Description
Indulge in this restaurant-quality Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta, a comforting dish that brings the warmth of a rustic Italian kitchen to your home. Featuring tender, golden-seared chicken thighs, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh baby spinach in a velvety garlic-parmesan cream sauce, this one-pan masterpiece is the perfect balance of sophisticated flavor and weeknight convenience.
Ingredients
1 lb Rigatoni pasta
6–8 cups Water
2 Tbsp Unsalted butter
2 lbs Boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cubed
1/2 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Ground black pepper
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
2 tsp Crushed red pepper flakes
2 cloves Garlic, minced
3 cups Fresh baby spinach
2 cups Sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained and halved
1 pinch Ground nutmeg
3 cups Heavy cream
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rigatoni according to package instructions until al dente.
While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Season the cubed chicken with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning, then sear in the skillet until golden and cooked through.
Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the skillet, sautéing for about 1 minute until fragrant.
Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and heavy cream, bringing the mixture to a gentle simmer.
Add a pinch of nutmeg and the grated Parmesan cheese, stirring until the sauce thickens slightly.
Fold in the fresh baby spinach and cook until just wilted.
Drain the pasta and toss it directly into the skillet with the sauce until well coated.
Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
For a lighter version, you can substitute half of the heavy cream with chicken stock or half-and-half. Ensure the sun-dried tomatoes are thoroughly drained of oil to keep the sauce from becoming too greasy.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 680
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 165mg