Chicken Arrabbiata pasta is a classic Italian dish that is great for weekend lunch or dinner. This dish is made with penne pasta, chicken breasts and tomato sauce.
It is healthy, lip-smacking and will please all pasta lovers. The chicken Arrabbiata pasta is loaded with rich carbohydrates and protein, making this a filling and healthy meal.
In this Chicken Arrabbiata recipe, The pasta is tossed with onions, minced garlic, fresh tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce and juicy tender chicken. The best part is, this is a one-pot one-shot recipe and is made in 30mins.
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What is Chicken Arrabbiata?
“Arrabiata” means “angry” in Italian is the spicy sauce for pasta made from garlic, tomatoes sauce, red chilli pepper in olive oil. The one secret for this sauce is the balance between the tomatoes and the spicy chilli peppers. The traditional pasta used is penne, but the “Arrabbiata” sauce will go well with almost all kind of pasta.
Why this recipe works?
This chicken Arrabbiata recipe is easy to make, tastes delicious and has the perfect texture. The dish has flavourful Italian spices with penne and juicy chicken cooked in rich and spicy Arrabbiata sauce. The delicious sauce is what makes the whole dish authentic. This recipe also makes a great vegetarian alternative with some fresh veggies.
What's in Chicken Arrabbiata pasta?
All it takes to make this dish delicious is a handful of simple ingredients.
- Olive oil: You may also use vegetable oil or sunflower oil instead of olive oil.
- Chicken breasts: This recipe uses boneless and skinless chicken cut into small size cubes. You can replace it with chicken thighs if you like.
- Onion: Use finely chopped onions.
- Garlic: Use minced garlic; you may also add extra garlic based on your preference.
Penne pasta(uncooked): You can use any type of pasta; however, penne pasta is the one that is traditionally used. - Tomato sauce: The recipe uses 1 jar of store-bought tomato sauce. You can also use homemade sauce.
- Worcestershire sauce: This sauce gives a unique flavour to the whole dish. It is made of vinegar, anchovies, garlic, onions, sugar, chilli pepper, cloves and tamarind, giving it a tangy, sweet and savoury taste. The balance of all these tastes is what makes this sauce taste rich and flavourful.
- Chicken broth: The chicken broth enhances the flavour of the dish. You can also use vegetable stock.
- Basil leaves: You may use some fresh basil leaves for the pasta and some for garnishing.
- Seasoning: For seasoning, use salt, ground black pepper, red pepper flakes for the spice and dried oregano to taste.
- Parmesan cheese: Use grated parmesan cheese for serving to complete the dish. You can replace it with Mozzarella if you like.
How to make Chicken Arrabbiata pasta?
Cooking the chicken breasts: Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the chicken, salt, pepper, pepper flakes and dried oregano; cook for 4-5 minutes or until the chicken becomes brown. Add the onion and garlic, then cook for 3-4 minutes more.
Adding the other ingredients: Now, add the uncooked pasta, Chicken broth, Tomato sauce and Worcestershire sauce, stir well, then bring it to a boil. After that, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the pasta is fully cooked.
Garnishing: Garnish with parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves, then serve.
Top Tips
- Pasta is best served right after you garnish, straight from the fire.
- Arrabbiata pasta is a spicy recipe. You may add pepper flakes based on your taste and can also make it kid-friendly by adding fewer pepper flakes.
- You can use any kind of cheese for garnishing, and you can substitute fresh basil with chopped parsley.
- Don’t skip the garlic as it gives extra added flavour.
- If you like your pasta cooked really well, add some excess water if the liquid is fully absorbed.
- You can add/sprinkle some grated cheese and grill for a couple of minutes until the cheese has melted.
- You may also use lemon zest and juice for seasoning.
- If your tomato sauce is store-bought, make sure it is sugar-free, which helps enhance the spice.
- You could use leftover chicken shreds instead of chicken breast.
- Just in case the chicken Arrabbiata is not spicy enough in the end, you can simply add some extra seasoning.
Some Variations
- Pasta: You may substitute penne with any type of pasta.
