Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta (Printer View)

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

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or fettuccine
02 - 1 tbsp salt (for pasta water)

→ Chicken

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

→ Sauce

08 - 2 tbsp 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 oz grated Parmesan cheese
14 - 3 cups fresh baby spinach
15 - 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
16 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

17 - Chopped fresh basil or parsley
18 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese

# Method Steps:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes restaurant-quality but comes together in under 45 minutes, which means you can impress people on a Tuesday.
  • The cream sauce coats every strand of pasta without being heavy—it's the kind of comfort food that doesn't leave you feeling regretful.
  • Fresh spinach wilts right into the sauce, sneaking nutrition into something that feels purely indulgent.
02 -
  • Never let the cream simmer at a rolling boil or it can break and separate—keep the heat low and gentle once the cream goes in.
  • Reserving pasta water is the difference between a sauce that coats the noodles and one that pools at the bottom of the bowl—that starch is your friend.
03 -
  • If your cream threatens to break or curdle, immediately remove the pan from heat and stir in a splash of cold broth or cream—it usually settles right back down.
  • Don't let the pasta fully finish cooking in the boiling water; it will continue cooking slightly when tossed in the hot sauce, so aim for just under al dente.
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