Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta

Yum, yum, yum. I just can’t get enough of this Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta! I’ve made it several times, altering it each time, and this is definitely my favorite version that I made. The flavors in Tuscan food are incredible. Check out my homemade sun-dried tomato recipe that I posted a couple months ago, because they’ll come in handy for this recipe. Homemade sun-dried tomatoes are much tastier than store-bought in my opinion, but if you have a store-bought brand that you love, then you can of course use that if you want!

Ingredients for Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta

Pasta of choice – I used pasta noodles imported from Italy (gotta love Trader Joes!), but you can use whatever you prefer. You can also sub with gluten-free noodles if needed.

Chicken breasts – Use boneless, skinless. You can also sub with chicken tenders or thighs as well.

Spices – Italian seasoning, black pepper, onion powder, salt. For flavor of course!

Olive oil – To sear the chicken.

Heavy cream – For the sauce.

Broth – For deglazing and for the sauce.

Ricotta cheese – For the sauce. It helps thicken it up and make it creamier. You can also sub with parmesan cheese.

Sun-dried tomatoes – The best part in my opinion. Check out my recipe for homemade sun-dried tomatoes.

Garlic cloves – For flavor. I recommend dicing it rather than mincing it because it is less likely to burn in the pan since the pieces are a little larger.

Spinach – For color and nutrients. It’s a classic in tuscan recipes!

this post

How to make Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta Bowls

1. Prepare the pasta you are wanting. It’ll take about 20-30 minutes for the chicken/sauce portion to be done for reference.
2. Slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise to make cutlets then pound to even thickness (this makes it cook MUCH faster). To do this, place a chicken breast on a cutting board, place one hand flat on top of the chicken breast, then starting on the thicker side, carefully cut through it horizontally with a sharp knife, slicing all the way through.
3. Cover the chicken with plastic wrap then pound the chicken to even thickness.
4. Mix together 1 Tbsp italian seasoning, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp granulated onion, and fresh cracked black pepper in a small bowl. Lay the chicken cutlets out on the cutting board and sprinkle both sides with the mixed spices. 
5. Preheat a large skillet to medium-high heat with avocado oil.
6. Once preheated, add the seasoned chicken and sear for about 1 1/2-3 minutes on each side until cooked through, removing each piece as it reaches 165ºF in the center. The time depends on how big/thick the chicken breast is. Remove from the skillet onto plate and cover to rest.
7. While the chicken is cooking, prep the sun-dried tomatoes and minced garlic so it’s ready to go into the pan right after you take out the chicken.
8. Turn the heat down to low-medium. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and minced garlic to the skillet and sauté for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add 1/3 cup of broth and deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned pieces to incorporate it back into the dish. Whisk in 1 Tbsp of flour. Add the remaining 2/3 cup of broth, the cream, spinach, and 1/2 extra tsp of salt and stir together. Turn the heat up as needed to lightly simmer for 5-8 minutes to thicken a bit.
9. Stir in the ricotta cheese and the reserved pasta water. Taste test and add salt to taste.
10. If the sauce is still too thin, then whisk in the remaining 1 Tbsp of flour and simmer another minute. It’ll also thicken more as it cools down after being removed from the heat.
11. Slice the chicken up then add back into the skillet and stir into the sauce. The sauce will reheat the chicken if it cooled down too much while resting since it’s cut into slices.
12. Serve over the cooked pasta. Enjoy!
13. Please be sure to leave a review!

Please be sure to leave a review!

Make it your own

• Add mushrooms for an additional earthy layer of flavor.
• Use white wine instead of broth if you want a slightly lighter, sweeter sauce.
• Add red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
• Add capers for a salty tang and brininess.
• Sub parmesan in place of the ricotta – Technically parmesan is the more classic way of making Tuscan chicken, but I had ricotta on hand and loooove the creaminess and sweetness of ricotta, so I used it instead. You can use parmesan instead for a richer, more classic flavor.
• Use Pecorino Toscano Cheese for a richer flavor. Pecorino Toscano cheese is the favored cheese in Tuscany. FYI – it’s made out of sheep milk. It tastes similar to parmesan cheese but has a goat cheese undertone to it.

