Chicken & Peas Pasta With Creamy Tomato Sauce

I love Alfredo sauce, the mister is a marinara guy, while Boy is content with extra cheesy macaroni. This always puts me in a quandary when making pasta. It’s not that I have anything personal against tomatoes. But a few overly sour encounters put me off marinara for good.

Or so I thought. Then it dawned on me. Why not have a happy balance and simply add cream to tomato sauce? It will cut the acidity and is sure to please many. I realized that people have actually been doing it for as long as there have been the basic red and white sauces, I can just kick myself for not having thought of it any sooner.

I started with a wee bit of melted butter, onions, garlic and tomato puree. Then I remembered that I had some green peas and chicken in the freezer. Once the tomato sauce was thickened, in went the peas and pieces of oven-roasted chicken.

The sauce could do with just about any herb or spice you can think of. The brave can add red chili flakes or even a splash of sriracha. Or you can use the usual suspects like basil or oregano. I had only dried oregano at the time and that’s what I used.

Add cream (or milk) right at the end and watch as the red sauce turns a creamy orange. A handful of shredded cheese would be lovely too, but I resisted. A small sprinkling on top of my pasta should suffice for now.

You can use any kind of pasta, but I think this robust sauce works exceptionally well with the long ones. Think spaghetti, angel hair, linguine or fettuccine. But let that not limit your choices. The sauce you decide to coat your pasta with is a matter of personal preference, though I am sure the Italians have some staunch opinions on the matter.

Anyway, this is how it all comes together.

You will need:

• Butter or oil – 1 1/2 tbsp
• Onion – 1, finely chopped
• Garlic – 2 pods, finely chopped
• Tomato puree – from 4-5 ripe tomatoes or a 15-oz can
• Oregano – 1/2 tsp, fresh or dried
• Salt, pepper and sugar – to taste (go easy on the salt if using canned tomato puree)
• Green peas – a small handful
• Chicken (cooked) – 1 cup, bite-sized pieces
• Cream – 1 cup
• Pasta (spaghetti, linguine or fettuccine) – 12-16 oz
• Water – to cook the pasta
• Shredded cheese – to sprinkle on top

How to:

• If you are using chicken, cook it simultaneously while you prepare the sauce. You can oven roast a breast or thigh and cut them into small pieces or pan fry thin chicken strips in a little oil.
• For the sauce, heat the butter or oil in a saucepan. Add the onions and garlic and saute well.
• When the onions turn translucent, add the tomato puree. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring once in a while. The sauce should be reduced, thick and fragrant.
• Add oregano, salt, pepper and sugar (just a pinch, to balance the acidity). Stir in the green peas and cooked chicken.
• Now add the cream and heat gently. If you’d rather not use cream, milk would work just fine. When the sauce is done, remove from heat.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta till al-dente, drain and reserve a cup of the starchy liquid.
• Return pasta to pot and toss with the prepared sauce, adding a bit of the hot pasta water if required.
• Serve hot and sprinkle some shredded cheese over each serving.

Am I the only one who just recently discovered this tangy, creamy delight? What do you think of creamy tomato sauce or tomato cream sauce for pasta? Do share in the comments!

Till then, ciao!!

Here are more unique dinner ideas.

Indo-Chinese chili chicken with pan-fried boiled eggs.

Or how about an easy homemade pizza with easy rise dough?

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