear liquid from a bottle into a pot containing sautéed onions and spices on a stovetop, with a white tiled backsplash and kitchen items in the background.
A hand holds an empty Sutter Home Chardonnay wine bottle over a white pot with sautéed onions and browned bits on the stovetop.
A hand pours the last bit of tomato sauce from a jar into a white pot of simmering tomato sauce on a stovetop, with a white tiled backsplash in the background.
A white, oval-shaped cast iron Dutch oven with a matching lid and two handles, placed on a white background.

The perfect dutch oven for one pot meals! 🙂

A hand with red nails holds a bowl of sliced, seasoned grilled chicken over a pot of creamy, sauce-covered rigatoni pasta, ready to be added to the dish.
Shredded cheese is being sprinkled into a white pot filled with pasta, sauce, chopped greens, and mushrooms on a stovetop.
A creamy tomato pasta with penne, shredded chicken, and spinach being stirred with a wooden spoon in a large white pot on a stovetop.
A woman with long hair and a polka-dot top poses in a kitchen, holding a spoon over a large bowl of pasta with grilled chicken. A vase of colorful flowers sits on the counter beside her.
A woman in a black and white polka-dot shirt stands in a bright kitchen, smiling as she seasons a large dish of pasta on the counter. A vase with colorful flowers is beside her. White cabinets and a farmhouse sink are in the background.
A close-up of creamy pasta with grilled chicken slices, garnished with herbs and shredded cheese. A hand holding a fork lifts a serving from a decorative bowl in a kitchen setting.
A fork lifts a serving of creamy rigatoni pasta with herbs from a bowl topped with grilled chicken strips and shredded cheese, set on a kitchen counter.

🗒 More Delicious Recipes

My Favorite Pot for One-Pot Meals 

I made this recipe in my Amazon Basics Matte White Dutch Oven, and it’s hands-down one of my most-used kitchen pieces. It’s perfect for soups, stews, pot roast, braises, and one-pot pasta recipes like this one.

  • Safe for stovetop and oven
  • Holds heat beautifully
  • Easy to clean
  • Neutral matte white that looks gorgeous on the stove

If you’re building a kitchen that actually works for real-life cooking, this is a staple.

👝 How to Store Leftovers

Store in an airtight container for 3-5 days

🤔 Common Questions

Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?

Yes, but chicken thighs are recommended for the best flavor and tenderness. Chicken breasts can dry out more easily if overcooked.

Why does it look like soup at first?

That’s normal. As the pasta cooks, the liquid thickens into a rich, creamy sauce.

A fork lifts creamy rigatoni pasta mixed with herbs above a plate topped with sliced grilled chicken and garnished with grated cheese, set on a kitchen counter.

One-Pot Creamy Pink Pasta with Chicken 

If you love one-pot meals, you’ve officially found the right spot. From my One-Pot Beef Stroganoff, Winner Winner Chicken One-Pot Dinner, and One-Pot Chicken and Dirty Rice, this site is all about bold flavor with minimal cleanup — and this One-Pot Creamy Pink Pasta with Chicken may be the creamiest one yet.
Even the pasta cooks right in the sauce. What starts as a brothy tomato-cream base transforms into a rich, silky pink sauce as the pasta releases its starch, creating a restaurant-quality dish using just one pot.
This is comfort food at its finest — cozy, indulgent, and unbelievably easy.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 people

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ziti rigati
  • 6 –8 small boneless skinless chicken thighs (fat left on for flavor)
  • 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil I used La Española
  • ½ cup diced onion
  • 5 cloves garlic chopped
  • 3½ cups reduced-sodium chicken stock
  • 4 oz dry white wine Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 14 oz can Mutti crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 cup chopped baby spinach
  • 1 cup shredded Pecorino Romano
  • or ½ cup finely grated; Parmesan works too
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Optional garnish: parsley extra cheese

Chicken Seasoning

Instructions
 

Prep the chicken

  • Pat chicken thighs dry and bring to room temperature. Season generously on all sides with garlic powder, paprika, dried basil, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.

Brown the chicken

  • Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until sizzling.
  • Brown chicken in batches on both sides. Lower heat slightly and continue cooking until fully cooked through, about 10–15 minutes total.

Remove & reserve juices

  • Transfer chicken to a bowl and set aside. Do not discard the juices — they go back into the sauce.

Sauté aromatics

  • In the same pot, add onion and garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté until soft, translucent, and lightly golden.

Toast tomato paste

  • Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until deepened in color and slightly caramelized, about 2–3 minutes.

Deglaze with wine

  • Pour in wine and scrape up all the flavorful bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer until alcohol cooks off.

Build the sauce

  • Add crushed tomatoes, season again with salt and pepper, and simmer for about 5 minutes.
  • Rinse the tomato can with some chicken stock and add it to the pot along with the remaining stock.

Add cream & boil

  • Stir in heavy cream. Cover and bring to a rolling boil, seasoning again as needed.

Cook pasta in the sauce

  • Salt the liquid generously (like pasta water). Add dry pasta, cover, and bring back to a boil.
  • Uncover and cook at a steady boil, stirring often, until pasta is al dente and the sauce thickens, about 12–14 minutes.

Finish the dish

  • Slice half the chicken on a diagonal and return it to the pot with all reserved juices.
  • Lower heat to very low. Stir in most of the cheese and the spinach until melted and wilted.

Serve

  • Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve topped with remaining sliced chicken, extra cheese, and parsley if desired.

Video

YouTube video
Keyword chicken one pot dinner, creamy pink pasta, one pot creamy pink pasta with chicken
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