This Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta Recipe combines golden brown chicken breast pieces, fresh baby spinach, sundried tomatoes, garlic, and fettuccine pasta in a rich, creamy garlic Parmesan Cheese sauce with Italian seasonings. Comfort food does not get much easier or more delicious than this.
In just a few easy steps, you can surprise your family with this amazing chicken recipe. It is elegant enough for company yet easy enough for a weekday dinner. Enjoy this tasty dish with a simple rocket salad, fruit salad, or cheese garlic bread.
What’s In This Post
Ingredients Needed
- Olive oil: extra virgin
- Chicken: boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Pasta: fettuccine noodles
- Seasonings: garlic, dried oregano, dried parsley, dried basil, dried marjoram, and red pepper flakes
- Chicken broth: preferably, low sodium
- Heavy cream: for thickening the sauce
- Parmesan cheese: freshly grated
- Vegetables: baby spinach and sundried tomatoes (I know technically tomatoes are a fruit)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
How to make Tuscan Chicken Pasta
This is just the nutshell version. See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and instructions.
Start by cooking the chicken pieces in a little olive oil over medium heat. Once browned and cooked through, plate the chicken. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil.
Now add a little more olive oil to the skillet over low heat. Add the garlic, oregano, parsley, basil, marjoram, and red pepper flakes, cooking for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Raise the heat to medium-low and add the chicken broth and heavy whipping cream. Let it simmer and reduce for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently. While it is simmering, cook the pasta al dente and drain well.
Reduce the heat to low and slowly add the parmesan cheese, stirring to melt. Then add the spinach and continue cooking until wilted. Add the sundried tomatoes, cooked chicken, and cooked pasta, stirring to warm.
Recipe Tips
- Cut your chicken into fairly thin, uniform pieces rather than cubes so it cooks all the way through as it browns.
- Don’t throw all the pasta water down the drain. Reserve some for thinning the sauce. If you are in the habit of always forgetting this, then simply put a large bowl under your colander. Store a small amount of pasta water in a mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 days for heating leftovers.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan Cheese for superior melting and the finest taste.
- Don’t boil the chicken broth and cream. Let it simmer and reduce for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Heat leftovers in the microwave at reduced power, stirring in a little of the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce, if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Any medium pasta that holds the sauce well will work. Think fettuccine, rigatoni, penne, pappardelle, or rotini.
I personally like to use the julienne cut sundried tomatoes packed in oil. Drain the excess oil from the tomatoes and if they are small pieces, chop them.
You can also use dry-packed sundried tomatoes, but you need to rehydrate them. Place them in a bowl, cover them with warm water, and let them soak for a couple of hours. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels.
More Pasta Recipes
Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ¼ lbs boneless skinless chicken breast cut in bite size pieces
- 12 ounces fettuccine pasta noodles
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon dried marjoram
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ⅔ cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 cups baby spinach
- ⅔ cup sundried tomatoes packed in oil but drained and chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned on both sides and cooked through; approximately 3 minutes each side. Plate the cooked chicken. Meanwhile bring a large pot of water to boil.
- Add remaining tablespoon olive oil to the skillet over low heat. Add the garlic, oregano, parsley, basil, marjoram, and red pepper flakes cooking for 1 minute while stirring constantly.
- Raise the heat to medium low and add the chicken broth and heavy whipping cream. Simmer and reduce for about 8 minutes stirring frequently.
- While it is simmering cook the pasta al dente (according to box directions) and drain well.
- Reduce the heat as low as it goes and slowly add the parmesan cheese stirring to melt. Add the spinach and continue cooking until wilted. Add the sundried tomatoes, cooked chicken, and cooked pasta stirring to warm. For best results serve promptly.
Notes
- Cut your chicken into fairly thin, uniform pieces rather than cubes so it cooks all the way through as it browns.
- Any medium pasta that holds the sauce well will work. Think fettuccine, rigatoni, penne, pappardelle, or rotini.
- Don’t throw all the pasta water down the drain. Reserve some for thinning the sauce. If you are in the habit of always forgetting this, then simply put a large bowl under your colander. Store a small amount of pasta water in a mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 days for heating leftovers.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan Cheese for superior melting and the finest taste.
- Don’t boil the chicken broth and cream. Let it simmer and reduce for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Nutrition
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Karen
I’ve made this twice and me and my husband love it. It tastes like something you would expect to get at a finer Italian restaurant.it’s delicious and easy.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Karen! I am glad that you and your husband like the chicken pasta!
Linda B
What alternative for the sundried tomatoes?
Beth Pierce
You could try halved grape tomatoes.
Tamara Andrews
This is exactly what I needed. I love pasta and this was delicious! Thanks a bunch.