Description
Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta is a comforting one-pot dish featuring tender chicken breasts, penne pasta, and a luscious sauce made with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and creamy milk and heavy cream. This easy Italian-inspired recipe combines bold flavors and spinach for a quick and delicious 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 & Vegetables
- 8 ounces 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, sautéing until fragrant and aromatic.
- Cook Pasta and Sauce: Pour in the heavy cream, milk, and grated Parmesan cheese, stirring to combine. Add the uncooked penne pasta and stir gently. Cook for 10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Finish Dish: Return the cooked chicken pieces to the pot along with the baby spinach. Cook for another 2 minutes or until the chicken is warmed through and the spinach has wilted.
- Serve: Serve the creamy Tuscan chicken pasta hot, garnished as desired.
Notes
- This recipe is perfect for a comforting one-pot meal that minimizes cleanup.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan for the best flavor and creaminess.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, reduce the amount of milk slightly or cook pasta a bit longer to absorb more liquid.
- Spinach can be substituted with kale or arugula for variation.
- To make this dish gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste before serving.
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
