I just made this incredible Tuscan chicken pasta and was blown away! It looks and tastes like it came straight out of a fancy Italian restaurant.
Tender pasta is tossed with chicken, wilted spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and a creamy Parmesan sauce. This dish is garlicky and herby, with a little tang from the white wine.
But the best part is, it comes together in under an hour with just a few simple ingredients.
I served mine with a sprinkle of fresh basil on top to really bring out the Tuscan vibes!
Why You’ll Love This Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Packed with Flavor: It combines savory chicken, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and Parmesan in a rich cream sauce. It’s irresistible.
One-Pan Wonder: This dish comes together easily in a single skillet, minimizing cleanup.
Restaurant-Quality: You can recreate the indulgent flavors of an upscale Italian restaurant right in your own kitchen.
Crowd-Pleaser: It’s a guaranteed hit with family and friends. It’s perfect for casual dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts: I used boneless, skinless breasts cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Penne Pasta: It’s the perfect shape to hold onto the creamy sauce.
- Olive Oil: It’s used to brown the chicken to perfection.
- Italian Seasoning, Salt and Pepper: The ultimate seasoning trio to make the chicken pop.
- Butter: It adds richness and helps sauté the aromatics for the sauce.
- Onion and Garlic: The flavor foundation, sautéed until fragrant and golden.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: They’re chewy, tangy, and packed with intense tomato essence.
- Dry White Wine: It deglazes the pan and adds acidity to balance the cream sauce.
- Heavy Cream: The luscious base for the sauce, making it irresistibly smooth.
- Chicken Broth: It thins the cream sauce while boosting the savory flavor.
- Parmesan Cheese: It’s freshly grated for the ultimate nutty, salty kick.
- Baby Spinach Leaves: They add a pop of color and nutrients.
- Fresh Basil: The perfect finishing touch!
How to Make Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Making this pasta is so easy! Just follow these steps.
1. Sear the chicken pieces. Season chicken with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook in olive oil until browned, then set aside.
2. Cook penne pasta. Boil the penne in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
3. Sauté aromatics. Melt the butter and sauté the onions. Add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes until fragrant.
4. Deglaze with wine. Pour in the white wine, and scrape up the browned bits. Simmer until reduced by half.
5. Make the creamy sauce. Stir in the heavy cream, chicken broth, and Parmesan. Simmer until slightly thickened.
6. Add spinach. Stir in the spinach until wilted. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
7. Combine the pasta and chicken. Add the drained pasta and cooked chicken to the sauce. Toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water if needed.
8. Serve garnished. Serve Tuscan chicken pasta hot, garnished with fresh basil.
Tips for the Best Tuscan Chicken Pasta
These tried-and-true tips will make your pasta even better.
- Pick the right pasta. Use a sturdy pasta shape like penne that can hold up to the creamy sauce. Cook until al dente for the best texture.
- Put in some elbow grease. Grate the Parmesan fresh for the best flavor and texture in the sauce.
- Try a fun twist. Add crispy pancetta, mushrooms, or roasted red peppers for tasty variations on this dish.
- Make it a complete meal. Serve with a simple green salad and crusty bread.
How to Store
If you have leftover pasta, keep it fresh with these tips.
To Store: Refrigerate in an air-tight container for up to 4 days. The pasta will dry out a bit as it sits. Stir in some additional broth or cream when reheating.
To Reheat: Reheat leftovers on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of cream or chicken stock to prevent the sauce from separating. Or, you can reheat portions in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Tuscan Chicken Pasta
4
servings20
minutes20
minutes1140
kcalThis Tuscan chicken pasta is guaranteed to impress! The tender sauce made with sun-dried tomatoes, heavy cream, and Parmesan is downright delightful!
Ingredients
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 lb penne pasta
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
3 tbsp butter
1/2 cup diced onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 cups baby spinach leaves
Fresh basil, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Season the chicken pieces with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides, about 6-8 minutes total. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Cook the penne pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente according to the package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.
- In the same skillet used for the chicken, melt the butter over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Let it simmer and reduce by half, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the heavy cream, chicken broth, and Parmesan cheese. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3-5 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Add the spinach and stir until wilted, 1-2 minutes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the drained pasta and cooked chicken to the skillet with the sauce. Toss to coat, adding some reserved pasta water if needed to thin the sauce.
- Serve the Tuscan chicken pasta hot, garnished with fresh basil. Enjoy!
Excellent dish! Full of flavor. Made it as presented and it was perfect. I should have cut the recipe in half for the two of us, but there’s plenty of leftovers. I reheated as per your instructions and it tasted just as good as yesterday! By the way, no instructions for freezing; can leftovers be frozen, and how?
Hey, Elaine. Personally, I don’t freeze a ton of pasta because I don’t think the texture (of the pasta) is as good when reheated. However, yes, you can totally freeze these leftovers if that doesn’t bother you.
Simply let it cool fully first, then freeze for 1 to 2 months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight before reheating in the oven at 350. (Or reheat small portions in the microwave, if you prefer.)