There is something about summer that makes me want dinner to be a little simpler. Give me fresh tomatoes from the garden, a handful of basil, a glass of cold Sauvignon Blanc, and a dinner that comes together without spending hours in the kitchen. This Summer Chicken Pasta checks every box.
Made with tender chicken breast, fresh tomatoes, garlic, basil, Parmesan, and a splash of white wine, this easy summer pasta recipe is light and fresh but still completely satisfying. The spaghetti finishes cooking right in the skillet with the sauce, Parmesan, and a little reserved pasta water. The result is a silky, flavorful sauce that clings beautifully to every strand of pasta.
It feels special enough for a summer dinner with friends, but it is simple enough to make on a weeknight. My favorite kind of recipe.
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The Inspiration Behind This Summer Chicken Pasta
I recently made the connection that The Parent Trap may have influenced my idea of the good life more than I realized.
You know the one. The vineyard in Napa. The beautiful house. Dinner outside. A glass of wine. Lindsay Lohan’s dad, Nick Parker, apparently only knowing how to make “pasta, pasta, or pasta.”
Frankly, I see no problem with any of this.
I may not own a vineyard in Napa, but I do have tomatoes and basil growing in the garden and a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc in the refrigerator. Close enough.
That was the mood behind this Summer Chicken Pasta. I wanted to make something that used the ingredients I had growing outside, felt fresh enough for a hot summer evening, and gave me a reason to open a bottle of wine.
Not that I needed one.
This chicken pasta with fresh tomatoes is simple, but the way the ingredients come together makes it feel like much more than the sum of its parts. The tomatoes soften and release their juices into the pan. The white wine picks up all those flavorful browned bits from the chicken. Fresh Parmesan and starchy pasta water bring everything together into a light, silky sauce.
Then the fresh basil goes in at the very end.
Summer dinner is served.
Why You’ll Love This Summer Chicken Pasta
This is one of those recipes that proves you do not need a long ingredient list or a heavy sauce to make really good pasta.
The fresh tomatoes are the star of the dish, especially if you are lucky enough to have garden tomatoes on hand. Garlic, butter, and Sauvignon Blanc add layers of flavor without overpowering them. The chicken makes the pasta filling enough to serve as a complete dinner, while fresh basil keeps everything bright.
I also love that this easy summer pasta recipe is flexible. Spaghetti is my first choice, but angel hair works beautifully. You can use Roma tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, or larger slicing tomatoes. This is the recipe to make when your garden starts producing tomatoes faster than you know what to do with them.
A problem I am always happy to have.
The Secret to a Light and Silky Pasta Sauce
The technique is what really makes this recipe special.
There is no heavy cream in this white wine chicken pasta. Instead, the sauce gets its silky texture from the combination of butter, tomato juices, white wine, freshly grated Parmesan, and starchy pasta water.
That last ingredient is important.
Before draining your spaghetti, scoop out at least one cup of the cooking water. The starch released by the pasta while it cooks helps the sauce come together and cling to the noodles.
Once the spaghetti is added to the skillet, add the Parmesan and about half a cup of reserved pasta water. Toss everything together over medium-low heat and allow the pasta to finish cooking directly in the sauce.
As you toss, the Parmesan melts and combines with the liquid in the pan. The sauce thickens slightly and coats the spaghetti instead of collecting at the bottom of the skillet.
If the pasta begins to look dry, add another splash of pasta water and keep tossing.
This simple technique is one of the easiest ways to make homemade pasta taste more like something you would order at a restaurant. The sauce stays light, but every bite is full of flavor.
Ingredients for Summer Chicken Pasta
One of my favorite things about this recipe is the short ingredient list. When you are cooking with fresh summer produce, you really do not need to complicate things.
You will need spaghetti, boneless skinless chicken breasts, butter, fresh tomatoes, garlic, dry white wine, freshly grated Parmesan, pasta water, and fresh basil.
Salt and black pepper are the only seasonings you need.
For the wine, Sauvignon Blanc is my go-to. It is bright, crisp, and works beautifully with fresh tomatoes and basil. It is also what I tend to drink during the summer, which means there is usually already a bottle nearby.
Convenient how that works.
Pinot Grigio or another dry white wine will work too. Choose something you enjoy drinking since you only need a splash for the pasta.
How to Make Chicken Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes
Start by bringing a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until it is just shy of al dente. You want it slightly underdone because it will finish cooking in the sauce.
Before draining the pasta, reserve at least one cup of the pasta water.
While the spaghetti cooks, season bite-sized pieces of chicken breast with salt and black pepper. Melt the butter in a large skillet and cook the chicken until it is golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
Add the garlic to the same skillet and cook it briefly, just until fragrant. Garlic can burn quickly, so this step only takes about 30 seconds.
Next, add the chopped fresh tomatoes. Let them cook until they begin to soften and release their juices.
Pour in the Sauvignon Blanc and scrape the bottom of the skillet to loosen all the browned bits left behind from cooking the chicken. Those little bits add so much flavor to the finished sauce.
Allow the wine to reduce slightly, then return the chicken to the skillet.
Add the drained spaghetti, freshly grated Parmesan, and about half a cup of reserved pasta water. Toss everything together over medium-low heat until the Parmesan melts and the sauce begins to coat the noodles.
