Description
Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta combines tender, seasoned chicken breast with a rich and flavorful sauce of sun dried tomatoes, garlic, and fresh basil, tossed with linguine and baby spinach. This one-pan dish delivers a hearty, restaurant-quality meal that’s quick to prepare and perfect for a comforting dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1x 250g/9oz Chicken Breast
- 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Oregano
- 1/4 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp Sun Dried Tomato Oil, from the jar (substitute olive oil)
Pasta
- 200g / 7oz Long-Cut Pasta (Linguine recommended)
- 1 tbsp Butter
Sauce
- 3 cloves Garlic, finely diced
- 1 tbsp Tomato Puree (Tomato Paste in US)
- 80ml / 1/3 cup Chicken Stock
- 160ml / 2/3 cup Double/Heavy Cream
- 90g / 3oz Sun Dried Tomatoes, finely diced
- 30g / 1oz Freshly grated Parmesan, plus more to serve
- 2 tbsp Finely diced Fresh Basil, plus more to serve (~1/2 bunch)
- 2 large handfuls Baby Spinach (~60g/2oz)
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Horizontally slice the chicken breast through the center to create two even-sized pieces. Season both sides evenly with smoked paprika, oregano, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat the sun dried tomato oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken breasts and fry for about 3 minutes on each side until lightly charred and just cooked through. Remove the chicken to a plate to rest and slice into thin strips just before use.
- Cook the Pasta: While the chicken is resting, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente. Do not drain the pasta water after cooking as some will be used later to adjust sauce consistency.
- Make the Sauce: Lower the heat to medium and melt the butter in the same pan used for the chicken. Add the finely diced garlic and fry for 10-20 seconds, taking care not to burn it. Stir in the tomato puree and cook for an additional minute. Next, add the chicken stock followed by the double cream, mixing well. Add diced sun dried tomatoes, fresh basil, and grated Parmesan cheese. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low.
- Wilt the Spinach: Stir in the baby spinach until it just begins to wilt, keeping in mind it will continue wilting after removal from heat.
- Toss Pasta and Chicken: Using tongs, transfer the cooked linguine directly from the pot to the pan with the sauce. Toss thoroughly to coat the pasta well. Add the sliced chicken along with any resting juices and continue tossing until the sauce thickens and clings to the pasta. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it.
- Final Seasoning and Serve: Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately with extra fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese as garnish if desired.
Notes
- Chicken Thickness: Slice chicken thinly to ensure quick cooking (around 3 minutes per side) and avoid toughness. It will continue cooking slightly during resting and when combined with pasta.
- Sauce Consistency: The sauce should be thick initially but will thin out as spinach wilts and pasta is added. Aim for a creamy, clingy sauce that is not watery.
- Chicken Stock: Use ready-made stock for convenience or dissolve half an Oxo cube in 80ml boiling water for an easy homemade alternative.
- Calories: The total calorie estimate is for the whole recipe and should be divided by two for per serving values.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (half recipe)
- Calories: 650 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 37 g
- Cholesterol: 125 mg