- Veggies: Use veggies of your choice such as zucchini, olives, carrots, broccoli are delicious and a healthy option.
- Shrimp Arrabbiata: Shrimp can be added to the pasta instead of chicken.
- Arrabbiata meatballs: Add meatballs to the pasta and follow the same recipe.
- Gluten-free: Choose your favourite gluten-free pasta, and you are good to go.
Serving suggestions
This chicken Arrabbiata is delicious on its own and does not require any sides. But, if you’re looking for options, you may serve them with:
- Rocket salad with parmesan
- Homemade coleslaw salad
- Lemon garlic potato salad
- Mediterranean couscous salad
- Garlic butter sautéed mushrooms
- Green beans with parmesan cheese
- Roasted cauliflower
Storage
To store: Keep the pasta in an airtight container and refrigerate for about 3-4 days. You can you reheat it in the microwave or on the stove.
To freeze: You can freeze this dish; however, The texture of the pasta changes when frozen. It gets softer and chewier but lasts for 1-2 months. Reheat on the stove, or you could just microwave it. It is always best to freeze just the sauce and cook fresh pasta.
Recipe FAQs
Pasta Arrabbiata is usually made with penne pasta. But you may also use different types of pasta such as spaghetti, fusilli, macaroni or farfalle.
I would suggest parmesan cheese for this recipe. But you may use other available cheese that you desire.
Marinara sauce is also an Italian flavoured sauce made using tomatoes. The only difference is that the Arrabbiata sauce consists of red chilli pepper flakes which give a rich flavour to the sauce.
Yes, you can. Fresh pasta takes less time to cook than dried pasta; also, it doesn’t absorb much liquid. But it is best to use dried pasta for the pasta Arrabbiata as it allows it to hold up the sauce better.
More Italian recipes
- Pasta al forno (italian baked pasta)
- Italian shrimp pasta salad
- Pesto pasta - with homemade pesto sauce
Pasta recipes you may like
Recipe
Quick Chicken Arrabbiata Pasta - One Pot Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 500 g chicken breasts , boneless and skinless, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 large onion , chopped
- 5 cloves garlic , minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 350 g penne pasta
- 500 g tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 6 leaves fresh basil , for serving
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese , for serving
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the chicken, salt, pepper, pepper flakes and dried oregano; cook for 4-5 minutes or until the chicken becomes brown. Add the onion and garlic, then cook for 3-4 minutes more.
- Now, add the uncooked pasta, Chicken broth, Tomato sauce and Worcestershire sauce, stir well, then bring it to a boil. After that, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the pasta is fully cooked.
- Garnish with parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves, then serve.
Notes
- Don’t skip the garlic as it gives extra added flavour.
- If you like your pasta cooked really well, add some excess water if the liquid is fully absorbed.
- You could use leftover chicken shreds instead of chicken breast.
- You can add/sprinkle some grated cheese and grill for a couple of minutes until the cheese has melted.
- You may also use lemon zest and juice for seasoning.
- Just in case the pasta is not spicy enough in the end, you can simply add some extra seasoning.
Variations
- Pasta: You may substitute penne with any type of pasta.
- Veggies: Use veggies of your choice such as zucchini, olives, carrots, broccoli are delicious and a healthy option.
- Shrimp Arrabbiata: Shrimp can be added to the pasta instead of chicken.
- Arrabbiata meatballs: Add meatballs to the pasta and follow the same recipe.
- Gluten-free: Choose your favourite gluten-free pasta, and you are good to go.
Nutrition
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If you have a question about this Chicken Arrabbiata pasta recipe, please leave a comment or contact me via the contact page. And if you make this recipe, don't forget to rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comment section below. Thanks for visiting my blog.
Mia
This chicken and pasta recipe is so quick and made in one pot. LOVE it!
Jennifer
Hi how much of each ingredient do i need,as it doesn't specify
Tina
This Arrabiata recipe is so simple! and my son loved it. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Marlen
This dish was so flavourful! I added extra red chilli flacks. My husband and I loved this recipe because it is a one-pot meal 🙂