Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta Recipes: 30 Dinners Worth Making

Of all my chicken pasta recipes, this one wins: golden-brown chicken and penne in velvety Parmesan cream, ready in 40 minutes. One skillet builds the whole sauce, so make it on busy weeknights or for a hungry crowd.

Resting the seasoned chicken lets the salt pull flavor deep inside, sweetheart. Then the Parmesan goes in over low heat, a handful at a time, so the sauce never turns grainy.

Ingredients You'll Need

Penne Pasta: These ridged tubes are the backbone of the whole skillet. Every hollow catches that velvety Parmesan cream, so no bite comes up dry. No penne? Rigatoni or ziti will hug the sauce just as lovingly.

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: Lean, tender chicken, cut into 1-inch pieces so they cook fast and evenly. Those little cubes sear golden-brown and sit nicely beside the penne on the fork. Boneless thighs work beautifully too, juicier and a touch richer.

Kosher Salt: Coarse flakes that are easy to pinch and hard to overdo. It seasons the chicken and the pasta water, and that's where real flavor begins. Use half as much fine sea salt if that's what's in your cupboard.

Black Pepper: Freshly ground, please, sweetheart. It brings a warm, gentle bite that cuts through all that cream. Pre-ground pepper will do in a pinch, but use a little less.

Dried Italian Seasoning: A fragrant blend of dried oregano, basil, thyme and friends. It speckles every piece of chicken and smells like Sunday dinner the second it hits the pan. Mix dried oregano and dried basil yourself if you don't have a jar.

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Golden-green and peppery, this is what gives the chicken its crust. It handles a hot skillet well and adds a fruity backbone to the sauce. Avocado oil is a fine stand-in for searing.

Garlic: Four cloves, finely minced, because I cook without apology. It turns sweet and fragrant in seconds and perfumes the whole sauce. In a pinch, use ½ teaspoon garlic powder, but fresh is worth the chopping.

Sun-Dried Tomatoes in Oil: Chewy, tangy little jewels, drained and chopped. They bring a deep, sweet-tart punch and gorgeous red flecks against the cream. Roasted red peppers make a milder but lovely swap.

Heavy Cream: Thick, rich and silky, this is the soul of the sauce. It simmers down into a glossy coat that clings to every tube. Half-and-half works, but simmer it gently so it doesn't split.

Parmesan Cheese: Finely grated, salty and nutty, it melts into pure velvet. It thickens the cream and adds that savory depth my husband waits for. Pecorino Romano is a sharper, saltier substitute, so taste before adding salt.

Baby Spinach: Tender little leaves that wilt in a minute or two. They add a fresh, earthy green that brightens all that richness. Chopped kale works too, but give it an extra minute to soften.

How to Make It (Step by Step)

Boil the penne, sear the seasoned chicken golden-brown, then build a velvety Parmesan cream right in the same skillet and toss everything together.

Even if you've never made a cream sauce before, sweetheart, you'll nail this one on your very first try.

1. Bring a big pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil, then cook the penne until just al dente with a little bite in the center, 10-11 minutes at 212°F / 100°C. Drain it well and let it steam while you cook the chicken.

2. Toss the 1-inch chicken pieces with kosher salt, black pepper and Italian seasoning in a bowl until every piece is speckled with herbs, then rest them 5-10 minutes at room temperature (70°F / 21°C). This is where the flavor starts, sweetheart.

3. Sear the chicken in hot olive oil in a large skillet until golden-brown on the outside and cooked to 165°F / 74°C inside, 6-8 minutes at medium-high heat (400°F / 200°C). Turn the pieces with tongs only once they release easily.

4. Stir the garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes in with the chicken until the kitchen smells sweet and fragrant, 30-60 seconds at medium heat (325°F / 165°C). Keep it moving so the garlic stays pale gold.

5. Pour in the heavy cream and simmer gently until it bubbles at the edges and thickens slightly, 3-4 minutes at low-medium heat (180°F / 82°C). Scrape up those browned bits from the pan. That's pure gold.

