This Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta recipe is packed with flavor and only requires a few ingredients. Juicy and tender pan-fried chicken breasts are cooked and added to a creamy, sun-dried tomato parmesan sauce, then mixed with penne pasta. It’s simple, delicious and the perfect dinner recipe the whole family will love!
This insanely delicious recipe is flavored with sun-dried tomatoes which gives the sauce so much flavor. And who doesn’t love a good creamy sauce! A lot of people also call this dish "Marry Me Chicken" pasta. Why, you might ask? Well that's because is so good that if you happen to make this for your significant other you might just get a proposal out of it! Ha!😄 Seriously, this is honestly my new favorite chicken pasta recipe!
WHAT INGREDIENTS DO YOU NEED?
Here's everything you need to make this easy tuscan chicken pasta recipe:
- Chicken Breast - Boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in half lengthwise.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes - gives this pasta so much flavor! You can find it in a jar with oil on the aisle, usually with pasta and Italian food.
- Baby Spinach - an easy addition for a little color and extra greens.
- Onion & Garlic - a classic combination and adds great flavor to this recipe.
- Pasta - I love using penne pasta for this recipe, but feel free to use linguine or another favorite.
- Heavy Cream & Chicken Broth - to help make the cream sauce.
- Parmesan Cheese - helps finish the delicious sauce. I like grabbing the freshly grated parmesan cheese or grating it myself. It tastes better than prepackaged cheese and melts better in the skillet.
- Seasoning - adding seasoning throughout this dish with each step is key!
- Flour - to lightly coat the chicken breast.
- Butter & Oil
How To Make Marry Me Chicken Pasta
The detailed instructions and measurements are included in the recipe card below, but here’s a quick overview:
Step One: Add the pasta to a large pot of salted boiling water and cook according to the box instructions. If you have a 1 lb box of pasta only use half of the box (8 oz) and save the rest. Drain and set pasta aside once done.
Step Two: In a large skillet on medium heat, add olive oil and butter and cook lightly floured & seasoned chicken breasts until done. Remove chicken from skillet and transfer to a plate.
Step Three: In the same skillet add more butter and diced onion. Saute onion 2-3 min until translucent. Next add minced garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken broth and stir well.
Step Four: Slowly add heavy cream and grated parmesan cheese on medium-low heat. Stir well until the cheese is melted. Season the sauce with salt and Italian seasoning.
Step Five: Add the cooked pasta and cooked chicken back to the skillet. Mix well and enjoy!
Tuscan Chicken Pasta Video Tutorial
In this video tutorial, you'll see exactly how easy it is to make this creamy, flavorful, and super delicious Tuscan Chicken Pasta recipe!
Recipe Tip!
The only safe way to know when your chicken breasts are done is to use a meat thermometer. Your chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F with a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of your chicken breast. Digital meat thermometers are inexpensive and simple to use. This is the digital meat thermometer that I use.
Storing Leftovers
This tuscan chicken pasta stores well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I like using these glass containers for storage and reheating.
Got Extra Parmesan Cheese or Heavy Cream?
If you have more parmesan cheese or heavy cream leftover, don't let it go to waste! Heavy cream usually lasts about a week in the fridge after opening and fresh cheese about 10-14 days if properly wrapped and stored. So that gives you the perfect excuse to try my Cajun Chicken Pasta recipe next! It uses both of these ingredients to also make a delicious creamy sauce.
More Dinner Recipe Ideas
- Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Chicken Sausage Stir-Fry
- Asian Ground Turkey Stir-Fry
- Chicken Fajitas
- Sheet Pan Sausage, Potatoes & Brussels Sprouts
Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 oz. penne pasta
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut in half lengthwise)
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning divided
- 2 teaspoon fine sea salt divided
- 1 teaspoon black pepper divided
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ cup flour
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 3 tablespoons butter divided
- ½ yellow onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes drained
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 3 cups packed baby spinach
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot of salted boiling water, add the pasta and cook according to the box instructions. (If you have a 1 lb. box of pasta only use half of the box and save the rest for another day).
- On a cutting board, cut the chicken breast in half lengthwise to make 4 chicken cutlets. In a small bowl mix together 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and 1 teaspoon paprika. Season the chicken breasts on both sides with the spice mixture.
- In a separate shallow dish, add the flour and season the flour with ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper and ½ teaspoon garlic powder. Lightly flour each chicken breast on both sides and shake off any excess flour.
- In a large 12 inch skillet, heat 2 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Chicken should reach 165°F with a meat thermometer. Once done, remove the chicken to a plate, cover with foil, and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt 2 tablespoon butter, add the diced onion and saute for 2-3 minutes. Next add the minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Saute for another 1-2 minutes.
- Next turn the heat down to medium-low and slowly pour in the chicken broth and stir. Now add the heavy cream, grated parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning and ½ teaspoon sea salt. Stir well.
- Once the parmesan cheese is melted add the spinach and cooked pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Mix well until all the pasta is fully coated with the sauce.
- Slice the chicken breasts into strips or cut into bite size pieces. Add chicken on top of the pasta or mix in with the pasta and the sauce. Sprinkle more parmesan cheese on top and enjoy!
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