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 6 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
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
Seasong and cook the chicken
- 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.
Chop the chicken adn set aside
- Now set them aside to cool, then dice them up into cubes.
Make the creamy Tuscan sauce
- 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.
Add chicken and pasta in the sauce
- 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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Katy says
My sauce was a little runny. Should I have let it simmer a little longer?
Dina says
Hi Katy 🙂 It may seem like it is runny but once it sits in with the pasta it will thicken up. I hope that helps. Let me know how it goes 🙂
Shell says
Can you make this ahead and bake later in the day
Dina says
Hi Shell, you can make the sauce a day ahead, but mix it with the freshly cooked pasta the next day.
Tamara says
The recipe states 8 servings. What is a serving size? I am feeding 3 adult men and 2 women. Want to make sure I have enough. Thank you 😊
Dina says
Hi Tamara, the 8 servings is an estimate. But this will definitely feed 3 men and 2 women in your case 🙂
Yvette Bommarito says
Hi, I have made this dish and my husband and I absolutely loved it. I made it twice in one week. The second time I added shrimp to it but we prefer the original recipe. Thank you for Sharing. It will be added to our holiday dinners. Yvette B
Dina says
Thank you so much Yvette! I need to give the shrimp version a try. That sounds delicious!
Jodi says
Great dish even with the heavy cream still tastes light. I used protein + pasta.
Dina says
Hi Jodi 🙂 Happy to hear you loved this Tuscan chicken pasta! Thank you so much for your awesome feedback! 🙂
Kelsy says
Made this exactly how it was, and it’s amazing! So much flavor and it’s simple. If you don’t have much time to throw dinner together and want something delicious this is just for that. We’re definitely adding this to our recipe collection. My husband and kiddo walked in and couldn’t believe how good everything smelt!
It’s really creamy, rich in flavor the tomatoes give it a little bit of tart to balance out the creamy so it’s not over powering.
Served with a side salad And rolls. So delicious!
Dina says
Yay! So happy that you and your family loved this Tuscan chicken pasta so much! It is always a win when the kids love it! Thank you so much for your awesome feedback Kelsy! I hope you find many more delicious recipes on my blog for your family to enjoy!
Dot says
It was so easy to make & so good. I served it with garden salad & yeast rolls. I was a hit!
Dina says
Thank you so much! I have to go make some yeast rolls now. That sounds like such a delicious combination! Thank you for taking the time to write your kind recipe review!
Linda G Brennan says
Can I cook the creamy Tuscan chicken with pasta in Dutch oven? Don’t have a cast iron skillet large enough.
Dina says
Hi Linda, yes you can definitely use a dutch oven pot for this recipe 🙂
Robin says
I just made this for the first time. I didn’t have enough heavy cream on hand, so I added half a block of cream cheese and another 1/2 c of milk. I also made it with some chicken that I made earlier this week and had frozen. Served with some Texas toast!! Soooo delicious!! Thank you ! I will be making this on the regular!
Dina says
You are very welcome Robin! Glad to hear you loved this Tuscan chicken pasta! Awesome that you were able to make this recipe work with what you had! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your awesome feedback! 🙂
K says
I made this because I saw a restaurant selling it but hadn’t gotten to try it and it was sooo good. Super easy too. I didn’t follow all the measurements because I eyeball and measure with my heart lol but it turned out amazing.
Dina says
Thank you for giving this recipe a try! Very happy to hear you loved this Tuscan chicken pasta 🙂 Perfectly ok to measure with your heart 😉 Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your feedback and I hope you find many more delicious recipes on my blog! 🙂
Mugdha says
Was looking for a pasta chicken recipe which would be easy to make – seems I found one and will be making it over the weekend.
Dina says
I hope you absolutely love this Tuscan chicken pasta! Let me know how it goes 🙂
Christina says
So simple yet soooo delicious!! You can alter it if you want (e.g., we added mushrooms too). Absolutely love this recipe thank you!!
Dina says
Thank you for your kind feedback, Christina! I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe even with alterations 🙂
MamaBear03 says
Yes!! Make this!! You won’t be sorry
Dina says
Thank you for the lovely feedback 🙂
Sabryna says
So easy to make, and lick the bowl delicious. The sun-dried tomatoes balanced perfectly with all the creamy richness, and we added mushrooms and some red pepper flakes for some added flair. Looking forward to leftovers this week!
Dina says
Hi Sabryna 🙂 Happy to hear you loved this Tuscan chicken pasta! This recipe is so versatile that it makes a great option for a repeat recipe in any home! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your feedback! I hope you find many more delicious recipes on my blog 🙂
Gary E Ingram says
My family loved this dish! The sauce is simple to make and has so much flavor.
simplyhomecooked says
Happy to hear you loved this Tuscan chicken pasta! I hope this recipe becomes a repeat in your home 🙂 Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your feedback and I hope you find many more delicious recipes on my food blog 🙂