Comforting Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta made entirely in one pot! This easy, creamy pasta dish boasts big Italian flavors, tender chicken and is perfect for a quick 30 minute delicious weeknight dinner.
Pasta, my go-to comfort food. It’s is a staple in my house because of how versatile it is! Whether it’s spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna, or this creamy Tuscan chicken pasta, I’m all about it. This pasta recipe consists of penne noodles, tender chicken seasoned to perfection, baby spinach, and sundried tomatoes, all swimming in a luscious creamy sauce. Made in 30 minutes, entirely in one pot, this easy chicken pasta is perfect for dinner any night of the week!
Why Make This Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Easy To Make
- Ready in 30 Minutes
- Simple Ingredient List
- Delicious Italian Comfort Food
- Made In One Pot
There’s nothing I love more than a simple, one pot pasta! You know I’m all about quick, easy and delicious comfort food, this dish checks all those boxes. Minimal prep, minimal cleanup (only one pot, remember) and in just 30 minutes, you have a comforting Italian dinner, ready to serve!
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken – I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts. See “FAQs & Expert Tips” for substitutions.
- Seasoning – Italian seasoning, salt & pepper.
- Olive Oil – Substitute sunflower, safflower or avocado oil.
- Butter – I always use unsalted butter to control the sodium content of the dish.
- Garlic – Fresh is best! Minced.
- Sun-dried Tomatoes – Drained, roughly chopped.
- Cream – I used heavy cream to make it extra creamy. See “tips” on healthier substitutions.
- Milk – Dairy or non dairy.
- Cheese – Parmesan cheese, freshly grated.
- Pasta – Penne or macaroni noodles work best!
- Spinach – Baby spinach. Use as much or as little as your prefer!
How To Make Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Season Chicken: Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Cook Chicken: Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or braiser over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes per side until browned. When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the skillet. Cut the chicken in 1 inch pieces. Set aside.
- Make Sauce: Add the butter to the pot and melt over medium heat. Add the garlic, sun dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning to the pot and saute until aromatic.
- Cook: Add the heavy cream, milk, Parmesan cheese, penne and stir. Cook for 10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.
- Finish: Add the chicken back to the pot and the spinach and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes or until the chicken has warmed through and spinach has wilted.
- Serve: Serve warm.
FAQs
Absolutely not! You can substitute with chicken thighs. Keep in mind, the cook time may vary.
I prefer thicker, creamy dishes with small shaped noodles that hold the sauce. Other than penne, some great small-shaped pasta options are rotini, farfalle, shells, macaroni, rigatoni, fusilli, and mafalda. The perfect vessels for carrying your silky sauce! You can use long shapes if you like, of course. Linguini, fettuccine, spaghetti, spaghettini; anything you like. It will all taste wonderful!
I definitely wouldn’t go too overboard as far as additions for this dish, but some great options would be mushrooms, kale peas, red chili flakes or parsley!
Serve this creamy pasta dish as is, or pair it with a nice side salad or crunchy bread to soak up that delicious cream sauce!
Tips
- Adding any assortment of extra vegetables; mushrooms, kale, butternut squash, or even more spinach is easily going to make this dish healthier and give you any extra nutrients you might be looking for!
- You don’t need to use heavy cream. You can substitute coconut cream or a lower fat content cream/milk in order to lessen the fat percentage in this dish. Keep in mind, if you use just milk, it’s not going to be as thick and creamy!
Storing Leftovers
Stored in a sealed airtight container this creamy Tuscan chicken pasta will last in the fridge for 3 – 4 days.
Freezing
You can also freeze this dish for future meals! It will last up to 6 months stored in an airtight container. Keep in mind, after cooked pasta freezes and thaws, it will become a bit softer in texture.
Let the pasta thaw overnight in the fridge to make reheating easier and reduce the risk of breaking the pasta. If you find the sauce has separated a bit after thawing, reheating and stirring will bring it back together.
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Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breasts boneless and skinless
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper freshly ground
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter unsalted
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes drained, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 8 ounce 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 and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes per side until browned. When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the skillet. Cut the chicken in 1 inch pieces. Set aside.
- Make Sauce: Add the butter to the pot and melt over medium heat. Add the garlic, sun dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning to the pot and saute until aromatic.
- Cook: Add the heavy cream, milk, Parmesan cheese, penne and stir. Cook for 10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente, stirring occasionally.
- Finish: Add the chicken back to the pot and the spinach and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes or until the chicken has warmed through and spinach has wilted.
- Serve: Serve warm.
Video
Tips & Notes:
- Adding any assortment of extra vegetables; mushrooms, kale, butternut squash, or even more spinach is easily going to make this dish healthier and give you any extra nutrients you might be looking for!
- You don’t need to use heavy cream. You can substitute coconut cream or a lower fat content cream/milk in order to lessen the fat percentage in this dish. Keep in mind, if you use just milk, it’s not going to be as thick and creamy!
- Stored in a sealed airtight container this creamy Tuscan chicken pasta will last in the fridge for 3 – 4 days.
- You can also freeze this dish for future meals! It will last up to 6 months stored in an airtight container. Keep in mind, after cooked pasta freezes and thaws, it will become a bit softer in texture.
- Let the pasta thaw overnight in the fridge to make reheating easier and reduce the risk of breaking the pasta. If you find the sauce has separated a bit after thawing, reheating and stirring will bring it back together.
Made this for dinner and what a hit! It was absolutely delicious and so flavourful. I followed the directions exactly,( I did use a little less chicken then the recipe called for) and it turned out great. I will definitely be making this again!
So glad you enjoyed it!
I would definitely recommend cooking the pasta separately. I realized that when you put everything together for some reason it will suck up the whole sauce and it will be all dried at the end. I noticed it also did it when I first started my chicken Alfredo dish. I would cook it all together and the sauce wound end up drying out, now I just make everything separate.
If you find the sauce is getting a bit too thick or absorbed by the pasta, you can always add a splash of chicken broth or milk to loosen it up. This allows you to get the perfect sauce consistency while cooking everything in one pot.