Other recipes you’ll love

Homemade Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Pesto Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken

Tomato Basil Stuffed Peppers

Caprese Pesto Pasta

I hope you love this Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta recipe! Please be sure to leave a comment on the post and a review on the recipe card. Your support means the world to me.

Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta

Pin Recipe

Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 3 reviews

An easy recipe made in about 30 minutes for a creamy, dreamy pasta dinner.

• Author: Christine Manes
• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 20
• Total Time: 30
• Yield: 4 1x
• Category: Dinner, Entree
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Tuscan

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

8 oz dry pasta of choice

1 1/2 lbs (3 medium) chicken breasts, sliced into cutlets and pounded to even thickness

1 Tbsp Italian seasoning

1 1/2 tsp salt, divided, to taste

1 tsp granulated onion

Lots of fresh cracked black pepper

2 Tbsp avocado oil

1/3 rounded cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

4 large garlic cloves, minced

1 cup chicken broth, divided

1 1/3 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 cups spinach

2/3 cup ricotta cheese

1/3 cup reserved pasta water

1–2 Tbsp flour

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Prepare the pasta you are wanting. It’ll take about 20-30 minutes for the chicken/sauce portion to be done for reference.
2. Slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise to make cutlets then pound to even thickness (this makes it cook MUCH faster). To do this, place a chicken breast on a cutting board, place one hand flat on top of the chicken breast, then starting on the thicker side, carefully cut through it horizontally with a sharp knife, slicing all the way through.
3. Cover the chicken with plastic wrap then pound the chicken to even thickness.
4. Mix together 1 Tbsp italian seasoning, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp granulated onion, and fresh cracked black pepper in a small bowl. Lay the chicken cutlets out on the cutting board and sprinkle both sides with the mixed spices. 
5. Preheat a large skillet to medium-high heat with avocado oil.
6. Once preheated, add the seasoned chicken and sear for about 1 1/2-3 minutes on each side until cooked through, removing each piece as it reaches 165ºF in the center. The time depends on how big/thick the chicken breast is. Remove from the skillet onto a plate and cover to rest.
7. While the chicken is cooking, prep the sun-dried tomatoes and minced garlic so it’s ready to go into the pan right after you take out the chicken.
8. Turn the heat down to low-medium. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and minced garlic to the skillet and sauté for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add 1/3 cup of broth and deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned pieces to incorporate it back into the dish. Whisk in 1 Tbsp of flour. Add the remaining 2/3 cup of broth, the cream, spinach, and 1/2 extra tsp of salt and stir together. Turn the heat up as needed to lightly simmer for 5 minutes or so to thicken a bit.
9. Stir in the ricotta cheese and the reserved pasta water. Taste test and add salt to taste.
10. If the sauce is still too thin, then whisk in the remaining 1 Tbsp of flour and simmer another minute. FYI – It’ll also thicken more as it cools down after being removed from the heat.
11. Slice the chicken up then add back into the skillet and stir into the sauce. Since it’s cut into slices, the sauce will reheat the chicken if it cooled down too much while resting.
12. Serve over the cooked pasta. Enjoy!
13. Please be sure to leave a review!

Recipe Card powered by

key words: tuscan pasta chicken, tuscan chicken pasta, tuscan chicken recipes, tuscan pasta recipes, tuscan pasta home-cooked living, tuscan pasta healthy, heathy tuscan pasta, the best tuscan pasta, best tuscan chicken pasta recipes, tuscan chicken recipes, Tuscany-inspired recipes, healthy tuscan chicken, pasta bowl recipes, pasta recipes, delicious pasta recipes, hosting friendly recipes, hosting recipes, family approved recipes, husband approved recipes, kid approved recipes, teen approved recipes, easy one pot dinners, one pot tuscan chicken, one pot recipe ideas, one pot dinner recipes, 30 minute dinner, 30 minute recipes, creamy tuscan chicken, creamy tuscan pasta, creamy tuscan chicken recipes, creamy pasta recipes, creamy tuscan pasta, white sauce recipes, white sauce pasta recipes, Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta Bowls