Description
This Tuscan Chicken Pasta is a creamy, flavorful dish featuring perfectly seasoned and oven-roasted chicken breasts combined with rigatoni pasta in a rich sauce made from butter, shallots, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, heavy cream, milk, spinach, parmesan, and cherry tomatoes. Garnished with fresh parsley, it’s a comforting Italian-inspired meal that’s perfect for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, approximately 1 pound
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Pasta and Sauce
- 8 ounces rigatoni pasta noodles, cooked al dente according to package instructions
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick, 57 g) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup (40 g) shallot, finely diced
- 1/4 cup (27.5 g) sun-dried tomatoes, softened in hot water and chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups (357 g) heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups (245 g) milk
- 1 cup (30 g) fresh spinach
- 1 cup (100 g) parmesan cheese, grated (plus more for garnish)
- 1 cup (149 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat and Season Chicken: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the chicken breasts, rubbing it in evenly. In a small bowl, mix together paprika, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper, then sprinkle this seasoning blend evenly over all sides of the chicken.
- Sear Chicken: Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the seasoned chicken breasts and sear for about 3 minutes on each side until browned but not cooked through.
- Oven-Roast Chicken: Transfer the skillet with chicken into the preheated oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove chicken and place on a plate, cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
- Cook Pasta: While the chicken roasts, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rigatoni pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente, about 14 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Prepare Sauce Base: In the same skillet used for the chicken, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced shallots and chopped sun-dried tomatoes, cooking for 3-5 minutes until shallots soften. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Add Seasonings and Liquids: Stir in tomato paste, oregano, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix well, then slowly add heavy cream and milk, stirring to combine the sauce evenly.
- Finish Sauce: Add fresh spinach, grated parmesan cheese, and halved cherry tomatoes to the sauce. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 8-10 minutes until the cheese melts fully and the spinach wilts.
- Combine Pasta and Chicken: Toss the cooked rigatoni in the sauce to coat thoroughly. Slice or cube the roasted chicken and add it into the pasta and sauce mixture, gently combining everything.
- Serve: Plate the Tuscan chicken pasta, garnishing with additional parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Season with extra salt and pepper to taste, then serve warm.
Notes
- For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or whole milk, though the sauce will be less rich.
- Sun-dried tomatoes can be swapped with roasted red peppers for a different flavor profile.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure chicken is safely cooked to 165°F without overcooking.
- Pasta can be prepared a day ahead and reheated gently in the sauce for convenience.
- For extra heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes when cooking the sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 125 mg
