Description
Creamy Tuscan chicken pasta promises a culinary journey through Italian-inspired comfort. Rich with sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and parmesan, this dish delivers restaurant-quality flavors you’ll savor with every delightful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) pasta (penne, fettuccine, or rigatoni)
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or 3 small), sliced into thin cutlets
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half for a lighter version)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup chicken broth (or pasta water)
Seasoning and Spices:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
Cooking Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon salt (for boiling water)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Fresh basil or parsley
- Extra Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prepare chicken cutlets by thoroughly coating with a blend of aromatic seasonings, ensuring even coverage on both sides.
- Activate a large skillet with olive oil over medium-high temperature, creating a sizzling surface for perfect chicken searing.
- Position seasoned chicken into the hot skillet, allowing each side to transform into a golden-brown masterpiece with crisp edges, approximately 45 seconds per side.
- Extract chicken from skillet and momentarily rest on a separate plate, maintaining its warmth and juiciness.
- Initiate pasta preparation by bringing a generously salted water pot to a rolling boil, then immerse pasta and cook until achieving ideal al dente texture.
- Preserve a portion of starchy pasta water before draining, which will serve as a potential sauce thickener or moisture enhancer.
- Utilize the same skillet to melt butter, introducing minced garlic and allowing its aromatic essence to permeate the cooking environment.
- Incorporate sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes, creating a vibrant flavor foundation through quick sautéing.
- Stream heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and chicken broth into the skillet, whisking until a smooth, luxurious sauce emerges.
- Allow sauce to gently simmer, developing depth and richness, then introduce fresh spinach and permit wilting.
- Slice the previously seared chicken into elegant strips and reintroduce to the simmering sauce.
- Combine cooked pasta with the creamy sauce, ensuring each strand becomes lavishly coated. Adjust sauce consistency using reserved pasta water if necessary.
- Elevate the dish’s presentation by scattering fresh basil and additional Parmesan cheese across the top.
- Serve immediately, presenting a harmonious blend of textures and flavors characteristic of Tuscan cuisine.
Notes
- Enhance chicken flavor by marinating for 30 minutes before cooking to allow seasonings to penetrate deeply.
- Opt for thin chicken cutlets to ensure even cooking and quicker searing with golden-brown exterior.
- Control pasta’s texture by testing doneness early, aiming for perfect al dente consistency that’s firm yet tender.
- Adapt for dietary needs by substituting heavy cream with coconut milk or Greek yogurt for lighter, lactose-free version.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 710
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 960 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 65 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg