Tuscan Chicken Pasta
This easy Tuscan Chicken Pasta recipe includes seasoned, crusted chicken in a creamy tuscan sauce, served over your favorite kind of pasta.
Servings: 5
Calories: 485kcal
Cost: 6
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds chicken tenders (or halved chicken breasts)
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
For the Tuscan Sauce:
- 1 red bell pepper , chopped
- 1 Tablespoon garlic , minced
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves , roughly chopped
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon italian seasoning
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 lb dry pasta cooked, for serving
Instructions
- In a large bowl whisk together 3/4 cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, dried basil, oregano, and onion powder. Dip chicken into bowl and flip to coat completely.
- Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add chicken to the pan. Cook chicken for a few minutes on each side, flipping only once, until golden brown and just cooked through. Remove chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm.
For the Tuscan Sauce:
- While chicken is resting, prepare the sauce. Add a little more oil to the pan, if needed.
- Add bell pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add 2 tablespoons oil the pan. Add flour and whisk until smooth. Add chicken broth and whisk until smooth. Bring sauce to a simmer.
- Slowly whisk in cream and milk. Season sauce with garlic powder, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer until just slightly thickened. Stir in fresh spinach, parmesan cheese and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Serve chicken and sauce over hot cooked pasta. Garnish with extra fresh parmesan cheese and parsley, if desired.
Video
Notes
Make Ahead Instructions: The sauce could be made 1-2 days ahead of time, stored in the refrigerator. The chicken can be coated in flour mixture a few hours ahead of time.
Freezing Instructions: The sauce can be made and frozen before adding the milk and cream. I don't recommend freezing the cream sauce because the texture will be a little off.
Dairy Free: replace butter with oil. Replace milk and cream with a dairy free substitute, like soy, almond or coconut milk.
*Nutritional info does not include pasta.
Nutrition
Serving: 5g | Calories: 485kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 838mg | Potassium: 748mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2181IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 203mg | Iron: 2mg