Here’s a rich, flavorful, restaurant-style Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta recipe that’s surprisingly easy to make at home.
🍝 Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Ingredients (4 servings)
Chicken
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Pasta
- 12 oz (340 g) pasta (fettuccine, penne, or rigatoni)
- Salted water for boiling
Creamy Sauce
- 3 tbsp butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 2 cups baby spinach
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
1. Cook the pasta
- Boil pasta according to package instructions.
- Drain and set aside, reserving ½ cup pasta water.
2. Cook the chicken
- Pound chicken to even thickness (~1 inch).
- Season with paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Cook chicken 5–7 minutes per side until golden and cooked through.
- Remove and let rest, then slice into strips.
3. Make the creamy Tuscan sauce
- In the same skillet, melt butter and sauté garlic 30 seconds.
- Add sun-dried tomatoes and cook 1–2 minutes.
- Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth. Simmer 3–4 minutes.
- Stir in Parmesan and Italian seasoning. Add salt & pepper to taste.
- Add spinach and cook until wilted.
- If sauce is too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water.
4. Combine
- Toss pasta in the sauce until coated.
- Add sliced chicken on top.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan.
Tips & Variations
- Protein swap: Shrimp or turkey work well.
- Cheese variation: Use Pecorino Romano for sharper flavor.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: Can use oil-packed or rehydrated dry ones.
- Cream alternative: Half-and-half for lighter version.
If you want, I can give you a one-pot version that minimizes cleanup while keeping it creamy and flavorful.
Do you want me to do that?
