Creamy and Cheesy Cherry Tomato Rigatoni You Don’t Have to Babysit

If the post-Labor Day return to reality has you ready to make PB&Js an entire food group, Ambitious Kitchen’s Burst Cherry Tomato Basil Chicken Rigatoni says, “not so fast.” In this low-lift, high-reward dinner, cherry tomatoes, garlic, onion, and a handful of pantry staples cook down into a creamy, spicy, crave-worthy sauce that’s combined with seasoned chicken, heaps of Parm, al dente rigatoni, and fresh basil.

Plus, it’s easily tailored to your taste: Add chopped spinach. Stir in basil pesto. Swap in gluten-free pasta. Either way, you’ll have something so good one fan’s husband said: “I'm being serious when I say this is one of the best things I've eaten in a while."

The Time Commitment: About 40 minutes.

Key Tips: While the recipe calls for butterflied chicken, you can cube it or use thin-sliced chicken breasts instead, says Monique Volz (aka Ambitious Kitchen). She also suggests switching up the protein with crumbled Italian sausage, meatballs, canned tuna, chickpeas, or butter beans.

Other Takes: For more “I can’t even” dinners, try…

• Egg Roll in a Bowl. Essentially a deconstructed version of the Chinese-American classic that’s faster than takeout and free of delivery fees. 

• Tangy Chicken, Tomato and Couscous Salad. Packed with savory chicken, fluffy couscous, dried prunes, and warming cumin, this half-hour weeknight savior might be the next best thing to a trip to Morocco.

• Ginger-Basil Beef and Zucchini Skillet. Whether or not you personally identified with Ginger Spice (guilty), you’ll love this half-hour solution to tonight’s dinner — and tomorrow’s lunch — problem. Because we’d never go wasting your precious time. 

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