This creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta is always a family favorite. For such an easy dish it really is packed full with flavor. The pasta is coated in a creamy sauce filled with sliced chicken, sun-dried tomatoes and baby spinach leaves, and of course parmesan cheese.
Chicken, spinach and pasta are a great combination. Especially when they are combined with a delicious sauce and herbs like in this Creamy Spinach Alfredo Tortellini. These three ingredients are also scrumptious when served together in a baked pasta dish like this Monterey Chicken Spaghetti which is topped with crispy onions. This Tuscan Chicken Pasta is no exception and I think you’re going to love it!
How to Make Tuscan Chicken Pasta:
(scroll down for full recipe card)
Ingredients:
- Penne Pasta
- Cooked Chicken Breast
- Garlic
- Heavy Cream
- Baby Spinach
- Sun Dried Tomatoes
- Parmesan Cheese
- Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions:
- Start with slicing the sun dried tomatoes and mincing the garlic cloves then set them aside.
- Slice the chicken breast in half length wise season with salt and pepper and set them aside.
- In a large skillet heat olive over medium high heat. When the oil is hot add the chicken breast and cook until cooked through and the chicken reaches and internal temperature of 165°F. Slice prepared chicken into thin pieces then set it aside to a plate.
- Add the garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring, until fragrant. Add the heavy cream, baby spinach leaves and sun-dried tomatoes and bring to a slow simmer stirring occasionally until the cream has thickened slightly.
- Stir through the cooked chicken, penne and parmesan cheese, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, more parmesan cheese and cracked pepper if desired.
Substitutions and Variations:
Rotisserie Chicken. Take a short cut and shred about two cups of a rotisserie chicken. Add the shredded chicken in step five as directed.
Swap for Garlic Powder. I used fresh minced garlic but garlic powder is an easy swap that takes some of the prep work out of the recipe. For this recipe you will need 3 teaspoons of garlic powder.
Pasta Varieties. With any pasta you make that has a thinner sauce you’ll want to use a pasta that will “hold” the sauce. I used penne here but you could use farfalle, conchiglie or linguine pasta.
Add some veggies. You can add green peas, mushrooms or even a handful of kale. To this recipe.
Can I use milk in instead of heavy cream?
Yes. The flavor will be really close to the same. The sauce will be thinner and not as creamy but you can easily swap the heavy cream for milk in this recipe.
Notes and Tips:
- Cutting the chicken breast fillets in half lengthways will reduce the amount of time it takes for the chicken to cook through.
- Prepping the sun dried tomatoes and garlic before you start cooking will make this recipe much easier to make. Once you start cooking things will go pretty quickly you don’t want to rush around trying to slice and dice things are cooking.
- There is no need to clean the pan after cooking the chicken. The flavors left in the pan from cooking the chicken will add to the sauce.
Storage:
Refrigerator: Store this pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a saucepan on the stovetop or using the microwave.
Freezer: I do not recommend freezing this recipe as the sauce does not freeze and then thaw well.
I hope you and your family will love this recipe as much as we did! I’d love to hear from you leave a comment below telling me if you tried this recipe.
Happy Cooking Y’all!
Susanne
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Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 16 ounces penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound chicken breast sliced in half lengthways
- 2 garlic cloves finely diced or crushed
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups tightly packed baby spinach leaves
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes drained, sliced into strips
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese grated
- salt and pepper to taste
- Extra parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
-
Slice the sun dried tomatoes and mincing the garlic cloves then set them aside.
-
Slice the chicken breast in half length wise season with salt and pepper and set them aside.
-
In a large skillet heat olive over medium high heat. When the oil is hot add the chicken breast and cook until cooked through and the chicken reaches and internal temperature of 165°F. Slice prepared chicken into thin pieces then set it aside to a plate.
-
Add the garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring, until fragrant. Add the heavy cream, baby spinach leaves and sun-dried tomatoes and bring to a slow simmer stirring occasionally until the cream has thickened slightly.
-
Stir through the cooked chicken, penne and parmesan cheese, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
-
Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, more parmesan cheese and cracked pepper if desired.
Recipe Notes
Notes:
Cutting the chicken breast fillets in half lengthways will reduce the amount of time it takes for the chicken to cook through.
Prepping the sun dried tomatoes and garlic before you start cooking will make this recipe much easier to make. Once you start cooking things will go pretty quickly you don’t want to rush around trying to slice and dice things are cooking.
Nutritional information is estimated. Amounts will vary based on ingredient choices and serving sizes.
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