Chicken and Leek Pasta

Chicken and leek pasta is a delicious and easy recipe to make. The caramelized leek adds such a delicious flavor to the pasta and the pasta is topped with fresh basil for freshness.

this recipe

I made this chicken and leek pasta last week and posted a picture on Instagram and got so many comments asking for the recipe. I sent the basics over to a few people, but the pasta was so delicious I figured the recipe was blog-worthy.

So I typed it all up, made it again and here we go! And it's kinda fun cause this is the first recipe I'm posting since moving to Lisbon. The photos may look a little different from my normal photos because I'm cooking and photographing in a brand new place.

And even though I'm in Portugal, these are simple ingredients you can find in the US, UK, Portugal, or many countries around the world. So let's get cooking.

Ingredients

• Chicken breast
• Leeks
• Cherry tomatoes
• Pasta - use whatever kind you like - I used fusilli here, but I've also used spaghetti
• Dried thyme
• Fresh basil leaves
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

How to make chicken and leek pasta

Start a pot of water for pasta. While you wait for pasta water to boil, dice the chicken breast into bite-sized cubes about 1 inch each.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, then add olive oil to cover the bottom. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes on 1 side, then flip the pieces and cook an additional 3-4 minutes.

While chicken cooks, slice the leeks (white and light green parts only) and then roughly chop. Check for dirt and soak in water if needed to remove dirt.

Slice cherry tomatoes in half.

Once chicken is done cooking, remove from skillet.

Add pasta to the water to start cooking.

If needed, add another drizzle of olive oil to skillet and then add leeks. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add tomatoes and cook an additional 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently until tomatoes get softened.

Add the cooked chicken back to the skillet.

Make sure the pasta is cooked to your liking, then add the cooked pasta, salt, pepper, and dried thyme and stir to combine. Plate and enjoy! Top with fresh basil (I tear it before adding to the bowls). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Variations

• If you don't want to add tomatoes (which add a nice acidity), you can add a squeeze of lemon to the pasta to give it a nice brightness.
• Want to make a creamy version of the chicken and leek pasta? Simply add some cream or half and half when you add the pasta to the skillet. Stir to combine and heat gently over a low heat until cream is warm and coats the pasta.
• Want it a little spicy? Add a little Calabrian chili paste or red pepper flakes.