Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta (Printable Page)

Tender chicken and sun-dried tomatoes unite in a creamy garlic-Parmesan pasta with baby spinach.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 ounces penne or fettuccine
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

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente following package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and 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 and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing 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 1 minute more.
04 - Deglaze skillet with chicken broth, scraping up browned bits. Reduce heat to low and stir in heavy cream, Parmesan, and red pepper flakes. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly thickened.
05 - Add fresh baby spinach to sauce and stir until just wilted.
06 - Add cooked pasta and sliced chicken into skillet. Toss to coat, gradually adding reserved pasta water until desired sauce consistency is achieved.
07 - Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped basil or parsley and extra Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's restaurant-quality without the stress or the bill at the end.
  • The sauce is silky and forgiving, tasting indulgent but somehow not heavy.
  • You can have it on the table in under 45 minutes, which makes weeknight entertaining actually possible.
02 -
  • Don't skip resting the chicken; those five minutes allow the juices to redistribute, and slicing it thin keeps it tender instead of chewy.
  • The pasta water is your best friend—its starch helps the sauce cling and thicken naturally, so add it little by little until the sauce feels right to you.
03 -
  • Shaving your Parmesan with a vegetable peeler and adding it to the warm sauce at the end gives you those luxurious melting ribbons instead of a dense layer.
  • If your sauce breaks or looks oily, whisk in a splash of cold pasta water to bring it back together; starch is magical that way.
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