Creamy One Pan Tuscan Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Rich, creamy chicken pasta with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach, made in one pan.

# What You'll 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

# Steps:

01 - Season the chicken strips evenly with Italian seasoning, salt, and 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. Transfer to 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 up 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 sauce thickens and spinach wilts. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
07 - Serve hot, garnishing with extra Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You get a rich restaurant quality meal with almost zero cleanup afterward.
  • The sun-dried tomatoes add a burst of umami that makes every bite exciting.
02 -
  • Do not rinse the pasta before adding it to the pan or you will wash away the starch needed for thickening.
  • Keep an eye on the liquid level near the end of cooking so the pasta does not burn.
03 -
  • Use a heavy bottomed skillet to prevent hot spots that might scorch the cream sauce.
  • Let the dish sit for five minutes off the heat so the sauce clings tighter to the pasta.

Return