Ah, creamy Tuscan chicken pasta—a classic comfort meal that’s rich, flavorful, and perfect for a weeknight dinner or special occasion. Here’s a detailed recipe you can follow:
Ingredients (serves 4)
For the chicken:
- 2 large chicken breasts (or 3 medium), thinly sliced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For the sauce:
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for a little heat)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Vegetables:
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (oil-packed preferred)
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- ½ cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
Pasta:
- 8 oz (about 225 g) pasta of your choice (fettuccine, penne, or spaghetti works well)
Garnish:
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Extra Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook the pasta:
Boil pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain. - Cook the chicken:
- Season the chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Cook chicken 4–5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- Prepare the sauce:
- In the same skillet, add a bit more oil if needed. Sauté onions until translucent (~2–3 min).
- Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add mushrooms (if using) and cook 2–3 min.
- Stir in sun-dried tomatoes, heavy cream, chicken broth, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes.
- Simmer for 3–5 minutes until slightly thickened. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Combine everything:
- Add spinach and let it wilt (~1 min).
- Return chicken to the pan. Slice if you kept it whole.
- Add cooked pasta and toss to coat. Use reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.
- Serve:
- Plate the pasta and garnish with parsley and extra Parmesan.
✅ Tips:
- For extra richness, add a splash of white wine to the sauce before the cream.
- Sun-dried tomatoes add tang; if you like it creamier, add more cream.
- You can swap chicken for shrimp or even leave out protein for a vegetarian version.
If you want, I can also give you a quick 30-minute version that’s just as creamy and flavorful but faster for weeknights.
Do you want me to do that?
