Description
Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta whisks home cooks on a delightful culinary journey through Italy’s rich flavors. Robust herbs, tender chicken, and silky sauce blend seamlessly, promising a comforting meal that transports you straight to a charming Italian kitchen.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or 3 small), sliced into thin cutlets
- ½ cup chicken broth (or pasta water)
Pasta and Seasonings:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) pasta (penne, fettuccine, or rigatoni)
- 1 tablespoon salt (for boiling water)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
Sauce and Additional Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half for a lighter version)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- Fresh basil or parsley
- Extra Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Generously coat chicken cutlets with a blend of salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder, ensuring even coverage across each piece.
- Heat olive oil in a spacious skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers with a subtle, inviting warmth.
- Carefully place seasoned chicken into the hot skillet, allowing each cutlet to develop a rich, golden-brown crust, cooking thoroughly for approximately 4-5 minutes per side.
- Transfer the perfectly seared chicken to a clean plate, keeping it warm and allowing the juices to redistribute while preparing the remaining components of the dish.
- In the same skillet, utilize the flavorful remnants of the chicken to create a luxurious base for the creamy sauce, incorporating sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and heavy cream.
- Gently simmer the sauce until it thickens and becomes velvety, releasing aromatic herbs and creating a rich, indulgent coating.
- Return the cooked chicken to the skillet, nestling the pieces into the creamy sauce to reheat and absorb the vibrant flavors.
- Simultaneously, prepare the pasta in a separate pot of salted boiling water until it reaches an al dente texture.
- Drain the pasta and fold it into the skillet, ensuring each strand is lovingly coated with the luxurious Tuscan-inspired sauce.
- Garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of chopped fresh basil before serving immediately.
Notes
- Ensure chicken cutlets are evenly pounded for consistent cooking and tender texture.
- Marinate chicken in seasoning mix for 15-30 minutes before cooking to enhance flavor penetration.
- Use a meat thermometer to check internal temperature reaches 165°F for food safety.
- Pat chicken dry before seasoning to help create a perfect golden-brown crust during searing.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 700
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 70 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg