Easy Chicken Spaghetti without Cheese

Am I the only one who dreads making dinner some evenings? This easy chicken spaghetti recipe is proof that you don’t need much planning or preparation to pull off a delicious, healthy meal.

Tender chicken, sweet onion, red bell pepper and zucchini simmer in a quick tomato sauce seasoned with garlic and Italian seasoning, then get spooned over whole wheat spaghetti. No cream, no canned soup and no cheese required.

The Best Healthy Chicken Spaghetti (With Tomato Sauce)

Don’t be fooled. Even though I love cooking and live for making a healthy meal for my family, some days I’m just not in the mood. Between grocery shopping, cleaning, reading books, time outs, scrubbing little messy hands and MOST important of all… spending lots of quality time with my kiddos, dinner time sometimes sneaks up and I’m just not prepared.

I will not and DO not promote ingredients or products that you cannot find in my very own kitchen. I hope you’ve tried some of my favorite products like Bob’s Red Mill whole wheat pastry flour and Nutiva coconut oil in recipes like my Miracle Whole Wheat Bread and Blueberry Waffles to know they are AMAZING! If you stop by my house, you will find all the products I endorse in my kitchen. Well, unless I need to go grocery shopping. In that case, still come stop by and you can watch my kids, which will cut my grocery shopping time in half.

I’ve recently found the brand Garofalo for pasta. It’s Italian and tastes like Italy… must be the real deal. I’m loving the quality, taste and texture. I used the whole wheat pasta in this chicken spaghetti recipe and couldn’t have been happier with that decision. There’s a four pack at Costco or on Amazon.

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Spaghetti

• Weeknight fast. The sauce simmers while the pasta cooks, so dinner comes together in one easy push.
• Light and bright. A tomato based sauce instead of cream, cheese or canned soup.
• Vegetables built in. Bell pepper, zucchini and onion cook right in the sauce.
• Family approved. I won’t stop until I make food look and taste so good you’ll completely forget it’s healthy. Hey, it worked on my husband!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here is what goes into this healthy chicken spaghetti and why each one is there. Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

• Whole wheat spaghetti: Adds a nutty flavor and holds up well under a chunky sauce. I love Garofalo whole wheat pasta. Regular spaghetti works too.
• Olive oil: Just enough to brown the chicken and soften the onion and garlic.
• Chicken tenders: Thawed and cut into 1 inch pieces. Tenders cook quickly and stay juicy. Boneless, skinless chicken breast cut the same size is an easy swap.
• Sweet onion: Diced. Sweet onions turn soft and mellow in the sauce without any sharp bite.
• Minced garlic: Jarred or fresh both work. Cook it with the onion so it turns fragrant, not brown.
• Tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and tomato paste: Three kinds of tomato give the sauce body, texture and deep flavor. Organic canned tomatoes are what I use. The paste thickens the sauce so it clings to the pasta.
• Salt and black pepper: If you don’t like spicy, reduce the pepper to 1/2 teaspoon. One reader loved it with extra pepper, so adjust to your taste.
• Italian seasoning: A dried blend of herbs like basil, oregano and thyme that makes the sauce taste like it simmered all afternoon.
• Red bell pepper: Washed and diced. Adds sweetness, crunch and a pop of color against the red sauce.
• Zucchini: Washed and diced. It turns tender in just a few minutes and soaks up the sauce. Add it at the end so it doesn’t turn mushy.

How to Make Easy Chicken Spaghetti

1. Cook the pasta. Prepare the spaghetti according to the package instructions. Drain it and set aside while you make the sauce.
2. Brown the chicken. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chicken and cook for about 2 minutes, until it is no longer pink on the outside. Move the chicken to a plate. It will finish cooking in the sauce.
3. Soften the onion and garlic. In the same pan, cook the onion and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes, until the onion is soft and the garlic smells sweet and fragrant.
4. Build the sauce. Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Stir until the paste melts in and bring the sauce to a boil.
5. Add the vegetables and chicken. Stir in the bell pepper, zucchini and the chicken along with any juices on the plate. Cover and reduce the heat so the sauce simmers gently.
6. Simmer. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes, just until the vegetables are tender and the chicken reaches 165°F inside. Cut into a thick piece if you don’t have a thermometer; it should be white all the way through. Remove from the heat.
7. Serve. Spoon the chicken and vegetable sauce over the cooked pasta and enjoy!

Chicken Spaghetti FAQs

• Is this chicken spaghetti healthy? It is made with whole wheat pasta, lean chicken, three kinds of tomato and plenty of vegetables. There is no cream, cheese or canned soup.
• Can I make chicken spaghetti without cheese? Yes. This recipe has no cheese at all. Add a sprinkle of Parmesan at the table if you like.
• How long do I cook the chicken? Brown it for about 2 minutes, then let it finish in the simmering sauce until it reaches 165°F inside.
• Can I use rotisserie chicken? Yes. Skip the browning step and stir shredded cooked chicken into the sauce with the vegetables, then simmer until everything is hot.
• Is it spicy? The black pepper gives it a little heat. Use 1/2 teaspoon for a milder sauce, or add more if you like it spicy.
• Can I make the sauce ahead? Yes. Make the chicken and vegetable sauce, cool it quickly and refrigerate it for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat it until bubbling and serve over freshly cooked pasta.
• How do I store leftovers? Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container within 2 hours of cooking and eat them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat until steaming hot, 165°F.
• What should I serve with chicken spaghetti? A green salad and a slice of my Miracle Whole Wheat Bread or some Broiled Parmesan Baguettes round out the meal.

I’m falling more and more in love with food photography. Thanks to the Tasty Food Photography eBook from Pinch of Yum, my photos are improving. Look how the zucchini, bell peppers, chicken and spaghetti pop against the rich red color of the tomato sauce. I hope you can start tasting this chicken spaghetti through the photo long before it’s on a plate in front of you.

Kitchen Tools for This Recipe

Easy Chicken Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce

Easy chicken spaghetti with tomato sauce, bell pepper and zucchini, served over whole wheat pasta. It is a light, cheese free weeknight dinner with no cream or canned soup.

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Ingredients

  

• 1 lbs whole wheat spaghetti pasta
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 8 to 10 chicken tenders thawed and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 medium sweet onion diced
• 1 Tbs minced garlic
• 1 can 15 oz organic tomato sauce
• 1 can 15 oz organic diced tomatoes
• 1 can 6 oz organic tomato paste
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper if you don't like spicy, reduce it to 1/2 tsp
• 1 Tbs Italian seasoning
• 1 large red bell pepper washed and diced
• 1 large organic zucchini washed and diced

Instructions

 

• Prepare pasta according to package instructions.
• Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large frying pan over medium medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add chicken. Cook for 2 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove chicken and put on plate.
• In the same frying pan, cook onion and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes until onions no longer translucent. Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Bring to boil and add bell pepper and zucchini.
• Cover and reduce heat until sauce is simmering. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes only until vegetables tender. Remove from heat.
• Serve over cooked pasta and enjoy!

Made this chicken spaghetti? Leave a star rating in the recipe card and tell me how it turned out in the comments below. Your feedback helps other cooks, and I love hearing about your swaps.

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