Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta

This Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta has the most amazing, creamy sauce. It’s loaded with the flavors of the Mediterranean – sundried tomato, baby spinach, garlic, red pepper, and parmesan. Super quick and easy. A restaurant quality dish on the table in under 30 minutes.
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Ingredients

For the Pasta:

  • 1 pound penne or other pasta (454g)
  • 1 tablespoon butter (.5oz, 14g)

For the Chicken and Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
  • 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts (454g)
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 8.5 ounce jar (241g) sundried tomatoes in oil, drained (yields about 6oz, 170g)
  • 5 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning (or oregano)
  • ¾ cup chicken broth (6oz, 170g)
  • 1 ½ cup cream or half and half (12oz, 340g)
  • ¾ cup parmesan cheese (3oz, 85g)
  • 6 ounce bag of baby spinach leaves whole or roughly chopped (170g)
  • Red pepper flakes salt, and pepper to taste

Instructions

For the Pasta:

  • Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and toss with butter.

For the Chicken and Sauce:

  • Optional: For quicker, more even cooking, slightly flatten breasts with a kitchen mallet. If they are very thick, slice them in half horizontally before flattening. 
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Heat a skillet over high heat. When pan is hot, add 1 tablespoon oil.
  • When oil is hot, put chicken breasts in pan and cook until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. Remove chicken from pan.
  • Let chicken cool for a few minutes, then slice. Set aside.
  • Add remaining tablespoon oil to pan. Add onions and cook until softened.
  • Add red bell pepper and cook until almost softened.
  • Add the garlic, sundried tomatoes, and Italian seasoning. Stir, and cook for about 1 minute.
  • Deglaze pan with broth, scraping bottom to release any bits sticking to the bottom of the pan.
  • Add cream and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 2 minutes. Add parmesan and cook until melted.
  • When cheese is melted turn off the heat and stir in baby spinach.
  • Salt and pepper to taste.
  • Combine pasta, chicken, and sauce.
  • Serve.


This article and reciped adapted from this site