Tuscan Chicken Pasta is a delicious easy dinner that comes together in 30 minutes on the stovetop. Your family will love the rich flavors of this fast dinner.
The other day a friend shared with me how similar her toddler’s sense of humor is to her’s and how much laughing they do. It occurred to me in that moment, that my kids really do have a similar sense of humor to me too. They can make me laugh harder than almost anyone.
It is probably one of the reasons why I love family dinner time so much. The older they get, the more detailed our conversations get, and the more laughter there is – often at our expense.
The joy I feel coming together around a delicious dinner feels palpable. It is one of the many things I love about cooking. And this Tuscan Chicken Pasta is just the fast easy dinner to bring your family together too.
I have made this recipe and is a real family favorite. I have made so many of your recipes and love all of them.
How to Make Tuscan Chicken Pasta
The recipe instructions for this are long, but don’t let them intimidate you. They are detailed, but this is a simple recipe. Get the full measurements at the bottom of the post.
- Cook the pasta. Read all my tips for cooking pasta here: How to Cook Pasta.
- Cook the chicken. Pound your chicken thin, season it with Italian Seasoning, and sauté it for four minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the pan and tent loosely with foil.
- Sauté onions and bell peppers.
- Make the sauce. Add flour to the pan to start a roux and then add in half and half.
- Finish off the dish. Finally wilt spinach and add in the chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and the noodles.
While we do need to cook the pasta separately, this is almost a one pot recipe.
Making a Roux
A key to this recipe is making a roux. A roux is a thickening agent used to make creamy sauces. It combines a fat and flour. In this recipe we are using the oil that we sauté the vegetables in. The fat surrounds the flour and keeps it suspended in the sauce, making it creamy. When we add in the Parmesan at the end, it is almost like we have created an Alfredo sauce for this.
Italian Seasoning in Tuscan Chicken Pasta
A lot of the flavor in this recipe comes from Italian Seasoning, a spice mix that you can find with the other spices and seasonings in your grocery store. I love using my homemade Italian seasoning, because I almost always have all the ingredients on hand and I bet you do too.
Italian Seasoning
Half and Half
This recipe calls for half and half which is made from combining heavy cream and whole milk. It is literally half of each, hence the name. In the U.S. this is sold in the dairy section of the grocery store.
In the UK it is known as half cream. If you are overseas, you can make your own, or you can just use heavy cream. It will create a great rich sauce you will love.
Leftovers
Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat leftovers over low heat, stirring often. Consider adding more chicken broth or half and half if needed.
What to Serve with Tuscan Chicken Pasta
This recipe is great as a one pot meal, but if you need to stretch the menu, here are a few great choices.
If you make this creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta recipe or any of my other recipes, leave me a comment and let me know what you think!
Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces penne pasta cooked according to package instructions (226.8 grams)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil you will need 3 tablespoons total
- 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning you will need 1 1/2 tablespoons total
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- dash freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts pounded thin, about 1/2 an inch thick, see note 1 (453.6 grams)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth (226 grams)
- 1 cup half and half read what half and half is here (227 grams)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan plus more for topping (50 grams)
- 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or 1/4 teaspoon table salt
- dash freshly ground black pepper
- 6 ounces fresh baby spinach roughly 1 cup (170 grams)
- 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes removed from their oil and cut into smaller pieces, see note 2 (240 grams before removing from oil)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and cook the pasta according to package instructions, making sure to season the water with salt and drain the pasta while it is still al dente.8 ounces penne pasta
- While waiting for the water to come to a boil and while the pasta is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Season the chicken on both sides with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning. Add to the skillet. Cook for about four minutes on each side or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning, dash freshly ground black pepper
- Remove the chicken from the skillet. Allow to cool a little and then slice.
- While waiting for the chicken to cool, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan. Add the garlic, onion and bell pepper. Sauté until the vegetables are softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 2 cloves garlic, 1 small yellow onion, 1 red bell pepper
- Whisk in the flour, then slowly add the chicken broth, scrapping up any browned bits on the bottom. Slowly add the half and half. Bring to a simmer and cook for five minutes.1 tablespoon all purpose flour, 1 cup chicken broth, 1 cup half and half
- Stir in the parmesan cheese and allow it melt completely. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning and season with salt and pepper. Taste the sauce and season with more salt and pepper to taste.1/2 cup grated Parmesan, 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, dash freshly ground black pepper
- Stir in the spinach, allowing it to wilt. Now stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, cooked penne, and the chicken.1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, 6 ounces fresh baby spinach
- Top with more Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley and enjoy!
Notes
- For large chicken breasts, cut them into cutlets in order to make them thin. Read more about it here: How to Cut Chicken into Cutlets.
- I recommend using the oil packed tomatoes. Make sure to remove them from their oil completely before measuring them. They bring a little extra flavor and moisture to this recipe compared to the dry version.
Lynn says
This was absolutely fabulous! I used chicken thighs because my family doesn’t care for chicken breast any longer. I added some red chili flakes and fresh mushrooms. My mom said it was restaurant quality. Will definitely be making this again. Thank you so much for the recipe.
I’m so glad that you liked this and it was a hit with your family! Thank you for taking the time to come back and tell me!
Melissa L Harlow says
I have a lot of leftover rotisserie chicken — could I use it in this instead of fresh? Also, I can’t eat spinach. Could I use some chopped baby kale?
Baby kale will totally work in this. And you can use rotisserie chicken, but you will miss that searing of the seasonings into it. I would probably opt for using fresh chicken in this and either freezing your rotisserie chicken like this or using it in our Chicken Noodle Casserole.
Annett says
Can this be made ahead and frozen?
This wouldn’t be my pick for making ahead and freezing because it’s such a quick meal. But yes, you could. I would reheat it over low heat with a little added milk.
Annett says
Can this be made in the crockpot?
john says
terrific!
I’m so glad you liked it!
Kathy says
I don’t have spinach – can I make this without? Could I substitute broccoli?
I haven’t made this with broccoli, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. I would add it when you add the red pepper.
Kathy says
I love this dish, so easy to make. I added asparagus to my dish to add extra flavor & veggies.
What a great addition to this recipe!
Iris Saxon says
Lisa, what can you replace the dried tomatoes with as my husband will not touch tomato in any shape or form. It is a great nuisance as it restricts so many recipes. Should I just increase the peppers?
Your idea about increasing the peppers is perfect!
Mitzi Zornow says
Can I use frozen spinich ?
I haven’t made this using frozen spinach, but I don’t see why you couldn’t toss it in at the end. Make sure that it is well thawed and drained.
Pm says
Have you tried this recipe with gluten free ingredients?
I’m sorry, I haven’t. But! I have made a roux for something else with almond flour. It isn’t as creamy, but it does still thicken the sauce.