This creamy Tuscan chicken pasta earns a permanent spot in the weekly rotation because it tastes like a restaurant plate but comes together in one skillet on a Tuesday. The chicken gets a real golden crust, the sauce clings to every noodle, and the sun-dried tomatoes do the heavy lifting on flavor.
I keep the ingredient list short on purpose: chicken thighs or breasts, penne, garlic, cream, Parmesan, spinach and a jar of sun-dried tomatoes. Everything else is pantry salt, pepper and a little butter. If you can boil pasta, you can make this.
Read the steps once before you start, because the sauce moves fast at the end. Have your spinach and cheese ready on the counter and you will never feel rushed.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
12 oz (340 g) penne or rigatoni pasta
Rigatoni holds the sauce in its ridges even better than penne. Any short tube pasta works, and gluten-free penne cooks fine if you check it a minute early.
1 1/2 lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cutlets
Chicken thighs are juicier and harder to overcook; if using them, sear 1 to 2 minutes longer per side. Look for breasts that are similar in thickness so they cook evenly.
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided, plus more for the pasta water
Kosher salt is less salty by volume than table salt, so use half the amount if you only have table salt. Salt the chicken 10 minutes before cooking for a better crust.
1/2 tsp black pepper
Freshly cracked pepper tastes brighter than pre-ground. If you only have ground pepper, use 1/4 teaspoon so it does not overpower the cream.
2 tbsp olive oil
Use regular olive oil, not extra-virgin, for high-heat searing. Avocado oil is a fine swap if your olive oil smokes early.
2 tbsp unsalted butter
Salted butter works too; just reduce the added salt by a pinch. Keep it cold so it emulsifies into the sauce instead of separating.
4 cloves garlic, minced
Jarred minced garlic is fine in a pinch, about 1 teaspoon per clove. Add it off the heat if your pan runs hot so it does not turn bitter.
1/2 cup (about 8) oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
Oil-packed tomatoes are softer and sweeter than dry-packed. If you only have dry-packed, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes first.
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
Half-and-half makes a thinner sauce and can curdle at high heat, so add it off the boil. For a lighter version, use 3/4 cup cream plus 1/4 cup whole milk.
1/2 cup (120 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
The pasta water you save can replace the broth in a pinch. Low-sodium matters here because the Parmesan is already salty.
3/4 cup (75 g) freshly grated Parmesan, plus more to serve
Grate it yourself from a block; pre-shredded cheese has starch that makes the sauce grainy. Pecorino Romano is a sharper swap, so use a little less.
3 packed cups (90 g) baby spinach
Frozen spinach works if you squeeze it very dry first, about 1 cup after squeezing. Add it at the very end so it wilts without going mushy.
Tips & Tricks
Do not skip the pasta water
the starchy water is what makes the cream sauce cling instead of sliding off the noodles. Scoop out a full cup before you drain.
Sear in batches if needed
crowding the pan steams the chicken and you lose the golden crust. Two batches in a 12-inch skillet is normal for 1 1/2 pounds.
Keep the heat low once the cream goes in
a hard boil can make cream sauces break and look grainy. A gentle bubble at 200 F (93 C) is all you want.
- Season the sauce at the end, not the start: Parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes both carry salt, so taste first and add salt last.
Pro Tips
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Boil the pasta
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil at 212 F (100 C) and cook the penne 1 minute shy of the package time, about 9 minutes for al dente. Scoop out 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
2. Season the chicken
Pat the cutlets dry and season both sides with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Let them sit 10 minutes at room temperature so the salt sinks in.
3. Sear until golden
Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 350 F (175 C). Sear the chicken 5 to 6 minutes per side until deep golden brown and the center reads 165 F (74 C) on a thermometer. Move to a plate.
4. Soften the garlic and tomatoes
Lower the heat to medium, melt the butter, and cook the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes for 60 to 90 seconds until fragrant and the garlic is pale gold, not brown. Scrape up the browned bits as you stir.
5. Build the cream sauce
Pour in the broth and simmer 2 minutes at 200 F (93 C) until slightly reduced, then stir in the cream and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Simmer gently 3 to 4 minutes until the edges bubble and the sauce coats a spoon.
6. Melt in the Parmesan
Pull the pan off the heat and whisk in the Parmesan until the sauce is smooth and glossy, about 30 seconds. Taste and adjust salt now.
7. Wilt the spinach and toss
Return the pan to low heat, add the spinach, and stir 1 to 2 minutes until just wilted and bright green. Add the pasta and toss, splashing in pasta water a tablespoon at a time until the sauce clings to every noodle.
