Tomato Chile Chicken Spaghetti with saucy noodles and satisfying bites—great warm or chilled for lunches and picnics.
Saucy Tomato‑Chile Spaghetti with Chickpeas
Bright, smoky, and comforting, this saucy pasta uses mashed chickpeas and reserved pasta water to make a silky, satisfying dinner that’s just as good chilled for lunches or picnics.
This is the kind of weeknight dinner that solves two problems at once: use up a basket of ripe Roma tomatoes and feed people something saucy and comforting without fuss. The tomatoes and tomato paste give the sauce body and brightness, Fresno chiles add a sneaky, fresh heat, and smoked paprika brings a whisper of depth so each twirl of spaghetti feels special.
Instead of cream or cheese, a third of the canned chickpeas are mashed into the sauce to thicken it and add gentle, nutty bites; the rest stay whole for texture. Thinly sliced Fresno (seeded if you want less spice) and diced red bell pepper contribute fresh crunch and sweetness, while a squeeze of lemon at the end lifts everything into balance.
A couple of small technique notes make a big difference: salt the pasta water generously and cook the spaghetti a minute short of the package time, and be sure to scoop and save a cup of the pasta water — it loosens and emulifies the sauce into a silky coating. While the pasta cooks, sauté onion and garlic until translucent, then build the sauce with tomato, paste, broth and the mashed chickpeas so it comes together quickly.
This one stores and travels well: it’s lovely hot with a drizzle of olive oil and fresh herbs, and it keeps its flavor cold or room temperature for lunches and picnics. If you want to stretch it further, toss in roasted vegetables, a handful of arugula, or a sprinkle of grated cheese at the table.
Ingredients
How to Make Tomato Chile Chicken Spaghetti
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, salt it generously (about 1 tbsp kosher salt), then add the spaghetti and cook 1 minute less than package directions for al dente; reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, drain and thoroughly rinse the canned chickpeas, then roughly mash about a third of them with a fork and set aside to help thicken the sauce.
- Core and seed the roma tomatoes and coarsely chop; finely dice the onion and red bell pepper, mince the garlic, and thinly slice the Fresno chiles (remove seeds for less heat).
- Heat olive oil in a large wide skillet over medium heat until shimmering; add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, sliced chiles, red bell pepper and smoked paprika and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant, then stir in the tomato paste and cook another minute to deepen its flavor.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and vegetable broth, bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently 8–10 minutes until tomatoes break down; use the back of a spoon to break any large pieces and adjust texture with up to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water.
- Stir in the rinsed chickpeas and the mashed portion, simmer 3–4 minutes to heat through and marry flavors; taste and season with kosher salt (add up to the listed 1 tsp total) and black pepper, then stir in the lemon juice.
- Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet (or spoon sauce over the pasta in the pot) and toss well over low heat for 1–2 minutes so the pasta absorbs the sauce; add a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen and finish with torn basil and grated Parmesan.
- Serve hot, dividing into 4 bowls and offer extra Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil at the table. Leftovers will keep covered in the fridge 3–4 days; reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water or broth.
Recipe Card
Tomato Chile Chicken Spaghetti
Tomato Chile Chicken Spaghetti with saucy noodles and satisfying bites—great warm or chilled for lunches and picnics.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, salt it generously (about 1 tbsp kosher salt), then add the spaghetti and cook 1 minute less than package directions for al dente; reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, drain and thoroughly rinse the canned chickpeas, then roughly mash about a third of them with a fork and set aside to help thicken the sauce.
- Core and seed the roma tomatoes and coarsely chop; finely dice the onion and red bell pepper, mince the garlic, and thinly slice the Fresno chiles (remove seeds for less heat).
- Heat olive oil in a large wide skillet over medium heat until shimmering; add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, sliced chiles, red bell pepper and smoked paprika and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant, then stir in the tomato paste and cook another minute to deepen its flavor.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and vegetable broth, bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently 8–10 minutes until tomatoes break down; use the back of a spoon to break any large pieces and adjust texture with up to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water.
- Stir in the rinsed chickpeas and the mashed portion, simmer 3–4 minutes to heat through and marry flavors; taste and season with kosher salt (add up to the listed 1 tsp total) and black pepper, then stir in the lemon juice.
- Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet (or spoon sauce over the pasta in the pot) and toss well over low heat for 1–2 minutes so the pasta absorbs the sauce; add a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen and finish with torn basil and grated Parmesan.
- Serve hot, dividing into 4 bowls and offer extra Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil at the table. Leftovers will keep covered in the fridge 3–4 days; reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water or broth.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 113
- Saturated Fat
- 2.5
- Sodium
- 640
- Fiber
- 14
- Unsaturated Fat
- 10.5
- Protein
- 25
- Fat
- 13
- Cholesterol
- 7
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 662
- Sugar
- 8