Chicken Penne Arrabbiata – the name says it all; “angry” chicken with penne. This penne packs the perfect amount of heat tossed with a red wine, marinara, lots of garlic, and tender pieces of chicken. All of this made in just one pot and 30 minutes!
Chicken Penne Arrabbiata
I’m obsessed with anything that has to do with pasta. Today I was feeling a little spicy! I have tender penne cooked in marinara sauce and red wine spiked with red pepper flakes. This one is for all you spicy food lovers out there! You can add as much red pepper flakes as you can handle.
I’m sure you’ve heard “arrabbiata” before, whether reading it on a jar of sauce or on the menu at a restaurant. What does it actually mean? The word arrabbiata is “angry” in Italian. The namesake, for food, is used for recipes that pack some heat. Now that we have the etymology out of the way, let’s eat some pasta.
Ingredients
Keep scrolling down to the recipe card for full ingredient amounts and instructions, or click the Jump To Recipe button at the top.
- Penne – You can, of course, use any type of pasta you like. Long shapes such as spaghetti, linguini, etc. Small shapes like ziti and rotini will work too.
- Olive oil – Other mild oils such as vegetable, canola, sunflower, safflower, or avocado oil are great.
- Chicken – I used chicken breasts, boneless and skinless cut into small cubes. You can use chicken thighs if you want.
- Onion – White, yellow, red, shallots; any onion you like.
- Garlic – I used lots of garlic for this recipe! You can use more or less as you prefer.
- Marinara – Try a homemade sauce or use store-bought.
- Red wine – Dry wines such a Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, or Shiraz. Want to go alcohol-free? Use and extra cup of broth with 2 tbsp red wine vinegar.
- Chicken broth – I like to use low-sodium broth to have full control over the salt.
- Oregano – I used dried, but fresh oregano would be great if you have any on hand.
- Salt & pepper – Season to taste.
- Red pepper flakes – The more heat the merrier!
- Basil – I used some in the pasta and some for garnish.
- Parmesan – Can you really enjoy a plate of pasta without some freshly grated parmesan cheese?
How to make chicken penne arrabbiata
- Cook the chicken: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and until the chicken starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and cook for another 3 minutes until it softens and becomes translucent. Stir in the red pepper flakes and garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until aromatic.
- Finish the pasta: Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot, including the penne, and stir. Bring everything a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more broth if needed, though mine had enough liquid. Top with basil, parmesan cheese, and serve.
What else can I mix into my penne arrabbiata?
Your pasta, your rules! You can use any of your favorite veggies or meats with this one-pot dinner. Need some inspiration? I’ve got you covered:
- Ground meats – Chicken, turkey, beef, pork, sausage, even lamb!
- Greens – Spinach, kale, arugula.
- Pantry clean out – Corn, peas, chiles, olives.
- Veggies – Bell peppers, carrots, fresh tomatoes, broccoli florets.
What sides work best?
This recipe is great as a meal all on its own. If you want a bit more variety on the table, you can start with a course of:
Salad:
Fresh bread:
How to store leftovers
Your penne arrabbiata will last 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, you can use the microwave or the stovetop.
If you want to reheat on the stove, add the leftover pasta to a skillet over medium heat. You can add a splash of chicken broth as the pasta heats back up in case the sauce starts to dry out.
Can I freeze leftovers
While I don’t suggest freezing cooked pasta, you can if you’d like. The pasta, once thawed, will become quite soft. If you don’t mind that texture, your pasta will last 1-2 months frozen.
Take the pasta out of the freezer and let it thaw overnight in the fridge to make reheating easier.