6. Sprinkle in the finely grated Parmesan a handful at a time and stir until the sauce turns smooth and velvety, 1-2 minutes at low heat (160°F / 71°C). Never let it boil now, or it'll get grainy.

7. Fold in the baby spinach until the leaves collapse and turn deep, glossy green, 1-2 minutes at low heat (160°F / 71°C). It looks like too much spinach. Trust me, it melts right down.

8. Add the drained penne to the skillet and toss until every tube is coated and glistening, 1-2 minutes at low heat (160°F / 71°C). Grab your tongs, serve it hot, and save the first scoop for whoever's waiting at the counter.

Leftovers keep three days in the fridge, reheated low with a splash of milk, and half-and-half stands in for cream. Chop the sun-dried tomatoes a day ahead, but never freeze this, sweetheart. Cream sauce splits.

Serving size: 1 portion · Calories: 905 · Total Fat: 42g · Saturated Fat: 20g · Carbs: 72g · Fiber: 4g · Sugar: 6g · Protein: 60g · Sodium: 1080mg

Tips and Tricks

• Equipment: Grab a large, heavy skillet and good tongs. A wide pan gives every chicken piece room to sear golden-brown. The heavy base holds heat when the cold chicken hits it. Tongs let you turn each piece gently without tearing that crust.

• Temperature precision: Drop the heat before the garlic goes in. Sear the chicken at medium-high, then ease down to medium for the garlic. Thirty seconds at that gentler heat keeps it pale gold and sweet. Leave the burner high and it scorches, turning the whole sauce bitter.
• Common mistake: Crowding the pan and flipping too soon. Pile in too much chicken and it steams pale instead of browning. Cook in two batches if your skillet is small, sweetheart. Then wait until each piece releases easily before you turn it.
• Flavour upgrade: Sear in a spoonful of the sun-dried tomato oil. Swap a little of the olive oil for oil from the tomato jar. It's already infused with sweet, tangy tomato and herbs. A pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic adds a gentle, fragrant warmth too.
• Texture tip: Toss the penne in the sauce, don't just spoon it over. Slightly firm penne finishes soaking up the cream right in the skillet. Keep tossing with tongs over low heat for a minute or two. You'll get glossy, velvety tubes with sauce clinging inside and out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this chicken pasta gluten-free or dairy-free without losing the creaminess?

Swap in 12 ounces of brown rice or chickpea penne, cooked a minute shy of the box time, sweetheart. For dairy-free, use 1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk and ¼ cup nutritional yeast in place of the Parmesan.

Can I cook the chicken and penne ahead for a faster weeknight dinner?

Yes, sweetheart: sear the chicken and boil the penne up to two days ahead, refrigerating them separately, or freeze the cooled chicken up to three months. When dinner calls, warm the chicken in the skillet over medium heat, build the cream sauce fresh, and toss in the penne.

Why did my cream sauce turn thin and watery after adding the spinach?

Spinach releases water as it wilts, sweetheart, so pat the leaves bone-dry first and let the sauce bubble gently at the edges a minute longer before the penne goes in. Look for it to coat the back of a spoon and hold a clean line when swiped.

What to Serve With This

• Lemony Arugula Salad: Peppery leaves in a sharp lemon vinaigrette cut right through that velvety Parmesan cream, sweetheart. Every bite feels fresh again.
• Charred Roasted Broccolini with Chili Flakes: Crispy, blistered tips and a little heat stand up to the soft, glossy penne. My husband steals these off the sheet pan.
• Marinated Cucumber and Red Onion Salad: Cool, crunchy and tangy with red wine vinegar, it wakes up your mouth between rich, creamy forkfuls.
• Garlicky Sautéed Green Beans with Lemon Zest: Snappy, bright-green beans add a clean bite against the tender golden-brown chicken. A squeeze of lemon makes them sing.