Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta (Print version)

A creamy blend of chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and garlic Parmesan sauce with pasta.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 ounces penne or fettuccine pasta
02 - 1 tablespoon salt for pasta water

→ Chicken

03 - 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
06 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Sauce

08 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
09 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
11 - 1/2 cup chicken broth
12 - 1 cup heavy cream
13 - 2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
14 - 3 cups fresh baby spinach
15 - 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
16 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Garnish

17 - Chopped fresh basil or parsley for serving
18 - Extra grated Parmesan for serving

# How to Make:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining, then set pasta aside.
02 - Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and dried Italian herbs on both sides. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate, rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
03 - In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another minute.
04 - Pour in chicken broth, scraping up browned bits from the pan. Reduce heat to low, then stir in heavy cream, grated Parmesan, and red pepper flakes. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
05 - Stir fresh baby spinach into the sauce and cook until just wilted.
06 - Add cooked pasta and sliced chicken to the skillet. Toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water gradually to achieve desired sauce consistency.
07 - Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil or parsley and extra Parmesan.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours cooking, but comes together in less than 45 minutes.
  • The sun-dried tomatoes give you that deep, complex flavor that makes people ask what your secret is.
  • Creamy, garlicky, and packed with protein—it's the kind of dish that leaves you satisfied but not weighed down.
02 -
  • Never add cold cream directly to a hot pan or it might break; always reduce the heat to low first and stir it in gently.
  • Slicing the rested chicken against the grain makes all the difference between tender pieces and tough strands.
03 -
  • If your sauce ever breaks or looks curdled, whisk in a splash of cold milk off the heat and it'll come back together.
  • Cooking the pasta in heavily salted water is where you season the dish—don't skip this, because it flavors every strand from the inside out.
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