8. Slice and serve
Slice the chicken against the grain into strips and nestle it on top with any resting juices. Serve right away with extra Parmesan.
Delicious Variations
Tomato and basil version
swap the spinach for 1 cup of halved cherry tomatoes added with the garlic, and finish with torn basil.
Spicy Tuscan
add 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes with the garlic and use spicy Italian sausage instead of chicken.
Lighter lemon cream
use 3/4 cup cream plus 1/4 cup milk and stir in the zest of one lemon at the end for a brighter sauce.
How to Store Tuscan Chicken Pasta Recipe
Refrigerator
Store in an airtight container up to 3 days. The sauce thickens as it chills, so keep a little extra broth on hand.
Freezer
Freeze the sauce and chicken without the pasta for up to 2 months; cream sauces can separate slightly, so whisk gently while reheating. Cook fresh pasta to serve.
Reheating
Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of broth or milk, stirring until loose and creamy, about 5 minutes. Avoid the microwave on high, which can split the sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?
Yes, boneless skinless thighs work beautifully and stay juicy even if you overshoot the time. Sear them 6 to 7 minutes per side until they reach 175 F (79 C), which is where thigh meat turns tender.
Q: Why did my cream sauce curdle?
The cream was likely boiled too hard or added to a pan that was too hot. Keep the sauce at a gentle bubble around 200 F (93 C) and stir in the Parmesan off the heat to keep it smooth.
Q: Can I make Tuscan chicken pasta ahead of time?
You can sear the chicken and make the sauce up to a day ahead, then reheat gently and toss with freshly cooked pasta. Holding the pasta separately keeps it from soaking up all the sauce.
Q: Is this recipe spicy?
No, it is rich and savory with no heat at all, which is why kids tend to like it. If you want a kick, add red pepper flakes with the garlic.
Q: What can I use instead of heavy cream?
Half-and-half or whole milk thickened with a teaspoon of cornstarch will work, though the sauce will be thinner. Add either one off the boil so it does not curdle.
Give this creamy Tuscan chicken pasta a go this week and let the sun-dried tomatoes win you over. Cook it your way, and tell me how it went.
Tuscan Chicken Pasta Recipe
This creamy Tuscan chicken pasta recipe brings golden seared chicken, sun-dried tomatoes and spinach together in a silky Parmesan sauce.
🧂 Ingredients
- 12 oz (340 g) penne or rigatoni pasta
- 1 1/2 lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cutlets
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided, plus more for the pasta water
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup (about 8) oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 3/4 cup (75 g) freshly grated Parmesan, plus more to serve
- 3 packed cups (90 g) baby spinach
📋 Instructions
- 1Boil the pasta — Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil at 212 F (100 C) and cook the penne 1 minute shy of the package time, about 9 minutes for al dente. Scoop out 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
- 2Season the chicken — Pat the cutlets dry and season both sides with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Let them sit 10 minutes at room temperature so the salt sinks in.
- 3Sear until golden — Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 350 F (175 C). Sear the chicken 5 to 6 minutes per side until deep golden brown and the center reads 165 F (74 C) on a thermometer. Move to a plate.
- 4Soften the garlic and tomatoes — Lower the heat to medium, melt the butter, and cook the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes for 60 to 90 seconds until fragrant and the garlic is pale gold, not brown. Scrape up the browned bits as you stir.
- 5Build the cream sauce — Pour in the broth and simmer 2 minutes at 200 F (93 C) until slightly reduced, then stir in the cream and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Simmer gently 3 to 4 minutes until the edges bubble and the sauce coats a spoon.
- 6Melt in the Parmesan — Pull the pan off the heat and whisk in the Parmesan until the sauce is smooth and glossy, about 30 seconds. Taste and adjust salt now.
- 7Wilt the spinach and toss — Return the pan to low heat, add the spinach, and stir 1 to 2 minutes until just wilted and bright green. Add the pasta and toss, splashing in pasta water a tablespoon at a time until the sauce clings to every noodle.
- 8Slice and serve — Slice the chicken against the grain into strips and nestle it on top with any resting juices. Serve right away with extra Parmesan.
Mireille writes about weeknight cooking built around what is already in the pantry, with a focus on Haitian and Caribbean home dishes made simpler for busy kitchens. She favors short ingredient lists, honest substitutions, and recipes that forgive a missed step. Her angle is feeding a household well without a second trip to the store.
