Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless chicken breast fillets
• salt (to taste, for 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 seasoning the chicken; more oil is used for cooking)
• oil (more, for cooking the chicken)
• 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)
• 1 cup pasta water (reserved; add as needed if a thinner sauce is preferred)
• 1 cup spinach (for the sauce)
• 12 cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes (for the sauce)
• 8 oz rigatoni pasta (cook according to package instructions)
• Parmesan cheese (for garnish, freshly grated)
• 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 later use.

2. 2

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

3. 3

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

4. 4

   Cook the chicken on both sides for 12–15 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until fully cooked.

5. 5

   In another pan, heat the butter and 2 tablespoons 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 mushy and soft.

8. 8

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

9. 9

   Add the sun-dried tomatoes and mix them into the sauce base.

10. 10

    Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the heavy cream. Stir until everything is well combined.

11. 11

    Add the grated Parmesan cheese and stir until the sauce reaches the desired consistency. Add reserved pasta water if a thinner sauce is preferred.

12. 12

    Add the spinach and cook for 1 minute.

13. 13

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

14. 14

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

15. 15

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

Notes

The source says to cook the chicken until fully cooked but does not provide an internal temperature. The amount of additional oil for cooking the chicken is unspecified. Pasta water may be added according to the preferred sauce thickness.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pasta
• Italian-inspired
• creamy
• chicken
• stovetop
• family-friendly