Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless chicken breast fillets
• salt (to taste, for seasoning the chicken)
• 1 tsp smoked paprika powder (for the chicken)
• 1 tbsp garlic powder (for the chicken)
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning (for the chicken)
• 1 tsp black pepper (for the chicken)
• 2 tbsp oil (for marinating the chicken; additional oil is used for cooking)
• 2 cup unsweetened heavy whipping cream (for the sauce)
• 1 tbsp butter (for the sauce)
• 2 tbsp oil (for the sauce)
• 1 shallot or small onion (thinly diced)
• 8 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
• 0.5 red bell pepper (diced)
• salt (to taste, for the sauce)
• 1 tsp smoked paprika powder (for the sauce)
• 1 tsp garlic powder (for the sauce)
• 1 tsp black pepper (for the sauce)
• 0.5 tsp Italian seasoning (for the sauce)
• 1 tsp red chili flakes (for the sauce)
• 0.5 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (for the sauce)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste (for the sauce)
• 0.5 cup red bell pepper (diced)
• 1 cup pasta water (reserved; add as needed to thin the sauce)
• 1 cup spinach
• 12 cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes
• 8 oz rigatoni pasta
• Parmesan cheese (freshly grated, for garnish)
• 1 tbsp parsley (freshly chopped, for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Cook the rigatoni according to the package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water for the sauce, then drain the pasta.

2. 2

   Place the chicken fillets in a bowl. Add salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, and the 2 tablespoons of oil. Mix until the chicken is evenly coated.

3. 3

   Heat some additional oil in a pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the chicken.

4. 4

   Cook the chicken on both sides for 12–15 minutes, flipping it during cooking, until fully cooked.

5. 5

   In another pan, heat the butter and 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat.

6. 6

   Once the butter has melted, add the diced shallot or onion and chopped garlic. Sauté for 1 minute, or until fragrant.

7. 7

   Add the halved cherry tomatoes and cook for 1–2 minutes, until softened.

8. 8

   Add the tomato paste, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, and red chili flakes. Mix to combine the seasonings with the tomato mixture.

9. 9

   Add the diced red bell pepper and sun-dried tomatoes, and mix them into the pan.

10. 10

    Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the heavy cream. Mix until all the sauce ingredients are well combined.

11. 11

    Add the grated Parmesan cheese and mix until the sauce reaches the desired consistency. Add some of the reserved pasta water if you prefer a thinner sauce.

12. 12

    Add the spinach and cook for 1 minute.

13. 13

    Add the boiled rigatoni to the sauce and stir to coat the pasta.

14. 14

    Cut the cooked chicken into pieces and add it to the pasta. Mix well.

15. 15

    Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. Serve warm.

Notes

The source does not specify the exact amount of additional oil used to cook the chicken, or the final amount of garnish Parmesan. Add reserved pasta water according to the desired sauce thickness. Chicken should be fully cooked before cutting and adding to the pasta.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pasta
• Italian-inspired
• chicken
• creamy
• stovetop
• comfort food