Penne Tossed with Chicken Kale and Cherry Tomatoes

Penne Tossed with Chicken Kale and Cherry Tomatoes is a delicious meal that’s ready in under 30 minutes. Boneless chicken breasts are sliced and sautéed with garlic, onion, cherry tomatoes, baby kale, and chicken broth. Then it’s tossed with penne pasta making this an easy gourmet meal for any weeknight. 

Penne Tossed with Sauteed Chicken, Kale and Cherry Tomatoes by 2sistersrecipes.com
 

My family was in the mood for one of my chicken dishes, and (if you know me) I’m always thinking of ways to incorporate some vegetables into them.

So I decided to use some baby kale, cherry tomatoes, and chicken broth; incorporating them into a simple sauce for my chicken and pasta dish. 

You can bet these fresh ingredients not only will give its array of colors but will also give its savory flavors and a sense of freshness to every bite.

This is one of those dinners that is relaxing to make, and puts dinner on the table – pronto! 

All you need is one large pan or skillet and the rest is easy!

A skillet with all the ingredients simmering on the stove by 2sistersrecipes.com

How To Make Penne Tossed With Sauteed Chicken Kale and Cherry Tomatoes? 

For this recipe, you will need the following ingredients:

Ingredients Needed for Penne Tossed with Sauteed Chicken:

  • 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves – sliced
  • 1 onion – diced
  • 1 pound (16-ounces) skinless chicken breasts- rinsed, sliced into thinly, small pieces
  • 1-pint cherry tomatoes- sliced into halves
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth, and extra as needed
  • 5-ounces fresh baby kale, or kale blend, rinsed
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 16 ounces of penne pasta
  • grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving

For this recipe, there are a few easy steps:

STEP 1: PREPARE THE CHICHEN:  

  • Simply open one package of boneless chicken breasts, rinse and slice each one into 2-inch strips.  Set aside.

STEP 2: SAUTE!  

  • Next, grab a large non-stick skillet or pan and add some olive oil.
  • Toss in some garlic and onion and add the pieces of chicken to the skillet and cook until the chicken is thoroughly cooked.
  • Add cherry tomatoes, chicken broth, and baby kale.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and simmer for a few minutes, and the sauce is done!

STEP 3: COOK THE PASTA!

  • Cook the pasta in a separate pot of boiling water until it’s al-dente, and drain, Next, transfer the mixture with all its broth into the pasta, toss to combine, and serve!

EASY-PEASY!

 
 

Our STEP-by-STEP DIRECTIONS! (*full recipe card below!)

1.  In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil on medium heat.  Add garlic and onion and sauté for about 3 minutes until onions are softened.

2.  Season chicken pieces with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Add them to the pan with onions and garlic and sauté the chicken until they are fully cooked and golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Penne Tossed with Chicken Kale and Cherry Tomatoes by 2sistersrecipes.com
 
 

3.  Add cherry tomatoes, and chicken broth, and lower the heat.

 
 

4.  Simmer the mixture on low heat for about 2 minutes until the tomatoes soften, about 1- 2 minutes.  Add the kale on top, and stir the baby kale into the mixture until it wilts.

No need to cover.  Taste the broth and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Turn off the heat.  Now the sauce is ready.

 
 
 

5.  In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add some salt to the boiling water, and add the penne pasta.  Reserve 1/2 cup of the salty pasta water, and set aside.
6.  Cook the pasta,  just 1 minute less than is recommended on the package.  Drain the pasta.  Return it back into the pot.

7.  Carefully transfer the chicken, kale, tomatoes, and all the broth into the pasta.  Pour the reserved pasta water into the pot.  Turn on the heat, moderately- low.  Stir and toss everything until well blended. Turn off the heat.
8.  Transfer into individual bowls or plates, and serve with lots of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on top.

Serves 4 to 6

Cook’s Notes and Tips…

  • You can use any pasta of your choice with this recipe.
  • When you rinse the greens, do not drain them. You will need the extra moisture in the sauce.
  • Also, if you prefer baby spinach over baby kale, you can switch it to spinach or a blend of greens.
  • You may use chicken cutlets instead of breasts.
  • Always store any leftovers in a sealed container and keep them chilled in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for you to 3 days.
  • All leftovers are great to reheat in a microwave for lunch the next day.
Penne Tossed with Sauteed Chicken, Kale and Cherry Tomatoes by 2sistersrecipes.com

Penne Tossed with Sauteed Chicken Kale and Cherry Tomatoes turned out fantastic! 

All the flavors come together very nicely, even the taste of kale is sweeter.  And when you top it with lots of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese? 

It is sublime!

ENJOY!!

 

More Tasty and Under 30-minute Dinner Ideas! 

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Penne Tossed with Chicken Kale & Tomatoes by 2sistersrecipes.com

Additional Recipes for Chicken…

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Penne Tossed with Chicken, Kale and Cherry Tomatoes

Penne Tossed with Chicken, Kale and Cherry Tomatoes

Penne Tossed with Sauteed Chicken Kale and Cherry Tomatoes is an easy dinner you can whip up in under 30 minutes! Boneless chicken slices, sautéed with garlic, onion, cherry tomatoes, kale, and chicken broth are tossed with penne pasta, making this an easy gourmet dinner for any weeknight.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves - sliced
  • 1 onion - diced
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts- rinsed, sliced into thin pieces
  • 1-pint cherry tomatoes- sliced into halves
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth, and extra
  • 5 ounces fresh baby kale, or kale blend, rinsed
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 pound penne pasta
  • grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving

Instructions

  1. In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add garlic and onion and sauté for about 3 minutes until onions are softened.
  2. Season chicken pieces with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Add them to the pan with onions and garlic and sauté the chicken until they are fully cooked and golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes.
  3. Add cherry tomatoes, and chicken broth, and lower the heat.
  4. Simmer on low heat for about 2 minutes until the tomatoes soften, about 1- 2 minutes. Add the kale on top, and stir the kale into the mixture until it wilts. No need to cover.
  5. Taste the broth and season with salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat.
  6. In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add some salt to the boiling water, and add the penne pasta. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, and set aside.
  7. Cook the pasta, just 1 minute less than is recommended on the package. Drain the pasta. Return it into the pot.
  8. Carefully transfer the chicken, kale, tomatoes, and all the broth into the pasta.
  9. Pour the reserved pasta water into the pot. Turn on low heat.
  10. Stir and toss everything until well blended. Then turn off the heat.
  11. Transfer into individual bowls or plates, and serve with lots of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on top.
  12. Serves 4 to 6

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4 to 6 servings

Serving Size:

1 serving

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 441Total Fat: 9.6gCarbohydrates: 46.2gFiber: 3.9gSugar: 6.5gProtein: 23.4g

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This recipe was first posted back in 2015. All content, recipe, and photos are the same.

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xo anna and liz

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9 Comments

  1. HI Kathy, my girls love this as well and the kale is very sweet like spinach, not bitter at all. You can add your favorite veggies like I did and create so many variations with this recipe. Go for it! Enjoy!

  2. I often think about recipes like this – easy, one pan, with all the different components coming together to make a great dinner. Lovely! Hope you both have a wonderful Thanksgiving

    1. Hi Tricia,
      These few days with the holidays sneaking up on us? I can honestly say that this kind of making quick dinners are the way to go! Have a great Thanksgiving !!
      All the best,
      Anna and Liz

    1. Thank you Sue for pinning into your board! We appreciate it every time you pin one of our recipes – it means a lot to us. Have a great day!