Creamy One Pan Tuscan Chicken Pasta (Printable version)
Rich, creamy chicken pasta with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach, made in one pan.
# What you need:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
02 - 1 tsp Italian seasoning
03 - 1/2 tsp salt
04 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
05 - 1 tbsp olive oil
→ Pasta & Vegetables
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
08 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
09 - 8 oz penne or rigatoni, uncooked
10 - 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
→ Sauce
11 - 1 cup heavy cream
12 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
# How To:
01 - Season the chicken strips evenly with Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until golden brown and mostly cooked through, approximately 4–5 minutes. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate.
03 - In the same pan, add garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add uncooked pasta and chicken broth to the pan. Stir well, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
05 - Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan. Cover and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente and most liquid is absorbed.
06 - Lower the heat. Stir in heavy cream, spinach, Parmesan, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until the sauce thickens and spinach wilts. Adjust seasoning to taste.
07 - Serve hot, garnished with extra Parmesan if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- You get that deep, savory flavor usually reserved for long-simmered sauces in under thirty minutes.
- Cleanup is practically non-existent since everything cooks in a single skillet.
02 -
- Do not rinse the pasta before cooking, as the starch helps thicken the sauce naturally.
- Keep an eye on the pan during the simmer step to ensure the liquid does not evaporate too quickly.
03 -
- If the sauce gets too thick, simply splash in a little more broth or water to loosen it up.
- Using half-and-half instead of heavy cream works if you want a slightly lighter version.