Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta

Creamy tuscan chicken pasta is one of my favorite repeat meals to make throughout the week. This recipe features tender rigatoni tossed in a creamy tomato tuscan sauce, topped with seasoned grilled chicken, fresh herbs, and parmesan.

Info and tips

When grilling the chicken make sure that both sides are seasoned generously. I like to cut the chicken breasts in half to create thinner even pieces. Cook them on in an oiled pan a medium high heat to get a nice golden crust. I like to use olive oil but whatever oil you have on hand works fine. I also like adding a bit of the sun dried tomato oil when cooking the chicken and the garlic and shallots, it gives way more flavour!

Make sure to salt the water heavily when cooking the pasta. Save about a half cup of pasta water (you most likely won’t use all of it) to use in the sauce. Pasta water helps bind the sauce to the pasta, thickens the sauce, and adds tons of flavour. Strain the pasta when it is almost el dante. You want the rigatoni to have a thin white line in the center, then it will finish cooking in the sauce.

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts
• tsp garlic powder
• tsp onion powder
• tsp paprika
• tsp chili powder
• tsp oregano
• salt & pepper (to taste)
• 4 cups rigatoni
• 1 shallot
• 4 garlic
• pinch red pepper flakes
• 2-3 sundried tomato
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 handfuls spinach
• 2 small handfuls cherry tomatoes
• parmesan to taste
• parsley (for topping)

Instructions

1. Begin by slicing the chicken breasts in half to make four thin even pieces of chicken. Mix all the seasonings listed to make the seasoning blend. Rub some oil on the chicken before spreading the seasoning on both sides of the chicken breasts equally.
2. Fry on medium heat in a pan for a few minutes on each side until golden. Add a bit of the sun dried tomato oil while frying for more flavour.
3. Remove from the pan and cover. Set aside to rest.
4. Begin boiling the salted water in a pot and add the rigatoni. Cook until there is a thin line in the middle of the pasta when you bite into it. It will finish cooking in the sauce. Strain and make sure to save half a cup of pasta water.
5. While the pasta cooks start making the sauce. Begin by mincing the garlic and shallot, saute these for a few minutes in the same pan on used for the chicken on medium low with some more sundried tomato oil and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
6. Add the tomato paste and cook for a couple more minutes mixing with the garlic and shallot base.
7. Next add the cream and mix well. Bring to a low simmer. Add in halved cherry tomatoes and spinach. Cook for a few more minutes until the spinach and tomatoes have softened.
8. Turn off the heat and add in as much parmesan as desired, season with salt and pepper and any of the listed seasonings above to your taste preference (I add a bit of all of them).
9. Once sauce is to your preference, add the cooked pasta and fold in. Slice the rested chicken into strips and plate on top of the pasta. Top with more parm, parsley, and red pepper flakes. Serve and enjoy!

See below for a video tutorial!

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Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta

(2 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)

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Pastas

By Kenna's Cooks – Serves: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes – Cooking Time: 30 minutes – Total Time: 40 minutes

Tender rigatoni tossed in a creamy tomato tuscan sauce, topped with seasoned grilled chicken, fresh herbs, and parmesan.

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts
• tsp garlic powder
• tsp onion powder
• tsp paprika
• tsp chili powder
• tsp oregano
• salt & pepper (to taste)
• 4 cups rigatoni
• 1 shallot
• 4 garlic
• pinch red pepper flakes
• 2-3 sundried tomato
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 handfuls spinach
• 2 small handfuls cherry tomatoes
• parmesan to taste
• parsley (for topping)

Instructions

1

Begin by slicing the chicken breasts in half to make four thin even pieces of chicken. Mix all the seasonings listed to make the seasoning blend. Rub some oil on the chicken before spreading the seasoning on both sides of the chicken breasts equally.

2

Fry on medium heat in a pan for a few minutes on each side until golden. Add a bit of the sun dried tomato oil while frying for more flavour.

3

Remove from the pan and cover. Set aside to rest.

4

Begin boiling the salted water in a pot and add the rigatoni. Cook until there is a thin line in the middle of the pasta when you bite into it. It will finish cooking in the sauce. Strain and make sure to save half a cup of pasta water.

5

While the pasta cooks start making the sauce. Begin by mincing the garlic and shallot, saute these for a few minutes in the same pan on used for the chicken on medium low with some more sundried tomato oil and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

6

Add the tomato paste and cook for a couple more minutes mixing with the garlic and shallot base.

7

Next add the cream and mix well. Bring to a low simmer. Add in halved cherry tomatoes and spinach. Cook for a few more minutes until the spinach and tomatoes have softened.

8

Turn off the heat and add in as much parmesan as desired, season with salt and pepper and any of the listed seasonings above to your taste preference (I add a bit of all of them).

9

Once sauce is to your preference, add the cooked pasta and fold in. Slice the rested chicken into strips and plate on top of the pasta. Top with more parm, parsley, and red pepper flakes. Serve and enjoy!