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Enjoy this delicious Tuscan chicken pasta recipe for lunch or dinner any day of the week. Quick and easy creamy pasta recipe made Tuscan Style and ready in 30 minutes.
This Creamy chicken pasta recipe is the ultimate comfort meal. It is made with added chicken bites for some added protein, loaded with spinach for a nutrient boost, and infused with creamy Tuscan flavors. Ready in just under 30 minutes, this Tuscan chicken pasta recipe is going to be on your weekly menu because it will be a huge hit. Cheesy, garlicky, full of flavor, and a one-pot meal that’s perfect for everyone.
Why you will love this chicken Pasta dish
- Easy and complete meal: making this Tuscan chicken pasta is so easy. Not to mention it’s all made in one pot and you don’t have to worry about making any sides.
- Delicious: It’s packed with creamy goodness and flavor. Everyone will love this pasta recipe and promise to be a huge hit.
- Vegetarian-friendly: Make this without the chicken and you got yourself a vegetarian meal.
Ingredients you will need to make this creamy pasta
- Pasta of choice: use whatever kind of pasta you already have. You may use gluten-free if needed or lentil pasta for a healthier option.
- Chicken: go with chicken breast for a leaner and healthier option.
- Oil: we used olive oil. You may use avocado oil or grapeseed oil.
- Garlic cloves: we recommend you use fresh garlic cloves and not garlic powder. You may also use the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes
- Italian seasoning: if you don’t have this handy, use 1/4 tsp of the following seasonings- basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme.
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Sun-dried tomatoes: use the ones that are packed in oil and not the packets.
- Almond milk: if you don’t have almond milk, use any milk of choice.
- Flour: use any flour you have on hand, or use cornstarch.
- Fresh baby spinach: we prefer that you use fresh spinach. If you want to use frozen, you can but just thaw and drain first.
- Parmesan cheese: grate your own. You may sub this cheese with grated Romano Cheese.
How to make Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Boil and prepare pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta according to package directions to al dente.
- Prepare and cook the chicken: Chop the chicken into 1-inch pieces and place it into a bowl. Stir in the oil, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add chicken in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and continue to cook until cooked through for about 5-7 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk the milk and flour until no visible lumps.
- Pour the milk mixture over the cooked chicken in the pan, and mix well to combine. Allow the sauce to bubble for a few minutes to thicken up. It should take no more than 3-4 minutes.
- Add spinach and cheese: Once the sauce is done, add spinach and stir until wilted. Add cooked pasta together with grated parmesan and stir to combine. Enjoy.
Recipe Notes and tips
- Pasta: use pasta of choice. Gluten-free, whole wheat, lentil pasta, or chickpea pasta.
- Chicken: we used chicken breast but you may use boneless thighs. Consider using shrimp instead of chicken if desired.
- Spinach: we recommend using fresh spinach. Frozen spinach can be used but thaw first and drain to remove excess water.
- You may use other veggies like kale.
- Use fresh garlic or replace it with 1 tablespoon of garlic powder.
- Cook the pasta al dente since it will cook again with everything else to prevent having soft and soggy pasta.
- Store leftover chicken pasta in a container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- PLEASE NOTE: *****To make this dish healthier we used almond milk. But you can use any other milk, heavy cream, or whipping cream if you don’t mind the added calories.****
Frequently asked questions
To make a healthy-ish creamy pasta sauce we recommend skippy any sort of heavy or whipping cream and use milk instead. To make a creamy pasta sauce, you will need a combination of oil/butter, cheese (parmesan or cream cheese), garlic for flavor, salt, pepper, any type of milk, cornstarch, or flour to thicken the sauce.
You may cook the chicken first in the same skillet until it is thoroughly cooked before adding the pasta. Pasta is usually cooked al dente ahead of time so that when your creamy chicken sauce is almost done cooking, you toss in the pasta with your remaining ingredients like cheese and let it cook together.
It depends on what you are making. If you are serving the chicken breast as a whole, you don’t need to cut it. But if the recipe calls for smaller chunks of chicken we recommend you cut them into smaller pieces.
Yes. You can make the sauce ahead and freeze it for up to 3 months. Place in an airtight container before freezing. Allow the sauce to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating on your stovetop or microwave.
Other pasta dishes to try
- Baked Feta Pasta with Shrimp
- Creamy Salmon Pasta
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad
- Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
- Creamy Tuna Pasta Salad
- Easy Creamy Shrimp Pasta
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Easy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 10 oz short pasta, gluten-free if needed, whole wheat, or lentil pasta
- 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tbsp olive oil, or use the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- Kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste
- 8 oz sun-dried tomatoes in oil drained and chopped
- 3 cups 2% Milk, any other milk, or use lite coconut cream
- 2 tbsp gluten-free flour, or corn starch
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta according to package directions to al dente.
