Tuscan Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

Succulent chicken breasts cooked in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce with spinach, served over al dente fettuccine, accompanied by garlic bread and a crisp green salad.

• Prep: 20 min
• Cook: 30 min
• Total: 50 min
• Servings: 5.5
• Cuisine: Italian
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost: $4.97/serving

Dietary

• Nut-Free
• Soy-Free
• Egg-Free
• High-Protein

Tags

• comfort food

Ingredients

• 1 pound fettuccine pasta
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1.5 pound chicken breast (boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt
• 0.25 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
• 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil, drained and chopped)
• 3 clove garlic (minced)
• 0.5 cup chicken broth
• 1.5 cup heavy cream
• 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
• 5 ounce fresh spinach
• 0.25 cup fresh basil (chopped)
• 1 garlic bread
• 1 package mixed green salad
• 3 tablespoon balsamic vinaigrette dressing

Instructions

1. Cook the 1 pound fettuccine pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
2. While pasta cooks, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts with 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Add chicken to the skillet and cook until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
3. Add 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes and 3 cloves garlic to the same skillet and sauté for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
4. Pour in 1/2 cup chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in 1 1/2 cups heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, allowing sauce to slightly thicken.
5. Stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth. Add the 5 ounces fresh spinach and cook until wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Return the cooked chicken to the skillet.
6. Add the cooked fettuccine pasta to the sauce, tossing to combine. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water. Stir in 1/4 cup fresh basil.
7. Meanwhile, prepare 1 loaf garlic bread according to package instructions. In a medium bowl, toss 1 bag mixed green salad with 3 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
8. Serve the Tuscan Chicken Pasta immediately, garnished with additional Parmesan cheese if desired, alongside the garlic bread and green salad.

Notes

For a lighter sauce, you can use half-and-half instead of heavy cream. You can also add other vegetables like sliced mushrooms or bell peppers along with the spinach.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 905
• Protein: 50.8 g
• Carbohydrates: 65.5 g
• Fat: 46.7 g
• Fiber: 5.2 g
• Sodium: 910 mg
• Saturated Fat: 25.1 g
• Sugar: 6.8 g
• Cholesterol: 205 mg