Continue cooking and tossing for another minute or two. Add more pasta water as needed until the sauce is glossy and silky.
Remove the skillet from the heat and add the fresh basil.
Then add more Parmesan.
Obviously.
Use the Freshest Tomatoes You Can Find
This fresh tomato pasta recipe is especially good during the summer because ripe tomatoes have so much natural flavor.
I use tomatoes straight from my garden when I have them, but farmers market tomatoes are a great option too. Roma tomatoes hold their shape well, while cherry and grape tomatoes become soft and slightly jammy as they cook.
Larger slicing tomatoes work too. If they are especially juicy, let them cook for an extra minute or two before adding the wine. This gives some of the excess liquid time to reduce and concentrates the tomato flavor.
The beauty of a garden fresh pasta like this one is that it does not have to be exact. Use the tomatoes you have and let them do their thing.
Can I Use Angel Hair Instead of Spaghetti?
Absolutely. Angel hair would be delicious in this tomato basil chicken pasta, especially if you want an even lighter-feeling dish.
The only thing to remember is that angel hair cooks very quickly. Cook it just until slightly underdone, then finish it briefly in the skillet with the sauce.
Spaghetti can handle a couple of minutes of tossing and simmering in the sauce. Angel hair is a little more delicate, so keep an eye on it and serve it as soon as everything comes together.
Can I Make This Without Wine?
Yes. If you prefer not to cook with wine, substitute chicken broth.
The flavor will be different since you will lose some of the brightness and acidity of the Sauvignon Blanc, but the pasta will still be delicious.
You may want to finish the dish with a small squeeze of fresh lemon juice to add a little brightness. Start with a small amount, taste, and adjust from there.
Tips for the Best Summer Chicken Pasta
The first thing I will tell you is to grate your own Parmesan. Cheese grated fresh from a block melts much more smoothly into the sauce than pre-shredded Parmesan.
The second thing I will tell you is to save more pasta water than you think you need. You can always pour out what you do not use, but once it goes down the drain, there is no getting it back.
Cook the spaghetti just shy of al dente so it can finish in the skillet without becoming too soft.
Add the fresh basil after removing the skillet from the heat. Basil is delicate, and adding it at the end preserves its fresh flavor.
Finally, serve the pasta right away. This sauce is at its best when it is freshly tossed and silky. If it sits for a while and begins to tighten, a splash of warm pasta water can help loosen it again.
What to Serve with Summer Chicken Pasta
This Summer Chicken Pasta can absolutely stand on its own as a complete dinner. You have chicken, pasta, and plenty of fresh tomatoes all in one skillet.
If I am serving it for a casual dinner with friends, I like to add a simple green salad and some crusty bread for soaking up anything left in the bowl.
A chilled glass of Sauvignon Blanc is also highly recommended.
For culinary reasons, of course.
A Fresh and Easy Summer Dinner
This is the kind of dinner I want to make all summer long.
It is simple without being boring. Fresh without leaving you hungry an hour later. Special enough to serve to friends, but easy enough to make on a random Tuesday when the tomatoes are ripe and there is already an open bottle of wine in the refrigerator.
My Summer Chicken Pasta is full of tender chicken, juicy fresh tomatoes, garlic, basil, Parmesan, and a light white wine sauce that coats every strand of spaghetti.
No vineyard in Napa required.
Although I certainly would not turn one down.
Just grab the tomatoes from the garden, pour yourself a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, and put the pasta water on to boil.
Maybe Nick Parker was onto something after all.
Summer Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
- 2 tablespoon butter, salted
- 3-4 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
- 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
- ½ cup dry Sauvignon Blanc (or other dry white wine)
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- ½ to 1 cup reserved pasta water, as needed
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
- 1-2 tablespoon additional butter, if needed for finishing
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions until just shy of al dente. Before draining, reserve at least 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, season the chicken pieces with salt and black pepper. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic to the same skillet and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
- Add the chopped fresh tomatoes and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften and release their juices.
- Pour in the Sauvignon Blanc and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the wine to reduce slightly.
- Return the cooked chicken to the skillet, then add the drained spaghetti. Toss everything together over medium-low heat.
- Add the freshly grated Parmesan and ½ cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss continuously until the cheese melts and the pasta water combines with the butter, wine, tomato juices, and Parmesan to create a light, silky sauce that coats the spaghetti. Add more pasta water, a little at a time, as needed.
- Continue tossing and cooking the pasta in the sauce for 1 to 2 minutes, until the spaghetti is al dente and the sauce has thickened slightly and clings to the noodles.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and gently toss in the fresh basil. Taste and adjust the salt and black pepper as needed.
- Serve immediately with plenty of additional freshly grated Parmesan and, preferably, the rest of that Sauvignon Blanc.
Notes
Key Takeaways
- This summer chicken pasta is simple yet satisfying, made with fresh ingredients like tomatoes, basil, and chicken.
- You cook the spaghetti in the skillet with the sauce, creating a silky texture without heavy cream.
- The recipe is flexible; use any type of tomato or swap spaghetti for angel hair as desired.
- Grate your own Parmesan for the best melting quality and save extra pasta water to achieve the right sauce consistency.
- Pair the dish with a simple salad, crusty bread, and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc for a refreshing summer dinner.
