Creamy Chicken Tuscan Pasta

Step 1

Chicken: Whisk the Chicken seasonings together. Lightly drizzle the chicken breasts with olive oil, then rub the seasonings over both sides of the chicken. Let the chicken rest while you prep the rest of the ingredients.

Step 2

Pasta: Cook the pasta al dente according to the package directions in salted water. Remove 1 cup of pasta water before draining. Toss the pasta with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent it from sticking, then set aside.

Step 3

Cook Chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large braiser (3.5 Liter) or Dutch over medium-high heat until hot. Cook the chicken for 4 minutes or until nicely seared. Flip the chicken, cover, and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for approximately 3-5 more minutes (depending on the thickness of the chicken) or until the chicken is cooked to 160 degrees F. Transfer to a cutting board and rest for at least 5 minutes before chopping.

Step 4

Sauté Aromatics: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato oil over medium-low heat in the same skillet. Add sun-dried tomatoes and shallots and sauté 3-4 minutes, until shallots are tender, scraping up any brown bits left from the chicken. Add the garlic and red pepper and cook an additional 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the flour and cook while stirring for 1 minute (it will be thick).

Step 5

Add Sauce Ingredients: Reduce the heat to low, then slowly whisk in the chicken broth and half-and-half, stirring until smooth. Stir in chicken bouillon and spices, then increase the heat to medium-high to bring the sauce to a simmer. Add the tomatoes. Simmer until thickened, stirring often.

Step 6

Add Parmesan: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the Parmesan cheese a handful at a time until it is melted.

Step 7

Add Spinach: Stir in the spinach and cook over low until the spinach is wilted, about one minute.

Step 8

Add Chicken and Pasta: Stir in the chicken and pasta until well coated. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time, if needed, to reach the desired consistency. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste (we like freshly cracked salt). Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan if desired.