Description
This Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta is a comforting one-pot dish featuring tender chicken breasts, al dente penne pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, baby spinach, and a rich creamy sauce made with heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Bursting with Italian flavors, this easy-to-make recipe is perfect for a satisfying weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 pounds chicken breasts (boneless and skinless)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 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 freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Pasta and Veggies
- 8 ounces penne pasta (or macaroni, uncooked)
- 3 cups baby spinach
Instructions
- Cook Chicken: Season the chicken breasts with salt and freshly ground pepper on both sides. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large 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 unsalted butter to the same pot and melt over medium heat. Add minced garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and Italian seasoning. Sauté until aromatic, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Cook Pasta in Sauce: Pour in heavy cream, milk, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine. Add the uncooked penne pasta and stir frequently. Cook for 10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Finish: Return the cooked chicken pieces to the pot. Add 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 for a hearty meal.
Notes
- This recipe is made entirely in one pot, making cleanup easy and quick.
- You can substitute penne with macaroni or any other small pasta shape you prefer.
- For extra flavor, consider adding a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes when sautéing the garlic.
- Use fresh Parmesan cheese for the best creamy texture and flavor.
- If you want to reduce calories, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream and milk or use low-fat milk.
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