- Chop chicken into 1-inch pieces and place into a bowl. Stir in the oil, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add chicken in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and continue to cook until cooked through about 5-7 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk the milk and flour until no visible lumps.
- Pour the milk mixture over the cooked chicken in the pan, and mix well to combine. Allow the sauce to bubble for a few minutes to thicken up. It should take no more than 3-4 minutes.
- Once the sauce is done, add spinach and stir until wilted.
- Add cooked pasta together with grated parmesan and stir to combine. Enjoy.
Video
Notes
- NOTE: *****To make this dish healthier we used almond milk. But you can use any other milk, heavy cream, or whipping cream if you don’t mind it. Also, be careful not to use sweetened almond milk!!!!****
- Flour: you can use cornstarch in place of flour for a thicker consistency.
- I have remade this dish a few times. Some find it bland maybe because of the almond milk. You can use 2% of full-fat milk. Also, if you are looking for a more creamy texture, use heavy cream or add 1/4 cup of cream cheese while making the sauce. This is meant to be a healthier option. Feel free to modify it.
- Pasta: use pasta of choice. Gluten-free, whole wheat, lentil pasta, or chickpea pasta.
- Chicken: we used chicken breast but you may use boneless thighs. Consider using shrimp instead of chicken if desired.
- Spinach: we recommend using fresh spinach. Frozen spinach can be used but thaw first and drain to remove excess water.
- Use fresh garlic or replace it with 1 tablespoon of garlic powder.
- Cook the pasta al dente since it will cook again with everything else to prevent having soft and soggy pasta.
- Store leftover chicken pasta in a container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Try substituting the chicken for pieces of cut filet mignon. Super good with either or!!
sounds yummy
Could you use creme fraiche instead of the milk and flour?
Hi. Yes you can
This was pretty good with some adjustments. Marinated the chicken in a garlic, herb, white wine vinegar marinade. Added LOTS more Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. I also wish I had thought through the recipe more before jumping in. Three cups of almond milk is a lot of liquid to cook off in 3-4 minutes max… As others have said, it’s more of a soup at this point. It took closer to 15-20 minutes for mine to become an actual creamy sauce and this was after adding the cheese to help thicken it. I was worried about overcooking the chicken with the additional sauce time, but it turned out OK. Will probably make again, but adjust the times.
Made this last night and it was very good. I did add more seasonings as the base did taste a little bland. But delicious. I also used chick pea pasta. This was super easy to make and will definitely make again.
Our daughter made this for Christmas Eve dinner. It was delicious. And making it for New Year’s Eve dinner tonight. I don’t find it bland at all. Our daughter added different seasonings to give it a lot of flavor.
So glad you guys loved it
It’s okay I guess, I won’t be making it again but I will eat what I made. Not any flavor at all and I added A LOT of extra Italian seasoning and garlic. The texture of the sauce is great.
This is delicious! Did add a bit more salt once it about ready. Is this dish ok to freeze?
Yes you can freeze
Thank you so much!
Like others have said, it’s bland pasta soup. I’m not sure how this recipe hasn’t been amended with so many of the same comments. I only wish I would have read them first! If you make it, add more flour, give it more time, and add wayyyyy more spices.
Hey! I’ve remade this recipe a few times. I tried to keep it on the light side. You can always add more seasoning and use corn starch instead of flour too.
Made this recipe tonight and I loved it. It was so quick and easy to make. Going to definitely keep this recipe in my backpocket for a busy day with little time to cook.
Perfect. So glad you loved it
It’s not inedible, but it’s not great either. My sauce didn’t thicken up so was more like pasta soup
My favorite version of this recipe, the flour in the milk makes a big difference. Very creamy and flavorful.
Thanks for the feedback Liam
My favorite ❤️
I have made this at least 20 times. It is a favorite in our house. I use regular milk and flour. I also add onion and mushrooms. So, so, so good! I also cook the chicken in the oil from the sun dried tomatoes. Adds great flavor.
Thanks for the feedback Natalie. So glad you loved it
I made this exactly by the recipe with one exception, I used whole milk because a family member has trouble digesting alternative milks. It turned out great, very delicious and we kind of over-ate it was so good.
Perfect! Yay
Made with almond milk and added a few seasonings and it was perfect and healthier than using heavy cream or whole milk. Thank you.
Next time going to add some onion and red pepper flakes. Otherwise delicious