Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Spinach
Make this restaurant style pasta recipe at home. This easy weeknight chicken pasta features tender chicken breasts in a rich, creamy sauce with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Total Time: 35 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 12 ounces pasta (fettuccine or penne recommended)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Season the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter to the same skillet. Once melted, add the minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it reduce slightly for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the heavy cream and cream cheese. Whisk until the cream cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth.
- Stir in the Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes, if using. Continue stirring until the cheese is melted and the sauce thickens slightly.
- Add the cooked chicken and fresh spinach to the sauce. Cook until the spinach wilts, about 2 minutes.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet. Toss everything together until the pasta is well coated in the creamy Tuscan sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water until you reach your desired consistency.
- Serve immediately for a homemade gourmet pasta experience.
Notes
- For a one pan tuscan chicken variation, cook the chicken and then simmer the sauce in the same pan before adding the cooked pasta.
- You can substitute heavy cream with half-and-half, but the sauce will be thinner. Add more cream cheese for thickness.
- Use rotisserie chicken to make this a quick 30 minute chicken pasta meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 550
- Fat: 38
- Saturated Fat: 20
- Unsaturated Fat: 18
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 35
- Cholesterol: 150