Description
Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta is a comforting one-pot dish featuring tender chicken breasts, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and a rich creamy sauce infused with garlic and Italian seasoning. This hearty pasta combines Italian flavors with ease, making it perfect for a quick and satisfying weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 pounds chicken breasts (boneless and skinless)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper (freshly ground)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter (unsalted)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes (drained, roughly chopped)
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
Pasta and Greens
- 8 ounce penne (or macaroni, uncooked)
- 3 cups baby spinach
Instructions
- Cook Chicken: Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or braiser over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for about 4 minutes per side until browned and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet, cut into 1-inch pieces, and set aside.
- Make Sauce: Add the butter to the same pot and melt over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and Italian seasoning, then sauté until fragrant and aromatic, about 2 minutes.
- Cook Pasta: Pour in the heavy cream, milk, and add the Parmesan cheese along with the uncooked penne. Stir well to combine the ingredients. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente and the sauce has thickened.
- Finish: Return the cooked chicken pieces to the pot. Add the baby spinach and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes until the chicken is warmed through and the spinach has wilted.
- Serve: Serve the creamy Tuscan chicken pasta warm, garnished with extra Parmesan if desired.
Notes
- This dish is perfect for a quick weeknight meal as it all cooks in one pot, minimizing cleanup.
- For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream or use less butter.
- Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil can be used for extra flavor, but drain excess oil if necessary.
- To make it gluten free, substitute penne with gluten-free pasta.
- Fresh baby spinach wilts quickly; add it at the end to preserve texture and color.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 695 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 46 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 50 g
- Cholesterol: 181 mg
