A lightened-up chicken and spaghetti meal with bags of flavour! This Chicken and Red Pepper Pasta is great for when you're craving carbs, but you're trying to eat lighter. It comes in at 521 calories, and is syn-free if you're following Slimming World!

Ahhh spaghetti. Such a simple ingredient, yet loved the world over. Served in the classiest restaurants and the cheapest little cafes - it's one of the best staples money can buy.

I probably love it too much. I can easily put away as much as Chris (my 6ft husband), and served with a rich tomatoey and chicken sauce too? Just give me the pan and a fork.

Fortunately, with it being January (and after all that Christmas indulgence) this is a lighter recipe. No I'm not swapping out the spaghetti for courgetti (zoodles), just reducing the pasta amount a little, and using spray oil and lots of veggies, plus a few extras additions for a rich and satisfying flavour.

I've always been one to go up and down in weight. I don't yo-yo constantly, I tend to diet for a couple of months every year or two, just when my clothes are starting to get too tight, and I can feel myself huffing and puffing when running up and down the stairs.

Last year was definitely a year for putting on weight. Chris and I put ourselves under too much pressure, working crazy hours (and making tonnes of recipes for our blog and freelance recipe work - meaning lots of indulgent delicious food was cooked), and as a result our diet suffered.

We fueled ourselves with coffee and sugar and now we're finding we constantly feel lethargic with lots of cravings.

So naturally we're doing the boringly predictable thing of dieting whilst starting at a new fitness plan!

I'll keep you updated (are you interested in seeing regular updated in my Instagram stories?), and you'll see some lighter recipes on the blog, but of course I'll still be making some naughtier things too - for the occasional weekend treat!

What you'll need

How to make it:

We start by frying chicken thighs in a little spray oil until browned. Then add onion, salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes until that onion is nicely softened and starting to turn translucent.

Add in chopped red pepper and garlic, mushrooms, a crumbled stock cube (extra flavour!), tomato puree and oregano. Then in goes a couple of tins of chopped tomatoes.

Let it all simmer away for 15-20 minutes while you cook the spaghetti. I'm using 75g (2.6 oz) of spaghetti per person to stay below that 550 calorie range. Then top the drained spaghetti with the chicken and red pepper sauce and a sprinkling of basil leaves. Add a few chilli flakes too if you like it a little spicy.

Or if you prefer, you can mix the chicken and sauce into the pasta and serve topped with basil.

Can I make it with chicken breast instead of thighs?

Absolutely! I like chicken thighs in this recipe as they're more tender and flavourful - which is great for lower calorie cooking. Chicken breast will still taste great though, and I often use them too.

Other types of pasta:

I really like spaghetti in this dish, but you can replace with tagliatelle, linguine or pasta shapes.

More lighter meals (around 550 calories or less):

If you like this recipe we have a whole category dedicated to lighter meals < click here. Below are some of my favourites:

Sheet Pan Honey Mustard Chicken with Vegetables
Healthier Slow Cooked Spicy Chicken Rogan Josh
One-Pot Turkey Meatballs With Courgetti
Healthier Red Thai Chicken Curry – without the shop-bought sauce!
Healthier Slow Cooked Spicy Beef Curry
Creamy Eggs and Kale Breakfast
One Pot Garlic Chicken Pasta

The Chicken and Red Pepper Pasta Video:

The Chicken and Red Pepper Pasta Recipe:

This post was first published in August 2015. Updated in January 2020 with new photos, video and tips!

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Hi I’m Nicky

I love to cook and I want to share with you my favourite, delicious family friendly recipes. I want to inspire you to create fantastic food for your family every day.