Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
For the Chicken and Pasta
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 12 ounces pasta, such as fettuccine, penne, or rigatoni
For the Creamy Tuscan Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 yellow onion, small, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, oil-packed, drained and thinly sliced
- 1 can crushed tomatoes, 14.5 ounces
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups half and half
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus more for serving
- 5 ounces fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
For Garnish
- 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
Instructions
- 1
Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining. Set aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
While the pasta cooks, pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
⏱️ 3 min
- 3
Add the seasoned chicken to the hot skillet in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook for 5-7 minutes, flipping occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
⏱️ 7 min
- 4
Reduce the heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter to the same skillet. Add the chopped yellow onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent.
⏱️ 4 min
- 5
Stir in the minced garlic and sliced sun-dried tomatoes. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
⏱️ 1 min
- 6
Pour in the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and dried Italian seasoning. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the half and half and grated Parmesan cheese. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce is creamy and heated through. Do not boil the sauce after adding the half and half.
⏱️ 3 min
- 8
Add the fresh spinach to the sauce, stirring until it wilts, which should take about 1-2 minutes. Season the sauce with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste.
⏱️ 2 min
- 9
Return the cooked chicken to the skillet with the sauce. Add the drained pasta. Toss everything together to coat the pasta and chicken evenly with the creamy Tuscan sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water until desired consistency is reached.
⏱️ 3 min
- 10
Serve immediately, garnished with sliced green onions and extra grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
For the Chicken and Pasta
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 12 ounces pasta, such as fettuccine, penne, or rigatoni
For the Creamy Tuscan Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 yellow onion, small, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, oil-packed, drained and thinly sliced
- 1 can crushed tomatoes, 14.5 ounces
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups half and half
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus more for serving
- 5 ounces fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
For Garnish
- 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
Instructions
- 1
Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining. Set aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
While the pasta cooks, pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
⏱️ 3 min - 3
Add the seasoned chicken to the hot skillet in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook for 5-7 minutes, flipping occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
⏱️ 7 min - 4
Reduce the heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter to the same skillet. Add the chopped yellow onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent.
⏱️ 4 min - 5
Stir in the minced garlic and sliced sun-dried tomatoes. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
⏱️ 1 min - 6
Pour in the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and dried Italian seasoning. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the half and half and grated Parmesan cheese. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce is creamy and heated through. Do not boil the sauce after adding the half and half.
⏱️ 3 min - 8
Add the fresh spinach to the sauce, stirring until it wilts, which should take about 1-2 minutes. Season the sauce with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste.
⏱️ 2 min - 9
Return the cooked chicken to the skillet with the sauce. Add the drained pasta. Toss everything together to coat the pasta and chicken evenly with the creamy Tuscan sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water until desired consistency is reached.
⏱️ 3 min - 10
Serve immediately, garnished with sliced green onions and extra grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
⏱️ 1 min