Are you a pasta lover: Try these recipes:
- Rigatoni con Polpette and Arrabbiata Sauce
- Chicken Bacon Pasta with Tomato Sauce
- Spaghetti Bolognese
- Instant Pot Baked Ziti
- Pasta alla Vodka
- Creamy Tomato Chicken Pasta
- Chicken Lasagna alla Bolognese
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Chicken Penne Arrabbiata
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound chicken breasts boneless and skinless, cut into 1 inch cubes, about 3 breasts
- 1 large onion chopped
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 8 ounce penne uncooked
- 24 ounce marinara sauce 1 jar
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 cups chicken broth low sodium or no sodium added
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 leaves fresh basil roughly chopped
- Parmesan cheese for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the chicken: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and until the chicken starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and cook for another 3 minutes until it softens and becomes translucent. Stir in the red pepper flakes and garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until aromatic.
- Finish the pasta: Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot, including the penne, and stir. Bring everything a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more broth if needed, though mine had enough liquid.
- Garnish and serve: Top with basil, parmesan cheese, and serve.
Recipe Notes
- Your penne arrabbiata will last 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, you can use the microwave or the stovetop.
- If you want to reheat on the stove, add the leftover pasta to a skillet over medium heat. You can add a splash of chicken broth as the pasta heats back up in case the sauce starts to dry out.
Hi, when I made this recipie, it turned out a little watery, do you have any recommendations on how to reduce this. It was still amazing tho!!!
Hi Rebecca! Once you add the pasta, it will soak up all that extra sauce, especially as the pasta cools.
Hi, I found that when I left it a few hours and give my sister a bowl it thickened up a lot, I honestly think I put a bit too much chicken stock in it!
Do you cook the pasta before adding it to the pot?
Hi Brad,
No, you add the pasta from the original package directly in the Arrabiata sauce with the rest of the ingredients and they all cook together at the same time.
This recipe was absolutely amazing!
Can i use this recipe and place in slow cooker?
You should be able to, I’d still cook the chicken first then add everything to a slow cooker.
have you ever made with gluten free pasta? if so, what brand? thank you…trying tomorrow night!!
I haven’t, sorry, I don’t focus on gluten-free for my blog.
I enjoyed this dish very much plus I added some black beans and esperagus to it…yummy
i am planning on making this recipe tomorrow. will omit the chicken, though, and have a meat dish as well – meatballs or meatloaf that i make with ground moose meat and ground pork.
Ok, so you’re gonna think I’m a weirdo, but I’ve never cooked with wine before. What kind of “red wine” do I get? Can I substitute?
I always recommend cooking with the wine you drink, so any good wine such as a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Pinot Noir would be nice here.
That would work if I drank wine! 🙂
This may be a duplicate post I posted yesterday but i don’t see it
I am not that familiar with the various hot peppers available I wish you had posted a picture of the ones you used
They’re small red chili peppers, about 2 inches long and they’re very hot.
This is one of my favorite dishes and I always end up eating too much of it. 🙂 This looks terrific!
Angry chicken!? Spicy chicken!? Mixed in with some noodles? Whats not to love… 🙂 Pinned!
This ought to be the signature dish for the Angry Birds game :p That sauce looks amazing, and I love that it’s spicy! Yum!!
LOL!
I am salivating. I am in such a MAJOR pasta phase right now. Why now in spring instead of winter???? Who knows. Who cares! Laughing. This delish and all in one
pot too. Yay! Great lunch leftovers. Yay again!!!!
I don’t normally talk about me, but please make note of the slight name change from Wild Goose Tea. New web design—whoopee and adding some new features along the way.
Interesting Carol, what prompted the change?
I love spicy and this looks out of this world. And the one pot, fast and easy thing is perfect too. I might have to make it on a night my oldest son isn’t home though…he did not inherit my love for spiciness. 🙁 Pinning!
Ah that used to be me, but now I love spicy food, something I developed just over the last couple years. 🙂
Ooooohhhh!!! This looks SO good! I’ve never tried Arrabiata before. I might have to tame down the chilis a bit because I’m a wimp 🙂 but I’m stopping by the store and putting this on the menu this week! Pinned!
If you like spicy, you’ll love this!!