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This 30-minute Tuscan chicken pasta is easy to make and full of flavor! It has an amazing creamy sauce with a classic trio of sun-dried tomatoes, basil, and spinach.
Try my Creamy Tuscan Chicken or Marry Me Chicken Pasta next.
Why you’ll love it
This creamy Tuscan pasta recipe is so tasty, comes together fast, and isn’t complicated at all. In other words, my kinda pasta dish! It’s the ideal pasta recipe for busy weeknights, but it also happens to be very elegant and is guaranteed to impress your guests.
I can’t even begin to tell you how delicious the sauce is in this easy chicken pasta. I mean, who doesn’t love the classic Tuscan-inspired flavors of sun-dried tomatoes and basil? They’re even better in a rich garlic cream sauce! All of this in just 30 minutes? Yes please.
What you’ll need
- Pasta – I prefer a longer pasta like linguini, but any shape is great
- Chicken – we’re using chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
- Olive oil – for pan frying
- Garlic powder – along with salt & pepper, garlic powder infuses the chicken directly with flavor
- Italian seasoning – it’s a classic dried herb blend in a single jar
- Smoked paprika – my secret ingredient to amp up flavor
- Chicken broth – the base of the sauce
- Garlic cloves – more savory goodness
- Dijon mustard – don’t omit this! It gives a fantastic savory depth of flavor, and you can’t taste the mustard itself. It’s one of my favorite cooking hacks to make sauces incredible.
- Flour – to thicken the sauce
- Lemon juice – a burst of brightness and acidity to balance the flavors
- Sun-dried tomatoes – they’re a staple in Tuscan-inspired recipes
- Cream – use whipping/heavy cream to get that rich, luxurious texture
- Spinach and basil – hallmark fresh ingredients in Tuscan recipes
- Parmesan – pile on as much fresh parm as you like!
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- You don’t ever have to be in doubt about whether chicken is cooked with an inexpensive instant read meat thermometer.
- I store flour in one of these airtight pantry containers to keep it fresh.
- Mincing garlic is simple with a garlic press, and I always freshly grate parmesan with my Microplane zester.
How to make Tuscan chicken pasta
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Boil water and cook your pasta until al dente. In a skillet, add the chicken along with the garlic powder, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, and salt & pepper. Pan fry until golden, about four minutes. Transfer to a plate.
To the skillet add the chicken broth, garlic, Dijon mustard, flour, and lemon juice. Whisk until combined. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cream to the pan and simmer for two minutes.
Return the chicken to the skillet and finish cooking it. Add in the spinach and basil, and simmer until the spinach is wilted. Toss with the pasta, and serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese!
Pro tip
Feel free to sub the chicken broth with a good dry white wine like pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc that you enjoy drinking for a touch of elegance (not cooking wine).
Substitutions and variations
- If you’re not keen on sun-dried tomatoes, you could chop up a medium fresh tomato instead. Keep in mind that the sauce may end up a little thinner. You can reduce it for longer if necessary.
- I don’t recommend substituting the heavy cream for anything else. It really enhances the flavor and richness, and using something with a lower fat content could cause the sauce to curdle.
What to serve with Tuscan chicken pasta
- It’s fairly hearty, so I’d recommend breadsticks or a dinner roll. You could also make it extra special with Extra Cheesy Garlic Bread for the table.
- A side salad pairs well too. My Creamy Balsamic Dressing or Homemade Italian Dressing (Olive Garden style) are great options.
Leftovers and storage
- This pasta will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container. I wouldn’t freeze it since cream sauces generally don’t fare well in the freezer.
- Reheat in a covered saucepan over a low heat so that the sauce doesn’t separate.
- Boil fresh pasta if you can, and add in a splash of cream to revive it if needed.
I hope you will love this creamy sun-dried tomato pasta with chicken as much as I do! Please leave a star rating and review below. You can also tag me on Instagram.
Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked pasta
- 2 chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup chicken broth or dry white wine
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon flour
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1-2 cups baby spinach (loosely packed)
- Small handful fresh basil chopped finely
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese to taste
Instructions
- Boil a salted pot of water and cook pasta al dente according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, add the chicken pieces to a skillet, along with the olive oil. Sprinkle the chicken with the garlic powder, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, and salt & pepper. Give it a good stir and cook over medium-high heat for 4 minutes, until the outside of the chicken is no longer pink. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Add the chicken broth, garlic, Dijon mustard, flour, and lemon juice to the pan. Stir/whisk until well combined and let it bubble for a minute or so.
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cream to the pan. Let it simmer for 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken back into the pan. Cook for another few minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickned some more (be careful not to overcook).
- Stir in the basil and spinach. Let it cook for a minute or so until it wilts. Give the sauce a taste and season with extra salt & pepper if needed.
- Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce. Serve immediately with some freshly grated parmesan.
Notes
- I used the julienned sun-dried tomatoes that are packed in oil (I drain them prior to adding them to the sauce).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This recipe was originally published on February 24, 2017. It’s been tweaked to be even easier, tastier, and has new photos!
I thought it was delicious. I did more pasta and not quite doubled the sauce to have more. 👍🏼
Wonderful!
Love this, i’m not a big measurer so I put the amount that I like, also I added artichoke hearts, I just like them, it came sooo good. Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
I’m thrilled you liked it, Debbie!! 😀 I am not too big into measuring either lol.
Can this be frozen? I need a chicken pasta dish to cook ahead of time for 16 people. We have a 10 hour plus drive to make. Should the chicken and pasta be kept separate until time to serve? Any suggestions will be appreciated.
Hi! I wouldn’t freeze it. Please see the “leftovers & storage” section of the post. Yes, I would definitely boil up fresh pasta with pretty much any hot pasta dish if at all possible. I’m a bit worried about taking this on a 10 hour drive. I would ensure you can store it at a safe (cold) temperature. Creamy sauces also don’t always reheat so well… I would definitely do a test run of reheating it to ensure you nail the heat/timing so the sauce doesn’t separate and the chicken doesn’t dry out. The spinach and basil can really wilt and not look as pretty as freshly made. Just a suggestion – perhaps consider making a different pasta dish for this occasion? My baked ziti has some make-ahead tips in the blog post: https://bit.ly/41nlOIL – I think as long as you’re able to keep it sufficiently cool on the drive, you may have better luck with this one. You could make it in two 9×13 pans and that should feed everyone as long as there’s some side dishes.
Hi Natasha!
If I don’t have Dijon can I use regular mustard or just skip the mustard?
Thank you 😊
Hi! I’d probably skip it in this case. Hope you enjoy the recipe! 🙂
This is actually my second time making this recipe I use wine instead of the chicken broth, And make the recipe as written other than I add more grated Parmesan cheese to the sauce mixture before adding the chicken back to the pan we love it extra cheesy and it is delicious!!
I’m so happy it’s a new favorite, Terry! 😀
I was craving a fresh pasta with a creamy sauce that wasn’t too heavy. I made this tonight for my husband and myself and we really enjoyed it. The sauce wasn’t too thick but was just creamy enough. It was also very easy to make and didn’t take long. Would be a good weeknight meal if you’re pressed for time. The only substitution I made was I added smoked Sun-dried tomatoes because that’s what my instacart driver got. It added a nice flavor to the sauce combined with the smoked paprika on the chicken.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Loved it. I used leftover chicken breast. Was very good.
I’m thrilled to hear that, Diane!
I’ve just been put on a low sodium diet. Any ideas how I can cut down on sodium. I’ve made this recipe twice in the past and loved it. I desperately need a way to decrease sodium. Maybe using the wine vs broth and I use Dash vs salt. I know park is high in sodium but I think it’s a must for this recipe! It’s sooo good!!!
Hi! Yes, I would use either wine or low-sodium broth and either don’t add extra salt or use a sub like Dash.
Instead of chicken breasts I cut up chicken tenders. It’s a small time saver and the pieces are more uniform. Great recipe!
Fabulous!!
Wow, this recipe was so decadent and flavorful! The dijon and lemon really make this sauce pop. I will definitely be making again! It’s early in the morning and I’m already feeling excited to have the leftovers for lunch haha.
I did add some caramelized onions and mushrooms, and increased the sauce amount a bit so there was enough to cover the add ins.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it!! 🙂 Thanks for letting me know!!