This Tuscan Chicken Pasta is a delicious and filling meal! The perfect combination of Italian flavors all made in one pot. Makes for amazing leftovers too!
A TASTY AND EASY PASTA RECIPE
I can't even begin to tell you how amazing this Tuscan Chicken Pasta tastes! It has SO much flavor and the combination of ingredients really makes it seem like it took a lot of work to make (but it really doesn't!) You'll have this dish on your table in less than an hour. It takes advantage of store-bought convenience ingredients (like pesto and sun-dried tomatoes) to make it taste like it came straight out of the kitchen of an upscale Italian restaurant! When it comes to flavor, this is not lacking one bit! You will get so much flavor with such little effort. Try this Tuscan Chicken Pasta recipe today and I promise it will become a menu staple!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
I like to use rigatoni in this as it is larger and can grab onto all that sauce but any pasta with grooves or spiral shaped will work just as well like penne or rotini.
This is really a part of the Tuscan feel of this dish. If you do not have spinach or do not like if you can substitute with kale if you'd like or you can leave it out altogether.
You can swap out the regular basil pesto for sun-dried tomato pesto. You can certainly leave it out but it really adds a beautiful, light basil flavor to the dish.
This works great with diced pork tenderloin, shrimp or even grilled salmon. Or if you do not want to use any meat you can simply omit it.
Yes if you want to veggie this up even more and give it more substance you can can include: zucchini, summer squash, peas, asparagus, broccoli and grape or cherry tomatoes. If you do use vegetables, you will want to sauté them first- do this after you cook the chicken but before you add the pesto.
Absolutely, if you like to make your own you can certainly do that.
This can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator where it will keep for up to 4 days. This can also be frozen. Place in a freezer container and it will keep for up to 3 months. To defrost, remove to the refrigerator overnight. To reheat I suggest adding a splash or two of chicken broth or stock (the noodles will soak up some liquid) and heat on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- salt and pepper
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- olive oil
- salted butter
- canned sundried tomatoes
- garlic
- prepared pesto
- unsalted chicken stock
- heavy cream
- baby spinach
- grated parmesan cheese
- rigatoni or other short pasta, cooked al dente
HOW TO MAKE TUSCAN CHICKEN PASTA:
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and place it in a medium bowl. Toss the chicken with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
In a dutch oven over medium heat, add the olive oil and the butter. Add the chicken in 3 batches to lightly brown it and ensure it is cooked. About 5 minutes per batch. Once cooked, place the chicken on a plate and set it aside.
Add the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and pesto to the pan, stir to combine, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the chicken stock and scrape any bits off the bottom of the pan. Then add the cream.
Bring to a simmer. Add the baby spinach, salt, and pepper, stir it in and let the spinach wilt in the sauce.
Add the cooked chicken, parmesan cheese, and cooked rigatoni. Stir to combine and coat everything in the sauce. Bring back to a simmer, occasionally stirring until everything is heated through.
Serve immediately with more parmesan cheese for garnish.
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Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
For the pasta:
- 8 ounces canned sun-dried tomatoes drained and roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons prepared pesto
- 1 cup unsalted chicken stock
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups baby spinach
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese plus more for garnish
- 8 ounces rigatoni or other short pasta cooked al dente
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and place it in a medium bowl. Toss the chicken with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- In a dutch oven over medium heat, add the olive oil and the butter. Add the chicken in 3 batches to lightly brown it and ensure it is cooked. About 5 minutes per batch. Once cooked, place the chicken on a plate and set it aside.
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and pesto to the pan, stir to combine, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the chicken stock and scrape any bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the cream.
- Bring to a simmer. Add the baby spinach, salt, and pepper, stir it in and let the spinach wilt in the sauce.
- Add the cooked chicken, parmesan cheese, and cooked rigatoni. Stir to combine and coat everything in the sauce.
- Bring back to a simmer, occasionally stirring until everything is heated through. Serve immediately with more parmesan cheese for garnish.
Notes
- Other pastas can be used, see suggestions above.
- If you want more of the sun-dried tomato flavor, add in sun-dried pesto instead of regular or do half and half.
- Other meats can be used such as diced pork tenderloin, salmon and shrimp.
- This can be frozen, see above on how to do that.
- Other vegetables can be used, see some of my suggestions above.
- This can be frozen, see above on how to do that.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Denise H Bridgen
This is Delicious!! Brandie you did it again and thank you!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
I’m so happy you gave it a try! I think this is one my favorite recent recipes. I always forget how much I enjoy sun dried tomatoes LOL