High Protein Creamy Tomato & Garlic Chicken Pasta
Dive into a bowl of our luscious Creamy Tomato & Garlic Chicken Pasta, where every bite delivers a delightful punch of flavor and a whopping 50 grams of protein—all for just 530 calories! This dish combines succulent chicken, rich tomato sauce, and a hint of garlic for a satisfying meal that's perfect for meal prepping. Whip it up easily and savor the goodness all week long!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- Cooking spray (I used chosen foods avocado oil spray)
- 8 garlic cloves diced
- Fresh chopped parsley
- tsp pepper
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- 600g chicken breast (diced into bite size cubes) (1.32 lbs)
- 250ml chicken stock (brand: oxo) (8.45 fl oz)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(3)
- 100g light cream cheese (brand: Philadelphia lightest) (3.53 oz)
- 200ml fat free milk (6.76 fl oz)
- grated Parmesan (optional)optional
🫙Pantry Staples(5)
- 20ml olive oil (0.68 fl oz)
- 60ml pasta water (reserved from cooking pasta) (2.03 fl oz)
- 280g penne pasta (uncooked weight) (9.88 oz)
- tsp sugar
- 30g tomato paste (1.06 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(7)
- tsp black pepper
- tsp garlic powder
- tsp onion powder
- tsp paprika
- tsp salt
- Generous pinch of salt
- Add salt to taste
📦Other(2)
- 300g cherry tomatoes sliced (10.6 oz)
- tsp chilli flakes
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
335
Protein
48g
Carbs
8g
Fat
11g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Dice your chicken breast into cubes, then add the seasonings and mix well till fully coated.
- 2
In a pan, add some cooking spray and cook the chicken on high heat till golden brown.
- 3
On medium heat, add olive oil, diced garlic, stir till fragrant, then add cherry tomatoes with a pinch of salt, and cook those tomatoes down till completely soft.
- 4
Add chicken stock, chili flakes, more seasonings, light cream cheese, low-fat milk, tomato paste, and a dash of sugar. Bring everything to a bubble, and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.
- 5
Add back your chicken with cooked pasta and pasta water, mix till creamy, then add fresh parsley, and mix again.
- 6
Box everything up into 4 equal servings, garnish with parmesan, and you're ready to enjoy.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cube chicken to uniform 1-1.5 inch pieces and let them rest seasoned for 10-15 minutes before cooking so salt penetrates the muscle fibers via osmosis, improving moisture retention by up to 25% during high-heat cooking.technique10-15 minutes rest, 1-1.5 inch cubes
- ✓Cook chicken on high heat (375-400°F) without moving pieces for 3-4 minutes per side to develop a Maillard reaction crust, which traps internal moisture better than frequent stirring that breaks the developing protein barrier.timing375-400°F, 3-4 minutes per side
- ✓Add diced garlic and cook for exactly 45-60 seconds before tomatoes because garlic's pungent compounds (allicin) become bitter if browned beyond 60°C, but need heat to develop flavor—this window maximizes aromatic volatiles without scorching.timing45-60 seconds
- ✓Reserve 120-150ml of starchy pasta water (2% starch content) to add at the final step instead of relying solely on cream cheese for creaminess, since starch gelatinizes and creates viscosity while reducing calorie density compared to additional dairy.ingredient120-150ml pasta water, 2% starch
- ✓Simmer the sauce for 8-10 minutes (not 10+) because tomato acidity will curdle low-fat milk if heated above 180°F for prolonged periods; the shorter window allows flavors to meld while keeping casein proteins stable.timing8-10 minutes at gentle simmer, under 180°F
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
High Protein Creamy Tomato & Garlic Chicken Pasta
Dive into a bowl of our luscious Creamy Tomato & Garlic Chicken Pasta, where every bite delivers a delightful punch of flavor and a whopping 50 grams of protein—all for just 530 calories! This dish combines succulent chicken, rich tomato sauce, and a hint of garlic for a satisfying meal that's perfect for meal prepping. Whip it up easily and savor the goodness all week long!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- Cooking spray (I used chosen foods avocado oil spray)
- 8 garlic cloves diced
- Fresh chopped parsley
- tsp pepper
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- 600g chicken breast (diced into bite size cubes) (1.32 lbs)
- 250ml chicken stock (brand: oxo) (8.45 fl oz)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(3)
- 100g light cream cheese (brand: Philadelphia lightest) (3.53 oz)
- 200ml fat free milk (6.76 fl oz)
- grated Parmesan (optional)optional
🫙Pantry Staples(5)
- 20ml olive oil (0.68 fl oz)
- 60ml pasta water (reserved from cooking pasta) (2.03 fl oz)
- 280g penne pasta (uncooked weight) (9.88 oz)
- tsp sugar
- 30g tomato paste (1.06 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(7)
- tsp black pepper
- tsp garlic powder
- tsp onion powder
- tsp paprika
- tsp salt
- Generous pinch of salt
- Add salt to taste
📦Other(2)
- 300g cherry tomatoes sliced (10.6 oz)
- tsp chilli flakes
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
335
Protein
48g
Carbs
8g
Fat
11g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Dice your chicken breast into cubes, then add the seasonings and mix well till fully coated.
- 2
In a pan, add some cooking spray and cook the chicken on high heat till golden brown.
- 3
On medium heat, add olive oil, diced garlic, stir till fragrant, then add cherry tomatoes with a pinch of salt, and cook those tomatoes down till completely soft.
- 4
Add chicken stock, chili flakes, more seasonings, light cream cheese, low-fat milk, tomato paste, and a dash of sugar. Bring everything to a bubble, and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.
- 5
Add back your chicken with cooked pasta and pasta water, mix till creamy, then add fresh parsley, and mix again.
- 6
Box everything up into 4 equal servings, garnish with parmesan, and you're ready to enjoy.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cube chicken to uniform 1-1.5 inch pieces and let them rest seasoned for 10-15 minutes before cooking so salt penetrates the muscle fibers via osmosis, improving moisture retention by up to 25% during high-heat cooking.technique10-15 minutes rest, 1-1.5 inch cubes
- ✓Cook chicken on high heat (375-400°F) without moving pieces for 3-4 minutes per side to develop a Maillard reaction crust, which traps internal moisture better than frequent stirring that breaks the developing protein barrier.timing375-400°F, 3-4 minutes per side
- ✓Add diced garlic and cook for exactly 45-60 seconds before tomatoes because garlic's pungent compounds (allicin) become bitter if browned beyond 60°C, but need heat to develop flavor—this window maximizes aromatic volatiles without scorching.timing45-60 seconds
- ✓Reserve 120-150ml of starchy pasta water (2% starch content) to add at the final step instead of relying solely on cream cheese for creaminess, since starch gelatinizes and creates viscosity while reducing calorie density compared to additional dairy.ingredient120-150ml pasta water, 2% starch
- ✓Simmer the sauce for 8-10 minutes (not 10+) because tomato acidity will curdle low-fat milk if heated above 180°F for prolonged periods; the shorter window allows flavors to meld while keeping casein proteins stable.timing8-10 minutes at gentle simmer, under 180°F