Creamy One Pan Tuscan Chicken (Printable)

Flavorful chicken pasta with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach in a creamy sauce, made in just one pan.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
02 - 1 tsp Italian seasoning
03 - 1/2 tsp salt
04 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
05 - 1 tbsp olive oil

→ Pasta & Vegetables

06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
08 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
09 - 8 oz penne or rigatoni, uncooked
10 - 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Sauce

11 - 1 cup heavy cream
12 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

# Directions:

01 - Season the chicken strips with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
02 - In a large, deep skillet or sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until golden brown and mostly cooked through (about 4–5 minutes). Transfer to a plate.
03 - In the same pan, add garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add uncooked pasta and chicken broth. Stir, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
05 - Return the chicken and any juices to the pan. Cover and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed.
06 - Lower the heat. Stir in heavy cream, spinach, Parmesan, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until the sauce thickens and spinach wilts. Adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Serve hot, garnishing with extra Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one skillet so cleanup is incredibly fast.
  • The sauce clings to the pasta in a way that feels restaurant quality but takes minutes.
02 -
  • Do not rinse the pasta starches down the drain as they help thicken the sauce.
  • Keep an eye on the pan during the simmer to ensure the broth does not evaporate too quickly.
03 -
  • Use half-and-half if you want a lighter sauce that still tastes rich.
  • Substitute gluten-free pasta but adjust the liquid as it cooks differently.

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