Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 pound boneless chicken breast fillets
- to taste salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons oil, plus more for cooking
For the Sauce
- 2 cups unsweetened heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 shallot, or small onion, thinly diced
- 8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
- to taste salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup pasta water, reserved
- 1 cup spinach
- 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons sun dried tomatoes
To Assemble and Garnish
- 8 ounces rigatoni pasta
- as needed Parmesan cheese, for garnish
- 1 tablespoon parsley, freshly chopped
Instructions
- 1
Cook the rigatoni pasta according to the package instructions. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water for later use. Drain the pasta and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
In a medium bowl, season the chicken fillets with salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika powder, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and 2 tablespoons oil. Mix until the chicken is well coated.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Heat a large pan or skillet over medium heat and add a bit more oil, as needed. Once the oil is hot, add the seasoned chicken fillets. Cook for 12-15 minutes, flipping occasionally, until the chicken is fully cooked through and golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside to rest. Once slightly cooled, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
⏱️ 15 min
- 4
In a separate large pan or skillet, add 1 tablespoon butter and 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the thinly diced shallot and finely chopped garlic. Sauté for 1 minute, or until fragrant.
⏱️ 2 min
- 5
Add the halved cherry tomatoes to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften and become slightly mushy.
⏱️ 2 min
- 6
Stir in the 2 tablespoons of tomato paste along with salt to taste, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and 1 teaspoon red chili flakes. Mix well to combine. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and stir.
⏱️ 2 min - 7
Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour in the 2 cups of unsweetened heavy whipping cream. Stir continuously until all the ingredients are well combined and the sauce begins to warm through.
⏱️ 3 min
- 8
Add 1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese to the sauce. Mix until the cheese is melted and the sauce reaches your desired consistency. If the sauce is too thick, gradually add some of the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, until it thins to your preference.
⏱️ 3 min
- 9
Once the sauce is ready, add the 1 cup of fresh spinach. Cook for about 1 minute, or until the spinach wilts.
⏱️ 1 min
- 10
Add the cooked rigatoni pasta and the sliced chicken pieces to the pan with the sauce. Toss everything together until the pasta and chicken are evenly coated in the creamy Tuscan sauce.
⏱️ 2 min
- 11
Serve the creamy Tuscan chicken pasta warm. Garnish with additional freshly grated Parmesan cheese and 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped parsley.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
For the Chicken
- 1 pound boneless chicken breast fillets
- to taste salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons oil, plus more for cooking
For the Sauce
- 2 cups unsweetened heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 shallot, or small onion, thinly diced
- 8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
- to taste salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup pasta water, reserved
- 1 cup spinach
- 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons sun dried tomatoes
To Assemble and Garnish
- 8 ounces rigatoni pasta
- as needed Parmesan cheese, for garnish
- 1 tablespoon parsley, freshly chopped
Instructions
- 1
Cook the rigatoni pasta according to the package instructions. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water for later use. Drain the pasta and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
In a medium bowl, season the chicken fillets with salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika powder, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and 2 tablespoons oil. Mix until the chicken is well coated.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Heat a large pan or skillet over medium heat and add a bit more oil, as needed. Once the oil is hot, add the seasoned chicken fillets. Cook for 12-15 minutes, flipping occasionally, until the chicken is fully cooked through and golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside to rest. Once slightly cooled, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
⏱️ 15 min - 4
In a separate large pan or skillet, add 1 tablespoon butter and 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the thinly diced shallot and finely chopped garlic. Sauté for 1 minute, or until fragrant.
⏱️ 2 min - 5
Add the halved cherry tomatoes to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften and become slightly mushy.
⏱️ 2 min - 6
Stir in the 2 tablespoons of tomato paste along with salt to taste, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and 1 teaspoon red chili flakes. Mix well to combine. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and stir.
⏱️ 2 min - 7
Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour in the 2 cups of unsweetened heavy whipping cream. Stir continuously until all the ingredients are well combined and the sauce begins to warm through.
⏱️ 3 min - 8
Add 1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese to the sauce. Mix until the cheese is melted and the sauce reaches your desired consistency. If the sauce is too thick, gradually add some of the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, until it thins to your preference.
⏱️ 3 min - 9
Once the sauce is ready, add the 1 cup of fresh spinach. Cook for about 1 minute, or until the spinach wilts.
⏱️ 1 min - 10
Add the cooked rigatoni pasta and the sliced chicken pieces to the pan with the sauce. Toss everything together until the pasta and chicken are evenly coated in the creamy Tuscan sauce.
⏱️ 2 min - 11
Serve the creamy Tuscan chicken pasta warm. Garnish with additional freshly grated Parmesan cheese and 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped parsley.
⏱️ 1 min