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.
The perfect dutch oven for one pot meals! 🙂
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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
Yes, but chicken thighs are recommended for the best flavor and tenderness. Chicken breasts can dry out more easily if overcooked.
That’s normal. As the pasta cooks, the liquid thickens into a rich, creamy sauce.
One-Pot Creamy Pink Pasta with Chicken
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
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
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
This was literally perfection in a pot. My family loved it. Will definitely make again. Thank u!
Really easy! I followed exactly but when cooking pasta, I added another cup of broth.