Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Tuscan Chicken Pasta is hearty and filling, all while being delightfully freshly flavored for summertime! This pasta recipe features ingredients like sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil to really enhance that signature Tuscan flavor. Heavy cream and parmesan serve as the base for the flavorful sauce that ties it all together!
While you can certainly enjoy Tuscan Chicken Pasta all by itself, it’s even better when served with a summery side dish! Plate this pasta with something like Tomato Salad or Broccoli Salad.
Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean life should be all about no bake recipes and salads. Sometimes, no matter how hot it gets outside, you still need a comfort meal! At the same time, it’s hard to enjoy something too heavy during summer.
That’s where recipes like this Tuscan Chicken Pasta come in handy! It’s super filling from the chicken and pasta, but it’s also brightly flavored from ingredients like fresh basil and sun-dried tomatoes.
It has all of the best Tuscan flavors in the comfort of your own kitchen. Grab a glass of vino and make this easy pasta tonight!
How to Make Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook pasta according to the package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, drain the pasta, and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Then, add the chicken, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Remove the chicken and set aside. Add the onions to the pan, and cook until they become translucent.
- Next, add the sun-dried tomatoes and garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Stir in the spinach and basil and cook until they start to soften. Then, stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Continue to stir until the cheese is completely melted.
- Return the chicken to the pan and toss in the cooked pasta. Serve with fresh basil and toasted bread slices if desired.
Tips and Variations:
- Try to not forget the pasta water! You need to reserve about ½ cup of the water the pasta was cooked in to create the best final product. The starchy water does wonders for the consistency of the sauce!
- It’s best to freshly shave/grate the parmesan cheese yourself for this recipe. It adds the best flavor and consistency to the dish.
- When it comes to garlic, you’re always free to measure it with your heart! Just keep in mind that the garlic in this pasta recipe is there to enhance the other bold flavors, not to overpower them.
Storage and Reheating
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge, any leftover Tuscan Chicken Pasta you have will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
Reheating: This pasta dish reheats like a dream in the microwave, but even better back on the stove top.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces penne pasta
- ½ cup pasta water, reserved
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound chicken breasts, boneless, skinless cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup white onion, diced
- ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 ½ cup baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, sliced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook pasta according to the package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, drain the pasta, and set aside.16 ounces penne pasta½ cup pasta water
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Then, add the chicken, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.1 tablespoon olive oil1 pound chicken breasts1 teaspoon Italian seasoning½ teaspoon salt½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Remove the chicken and set aside. Add the onions to the pan, and cook until they become translucent.½ cup white onion
- Next, add the sun-dried tomatoes and garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.¼ cup sun dried tomatoes3 cloves garlic
- Stir in the spinach and basil and cook until they start to soften. Then, stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Continue to stir until the cheese is completely melted.1 ½ cup baby spinach1 tablespoon fresh basil1 cup heavy cream½ cup parmesan cheese
- Return the chicken to the pan and toss in the cooked pasta. Serve with fresh basil and toasted bread slices if desired.
- See post for storage options.
