This Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta is so deliciously flavored. Garlicky and cheesy, it’s easy to make and takes only 30 minutes.
If you love chicken pasta, you should try our cajun chicken pasta and serve it with this Foccacia bread.
Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta 30-minute dinner
Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta looks as good as it tastes. And it only takes half an hour to make! This dish is perfect when you want to make something yummy, but don’t have a lot of time. The flavors come together so well, you’ll love the way the garlic, Parmesan, spinach, and sweet-tart sun-dried tomatoes taste. With a creamy sauce, penne pasta, and chicken, this Tuscan pasta is going to become a family favorite. And it’s even better when you pair it with a tasty spinach salad and some buttery bread and dipping oil.
What will I need to make the 30-minute pasta dish?
- Meat: Boneless skinless chicken tenders
- Vegetables: Fresh spinach, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes
- Pasta type: Penne pasta
- Sauce ingredients: Unsalted butter, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and Italian seasonings.
How to Make Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Cook the chicken. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken tenders with salt and pepper. Pour the olive oil into a cast iron pan and cook the chicken over medium-high heat. Set aside.
- Cube the chicken. Once the chicken is cool, cut it into cubes.
- Make the sauce. Saute the butter, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach in a pan over medium heat. Cook until the spinach wilts.
- Add the cream. Pour in the heavy cream, stir, and then let it come to a simmer.
- Add the seasonings and cheese. Remove the sauce from the heat and add the salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan cheese. Stir until everything is incorporated.
- Add the chicken and pasta. Add the chicken cubes and cooked penne pasta, and give a final stir. Serve with some delicious bread on the side.
Can I make it ahead of time?
Yes, you can make it ahead. Just follow the directions to make the chicken and sauce, and then store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container until you are almost ready to serve the dish. Then, reheat them and add freshly cooked pasta in when you are ready to serve.
Can I use chicken breasts instead?
Yes, you can. Slice the chicken breasts into cutlets before cooking them. This allows the meat to cook faster and also increases the surface area, so more of the chicken gets that crisp, golden brown outside.
Can I omit the spinach?
Yes, you can leave out the spinach if you prefer. You can also substitute it with other veggies, such as broccoli or asparagus.
How to make the Tuscan chicken pasta lighter
If you’d like a lighter cream sauce, then you could substitute Half & Half for the heavy cream. This will keep the sauce creamy, but slightly less rich.
Does it freeze well?
This Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta does freeze well, making it a great make-ahead meal. Just place the fully cooled pasta dish in an airtight container or ziplock freezer bag and it will keep in the freezer for about 3 months. To reheat it, just place it in the refrigerator overnight or in a bowl of water for about 20 minutes to thaw. Then, you can either microwave it or heat it on the stovetop.
Watch how to make this chicken pasta
Full Recipe Instructions
Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 garlic cloves 
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 8 oz sun-dried tomatoes in oil drained
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 lb penne pasta
Instructions
- Season the chicken tenders with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Fill a large cast-iron skillet with the olive oil and cook both sides of the seasoned tenders over medium-high heat.
- Now set them aside to cool, then dice them up into cubes.
- Now make the sauce by sautéing the butter, minced garlic, sun-dried tomatoes (oil drained) and spinach over medium heat.
- Once the spinach has wilted, add the cream and let it come to a simmer.
- Now remove from heat and add the salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and grated Parmesan cheese.
- Then add your cooked hot penne pasta and cubes chicken back in. Give it a quick stir and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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Jackie Deitrich says
It’s an amazing recipe.
Dina says
Thank you so much Jackie! 🙂 Thank you for giving my recipe a try and for your kind feedback! 🙂
Christine says
Absolutely fantastic! Will be making again and again.
Dina says
That is so awesome to hear Christine! It makes me so happy when people love my recipes and they are on repeat in people homes. Thank you so much for your support and feedback. 🙂
Roshni says
I’ve been making this dish since over two years for parties and potluck, it’s everybody’s favourite! Easily available ingredients, quick to put together, and amazingly delicious!
Dina says
Thank you so much for your support Roshni! I am honored that this recipe has been a favorite for so long. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your awesome feedback! I hope you find more of my recipes to try for your parties and potlucks!
Mimi says
Perfect! .
This is restaurant delicious !
Dina says
Thank you for you kind feedback! Very happy to hear when people love my recipes! I hope you can find more delicious recipes from my food blog. 🙂
Scarlett says
I have a left over roaster chicken that I have pulled apart. Would this work for this recipe? Since I’m not searing/cooking the chicken in the pan.
Dina says
Hi Scarlett, yes you can still use leftover chicken for the recipe, but it may lack the flavor that would have stayed in the pan from pan frying the chicken.
Cindy Kellison says
Made this tonight for my husband and 3 friends. I followed directions up until adding the penne pasta. Instead I made linguine with butter and garlic and served it with that. I made a great lettuce salad to start the meal and served it with homemade garlic knots. I ended the meal with a great panda cattail with a dab of strawberry sauce!
Everyone loved the meal and my husband is asking for it to be made again soon!
Dina says
Wow that sounds like quite the feast Cindy! I am so glad you all enjoyed this recipe so much! 🙂