This is an easy family friendly pasta and chicken dish. The ingredients are simple and the meal takes on a lighter texture. The spice combination for the tenderloins brings a bright flavor to the overall taste. It’s the perfect recipe for a weeknight dinner and it works just as well for an easy weekend meal. I hope you will enjoy this dish as much as we do. Happy Cooking!
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Try this popular healthier version jambalaya recipe:
Fettuccine with Chicken Tenderloins in Tomato Sauce
An easy family friendly weeknight pasta and chicken tenderloin recipe cooked in fresh tomato sauce.
Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN:
- 2 pounds chicken tenderloins (I used organic)
- 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
- 1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt (or kosher). Adjust for your diet.
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (Can use up to 2 tablespoons EVOO)
FOR THE PASTA:
- 1 pound Fettuccine pasta
- water and salt for cooking the pasta
FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE:
- 28 ounces can of whole plum tomatoes (can sub crushed/chopped tomatoes)
- 1 medium shallot peeled and finely diced
- 1/3 cup freshly chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon freshly crushed garlic
- 2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt (or kosher). Adjust for your diet
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
FOR THE CHICKEN:
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OPTIONAL: Rinse and pat the chicken tenders dry. Add the tenders to a bowl.
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Prepare the spice mix: Combine the salt, black pepper, coriander, cumin and red pepper flakes.
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Season the chicken with the 1 teaspoon garlic and all of the spice mix. Mix to coat the chicken thoroughly.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Note: I use 4 to 4 1/2 quarts water to 1 tablespoon salt.
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Cook the pasta simultaneously while cooking the chicken and tomato sauce.
Note: I like to cook the pasta al dente according to the package direction.
COOK THE CHICKEN:.
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In a non-stick deep pan, add the olive oil. Cook the chicken in batches. Use medium-high to high heat and cook each batch of chicken 3 to 4 minutes total until lightly brown on each side and cooked through. Be sure to flip the tenderloins half way through the cook time.
Note: I used small organic chicken tenderloins. And I cooked them in 3 batches. Cook time will vary depending on how large your tenderloins are. Do not over cook the tendersloins – they should be cooked through until no longer pink on the inside.
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Transfer the cooked tenders to a bowl or plate and set aside while you cook the sauce. When the last batch of chicken is cooked turn the heat down to low.
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When the chicken is cool enough to handle, break it up into bite size chunks. [You can cut the tenders into strips or dice into bite size chunks or just use your hands to break them up.]
MAKE THE SAUCE:
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Add the onions to the pan and saute 2 to 3 minutes until translucent.
Note: Turn up the heat to medium once you start cooking the onions. Also add a 1/2 to 1 tablespoon olive oil if needed.
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Add the thyme, garlic, red pepper flakes and season with a pinch of the salt and black pepper. Saute 30 seconds.
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Add the canned tomatoes with its juices. Season with the salt and pepper. Sprinkle in half of the chopped parsley. Stir. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 12 to 15 minutes.
COMBINING THE PASTA, CHICKEN AND SAUCE:
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Drain the pasta. Add it to the sauce. Sprinkle in the remaining parsley, reserving some for garnish if desired. Twirl the pasta with a kitchen thong to coat with the sauce.
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Add in the chicken chunks with any juices released. Mix to combine with the pasta and sauce. Turn off the stove.
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Transfer the pasta and chicken to a serving bowl. Drizzle with olive oil if desired and garnish with parsley. Serve and enjoy.
Recipe Notes
Video tutorial available – link in summary.
This recipe works equally well with using fresh tomatoes – use about 5 to 6 plum tomatoes, chopped or diced.
I prefer, as often as possible, to use fresh herbs in my recipes, You can substitute dried herbs – for each teaspoon of fresh use 1/4 teaspoon of dried herbs (this flavor is stronger.)
Tips:
This recipe comes together quickly so it’s best to have all the ingredients ready before starting to cook.
The tenderloins used in the recipe was organic chicken and they were small; they cooked in three minutes. Larger tenderloins usually takes about four to five minutes total – when the chicken is no longer pink in the center it’s done.
After cooking the chicken, I turned the heat to low since the pan was very hot. This needs to be done to prevent the onions from burning.
