Tuscan Chicken Pasta

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A creamy Tuscan chicken pasta made in one skillet, with juicy chicken, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes in a silky Parmesan cream sauce. Ready in about 35 minutes, easy enough for a weeknight and special enough for date night at home.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Italian

Difficulty: Medium

Servings: servings

Author: abbey holt

Ingredients

12 oz. rigatoni
1½ lbs boneless chicken tenderloins cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp black pepper
2 tbsp oil from jarred sun-dried tomatoes divided
2 tbsp butter divided
⅓ cup shallot finely chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
½ tsp red pepper flakes optional
2 tbsp tomato paste
½ cup dry white wine or chicken broth
¾ cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes sliced
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
3 cups baby spinach
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
¼ cup chopped fresh basil

Instructions

Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
12 oz. rigatoni
Season chicken with salt, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, and pepper.
1½ lbs boneless chicken tenderloins, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp black pepper
Heat 1 tablespoon each sun-dried tomato oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 5–7 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Remove from the skillet.
2 tbsp oil from jarred sun-dried tomatoes
Add remaining oil and butter. Sauté shallot for 2 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes; cook for 30 seconds.
2 tbsp butter, ⅓ cup shallot, 4 cloves garlic, ½ tsp red pepper flakes
Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes, until slightly darkened. Pour in wine and scrape up any browned bits. Simmer for 2 minutes.
2 tbsp tomato paste
Add chicken broth, heavy cream, and sun-dried tomatoes. Simmer for 3–4 minutes. Reduce heat and stir in Parmesan until smooth.
½ cup dry white wine or chicken broth, ¾ cup chicken broth, 1 cup heavy cream, ½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
Add spinach, pasta, and chicken. Toss until spinach wilts and pasta is coated, adding reserved pasta water as needed for a silky sauce.
3 cups baby spinach
Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and fresh basil. Season to taste and serve with additional Parmesan.
1 tsp lemon zest, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, ¼ cup chopped fresh basil

Notes

Reserved pasta water is what gives this sauce its silky texture, so set aside at least a cup before you drain the pasta. Once it goes down the drain, there is no getting it back, so it is worth measuring it out before you forget.
Pre-shredded Parmesan is coated in a starch that keeps it from melting smoothly and can leave the sauce grainy. Grate your own from a block instead for the creamiest result.
If you do not have white wine on hand, chicken broth deglazes the pan just as well and will not leave the sauce short on flavor.
Stir the basil and lemon in only after you take the skillet off the heat. The residual heat is enough to dull their fresh flavor if they sit in the pan any longer.
Bite-size chicken pieces cook fast, usually in 5 to 7 minutes, so pull them from the skillet the moment they turn golden and cooked through rather than judging by color alone. Leaving them even a minute or two longer will start to dry them out.
Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days, and the flavor actually deepens overnight. Skip the freezer, since this cream sauce will separate and turn grainy once it thaws.

Nutrition