Description
This Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta combines tender, seasoned chicken breast with a luscious sauce made from sun dried tomatoes, garlic, tomato puree, chicken stock, double cream, parmesan, fresh basil, and baby spinach. Tossed with linguine pasta, it delivers a rich and flavorful dish perfect for a comforting dinner for two.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1x 250g/9oz Chicken Breast
- 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Oregano
- 1/4 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp Sun Dried Tomato Oil, from the jar (substitute with olive oil if unavailable)
Pasta and Sauce
- 200g / 7oz Long-Cut Pasta (Linguine preferred)
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 3 cloves Garlic, finely diced
- 1 tbsp Tomato Puree (Tomato Paste)
- 80ml / 1/3 cup Chicken Stock
- 160ml / 2/3 cup Double/Heavy Cream
- 90g / 3oz Sun Dried Tomatoes, finely diced
- 30g / 1oz freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
- 2 tbsp finely diced Fresh Basil, plus more to serve if desired (~1/2 bunch)
- 2 large handfuls of Baby Spinach (~60g/2oz)
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Horizontally slice the chicken breast through the center to create two even-sized breasts. Evenly coat each side with smoked paprika, oregano, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Cook the chicken: Heat the sun dried tomato oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken breasts and fry for 3 minutes on each side until lightly charred and just about cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside on a plate. Slice into thin strips just before adding to the pasta.
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of well-salted boiling water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Do not drain; reserve the pasta water.
- Start the sauce: Lower the pan heat to medium and melt the butter. Add the finely diced garlic and fry for 10-20 seconds, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Stir in the tomato puree and cook for about one minute.
- Add liquids and flavorings: Pour in the chicken stock and double cream, stirring to combine. Add the finely diced sun dried tomatoes, diced fresh basil, and grated parmesan. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer then lower the heat to keep warm.
- Wilt the spinach: Add the baby spinach to the pan with the sauce and stir until it just begins to wilt, remembering it will continue to soften once mixed with the pasta.
- Combine pasta and chicken: Using tongs, transfer the pasta directly from the cooking pot into the pan with the sauce. Toss well to coat the pasta. Add the sliced chicken with any resting juices and continue tossing until the sauce thickens and clings well to the pasta. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water to adjust consistency.
- Finish and serve: Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately topped with extra fresh basil and parmesan if desired.
Notes
- The chicken should be thinly sliced so it cooks quickly and stays tender. Aim for approximately 3 minutes per side, a maximum of 4 minutes if still thick.
- The sauce should be thick initially but will thin out when you add spinach and pasta. It should coat the pasta well without being watery.
- Use ready-made chicken stock or dissolve half an Oxo cube in 80ml boiling water for perfect stock quantity and flavor.
- The recipe yield is for 2 servings; nutritional values are for half the entire recipe.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
