Description
Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta is a rich and flavorful dish featuring tender, seasoned chicken breast cooked to perfection and tossed with linguine in a creamy sauce made from garlic, tomato puree, chicken stock, heavy cream, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, spinach, and parmesan cheese. This delightful meal brings together the classic flavors of Tuscan cuisine in a quick, stovetop recipe perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1x 250g/9oz Chicken Breast
- 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Oregano
- 1/4 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp Sun Dried Tomato Oil (from the jar, substitute olive oil)
Pasta & Sauce
- 200g / 7oz Long-Cut Pasta (Linguine recommended)
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 3 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
- 1 tbsp Tomato Puree (Tomato Paste in US)
- 80ml / 1/3 cup Chicken Stock
- 160ml / 2/3 cup Double/Heavy Cream
- 90g / 3oz Sun Dried Tomatoes, finely diced
- 30g / 1oz freshly grated Parmesan, plus more to serve if desired
- 2 tbsp finely diced Fresh Basil, plus more to serve if desired (~1/2 bunch)
- 2 large handfuls of Baby Spinach (~60g/2oz)
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Horizontally slice the chicken breast through the center to create two even-sized breasts, then evenly coat each side with smoked paprika, oregano, onion powder, salt, and black pepper for balanced seasoning.
- Cook the chicken: Heat sun dried tomato oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken breasts and fry for about 3 minutes on each side until they are lightly charred and almost cooked through. Remove from the pan and place on a plate to rest. Slice into thin strips just before using.
- Cook the pasta: In a separate pot, cook the linguine in well-salted boiling water until al dente according to package instructions. Do not drain the pasta water as it will be used later.
- Make the sauce base: Lower the pan heat to medium and melt the butter. Add finely diced garlic and fry for 10-20 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic. Stir in the tomato puree and cook for another minute to develop flavor.
- Build the creamy sauce: Add chicken stock and double cream to the pan, then stir in the finely diced sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, and grated parmesan. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and lower the heat to maintain it.
- Incorporate the spinach: Stir the baby spinach into the sauce just until it begins to wilt, recognizing it will continue to soften with residual heat.
- Combine pasta, chicken, and sauce: Using tongs, transfer the pasta straight from the boiling water into the pan with the sauce. Toss well to coat the pasta in the sauce thoroughly. Add the sliced chicken along with any resting juices and continue tossing until the sauce thickens and clings to the pasta. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it.
- Final seasoning and serving: Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper. Serve hot, garnished with extra fresh basil and parmesan cheese if desired for added freshness and flavor.
Notes
- Chicken thickness: Slice chicken thinly for quick cooking (about 3 minutes per side). The chicken continues to cook slightly while resting and when added back to the pasta.
- Sauce consistency: Start with a thick sauce that will thin naturally as the spinach wilts and as pasta is added. The final sauce should be rich and cling to the pasta, not watery.
- Chicken stock: Use ready-made stock or dissolve half an Oxo cube in 80ml boiling water for perfect flavor balance.
- Calories: The nutrition information is calculated for half the recipe, serving 1 portion out of 2 total.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (half the recipe)
- Calories: 680
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 120mg
