One Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta
This Tuscan chicken pasta is a creamy, one-pan pasta with chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and parmesan. It’s simple enough for a busy weeknight and so good that you’ll want to make it on repeat. Everything cooks in a single pot, from searing the chicken to simmering the pasta right in the broth, which means big flavor with minimal cleanup.
What makes this dish stand out is how the pasta cooks directly in the broth alongside the other ingredients, soaking up flavor the entire time rather than being boiled separately and added at the end. The sun-dried tomatoes bring a concentrated sweetness, the spinach adds color and freshness, and the cream ties it all together into a rich, comforting sauce. Below you’ll find the full step-by-step process, along with tips for getting it right every time.
Ingredients (Serves 4-6)
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 12 oz penne pasta
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- Fresh basil, for garnish
- Salt and pepper to taste
Step-by-Step Instructions
Sear the Chicken
Season sliced chicken breast generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large pot or deep skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken and set it aside — it will go back in later, so don’t worry about it finishing perfectly at this stage.
Sauté the Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
In the same pot, add the minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes, scraping up any browned bits left behind from searing the chicken. Sauté for about a minute until fragrant — this step builds a ton of flavor into the base of the dish, so don’t skip scraping up those flavorful browned bits.
Add the Broth and Pasta
Pour in the chicken broth and bring it to a simmer, then stir in the uncooked penne directly into the pot. Cover and let it cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid, about 12-15 minutes. Cooking the pasta right in the broth is what makes this a true one-pot meal, and it also means the pasta soaks up extra flavor as it cooks.
Stir in the Cream and Spinach
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream and grated parmesan until the sauce turns smooth and creamy. Add the fresh spinach a handful at a time, stirring until it wilts into the sauce. Return the seared chicken to the pot along with any juices, and stir to combine everything evenly.
Finish and Serve
Give everything one final toss to make sure the chicken, pasta, and sauce are well combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed, then top with fresh basil and an extra sprinkle of parmesan before serving straight from the pot.
Tips for the Best One Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Since the pasta cooks directly in the broth for this recipe, it’s worth stirring occasionally as it simmers to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot. If the liquid reduces too quickly before the pasta is fully tender, simply add a splash more broth or water and continue cooking until it’s done.
Searing the chicken well before it goes back into the sauce makes a real difference in the finished dish. Those browned bits left in the pot after searing carry a lot of flavor, and scraping them up when you add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes builds a deeper, more savory base for the entire sauce.
Finally, add the spinach gradually rather than all at once. Fresh spinach wilts down significantly, so adding it in batches and stirring between additions makes it much easier to fully incorporate without overcrowding the pot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different pasta shape?
Yes — rotini, farfalle, or rigatoni all work well in place of penne. Just keep an eye on the cooking time since some shapes may need a few extra minutes to become tender.
Can I make this dish ahead of time?
This dish is best served fresh, since the pasta continues to absorb sauce as it sits. If you do have leftovers, store them in the fridge and add a splash of broth or cream when reheating to loosen the sauce back up.
Can I use milk instead of heavy cream?
Heavy cream gives the sauce its rich, velvety texture, but half-and-half can work as a lighter substitute. Regular milk will result in a noticeably thinner sauce.
What can I substitute for sun-dried tomatoes?
If you don’t have sun-dried tomatoes on hand, halved cherry tomatoes can work, though you’ll lose some of that concentrated, tangy-sweet flavor that makes this dish distinct.
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