Tuscan Chicken Pasta
This simple Tuscan Chicken Pasta recipe features seasoned, crusted chicken in a creamy Tuscan sauce, served over your choice of pasta.
SERVINGS: 5
PREP; 20MINUTES
COOK: 20MINUTES
TOTAL: 40MINUTES
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 1.5 pounds chicken tenders, or maybe halved chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp dried oregano leaves
- ¼ tsp onion powder
Sauce:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper, minced
- 1 tbsp garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup chopped baby spinach
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning, or more to taste
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 lb fettuccine pasta
Instructions
- Season the chicken: In a large ziplock bag, combine ¾ cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, dried basil, oregano, and onion powder. Add the chicken to the bag and shake to coat it.
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain it and set it aside.
- Cook the chicken: Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the chicken to the pan and cook for a few minutes on each side until golden brown and just cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate to rest.
- Make the sauce: In the same pan, add 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Scrape up any browned bits from cooking the chicken. Add bell pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Mix in flour, then whisk in chicken broth. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then stir in cream, milk, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Simmer until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Stir in spinach and parmesan cheese, and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Serve the chicken and sauce over the hot-cooked pasta. Garnish with extra fresh parmesan cheese and parsley if desired.
Notes
- For preparing ahead: You can make the sauce 1-2 days in advance and store it in the refrigerator. The chicken can be coated in the flour mixture a few hours ahead of time.
- For freezing: You can make the sauce and freeze it before adding the milk and cream. However, it’s not recommended to freeze the cream sauce as the texture may change.
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