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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Colleen
This pasta turned out so creamy and delicious. The whole family loved it. Thanks for sharing!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine!
ALison
You had me with the sundried tomatoes! The sauce is super creamy and flavorful!
Sharon
This Tuscan pasta is a go-to dish for when you want something hearty and full of flavor, but you don’t want to spend all night in the kitchen.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Sharon! I agree!
Claudia Lamascolo
So flavorful and I just loved how juicy the chicken was will make this often it so easy!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Claudia! So happy that you liked it!
Shashi
This was so hearty and comforting to me. Such a fantastic dish – my mom would loved it too.
Juliane
Yahoo! My two favorites in one meal!! The whole family really enjoyed this. I just love the creamy sauce with spinach and sundried tomatoes. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Carrie Robinson
What a great pasta dish! I am loving all of the flavors happening here. 🙂
Beth Pierce
Thanks Carrie! So glad that you liked it!
Gwynn
This recipe is so creamy and flavorful. My family loved it and it will be on our menu rotation for sure!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Gwynn! So glad that you liked it.
Lauren Michael Harris
One of my favorite dinner recipes. I love how creamy this dish is and the kids love it too so that’s a huge win!!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Lauren! So glad that you and the kids enjoyed it!
Tayler Ross
We had this pasta for dinner last night and OMG was it amazing! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure Tayler!
Amanda
This is such a flavorful chicken dish! Everyone loved it.
Erin
This was amazingly delicious! Everyone in our house loved this!
Sandra
Yummy! This quickly became a favorite meal at my house! Thanks!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Sandra! So glad that you liked it!
Catalina
Pasta is always a favorite in our house! This one was so creamy!
Beti
This was incredibly delicious! The perfect meal! Thanks for a great recipe.
katerina
Such a fabulous weeknight meal!! My family enjoyed this so much!