Tuscan Chicken Pasta

This Tuscan chicken pasta is rich, creamy, and loaded with cozy Italian-inspired flavors. You get juicy, seasoned chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, spinach, garlic, and plenty of Parmesan, all tossed with pasta in a silky cream sauce. It tastes like something you'd order at a nice Italian restaurant, but it comes together in one pan and is surprisingly easy to make at home. If you've been craving a new chicken pasta recipe that feels special without being complicated, this one delivers every time.

Why You'll Love This Tuscan Chicken Pasta Recipe

I’d been searching for a new go-to pasta recipe for a while. I wanted something creamy and comforting, but with enough brightness and texture that it didn't feel like “just” a heavy cream sauce. When I saw this viral Tuscan chicken pasta recipe on TikTok that looked legit, I used it as a starting point and then put my own spin on it. I made the sauce a little richer and smoother, tweaked the seasoning, and layered in more vegetables and Parmesan to give it that restaurant-quality feel. After a few rounds of testing, this quickly became one of my favorite creamy chicken pastas to make on repeat.

What I love most about this recipe is how it hits the balance between indulgent and well-rounded. The chicken is cooked so it stays juicy and well-seasoned instead of bland. The sun-dried tomatoes add concentrated flavor and tang. The fresh cherry tomatoes burst into the sauce, and the spinach wilts into the cream sauce, giving you color and freshness in every bite. The Parmesan ties it all together into a sauce that tastes luxurious and savory without being overly heavy. It's a creamy Tuscan chicken pasta that looks and tastes impressive but simple and reliable enough to make on a weeknight when you just want a big bowl of comforting pasta.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Chicken:

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• Dash of olive oil

For the Pasta & Sauce:

• 3 cups cooked pasta (penne, rigatoni, or fettuccine work great)
• 2 tablespoon butter
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• ¾ cup reserved pasta water
• 2 cups spinach (or less, to taste)
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

How To Make Tuscan Chicken Pasta

Step 1: Season & Roast the Chicken

Season the chicken breasts with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper, then lightly drizzle with olive oil. Roast in a 425°F (220°C) oven for 12–15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Set aside to rest, then slice.

Step 2: Build the Flavor Base

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the diced onion. Cook until translucent, then add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.

Step 3: Add Tomatoes

Stir in the cherry tomatoes, tomato paste, and sun-dried tomatoes. Cook for about 2 minutes, until the tomatoes soften and release their juices.

Step 4: Make the Cream Sauce

Add Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir for 1 minute, then pour in the heavy cream and pasta water. Let the sauce simmer gently for about 2 minutes.

Step 5: Finish the Sauce

Remove the skillet from the heat and add the spinach and Parmesan cheese. Stir until the spinach wilts and the cheese melts into a smooth, creamy sauce.

Step 6: Combine Everything & Serve

Return the sliced chicken to the pan and let it simmer briefly in the sauce. Add the cooked pasta and toss until everything is evenly coated. Finish with extra grated Parmesan on top and serve warm.

Expert Tips To Make The Best Tuscan Chicken Pasta

• Roast the chicken so it stays juicy and hands-off. Instead of juggling a skillet full of chicken while you are trying to build the sauce, roast the seasoned chicken in the oven. Roasting at a moderate temperature keeps the chicken moist, gives it a nice, even cook, and frees you up to focus on the sauce and pasta. Once it is cooked, slice or cube it and stir it into the sauce at the end so it warms through without drying out.
• Salt your pasta water generously and save some of it. Always cook the pasta in well-salted water—it should taste like the sea. This seasons the pasta from the inside and makes the whole dish taste more complete. Before you drain the pasta, scoop out ½ to 1 cup of pasta cooking water. That starchy water is liquid gold. You can add a splash or two to the sauce at the end to thin it slightly and help it cling to the pasta, giving you that silky, restaurant-quality texture.
• Use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes for maximum flavor. Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes are softer, more flavorful, and blend into the sauce much better than the dry kind in bags. You can even use a tablespoon of the flavored oil from the jar to sauté your aromatics or to start the sauce, which adds extra richness and a deeper tomato flavor. If you only have dry sun-dried tomatoes, soak them in warm water or broth for a few minutes to soften before adding them.
• Layer your flavor in the sauce, not just at the end. Start the sauce by cooking garlic and sun-dried tomatoes in a bit of oil or butter until fragrant. Then add the cream, seasonings, and later the Parmesan and pasta water. This builds depth into the sauce instead of just adding everything at the end. Taste as you go, especially after the Parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes are added, since they bring salt and umami on their own.
• Do not overcook the spinach. Spinach cooks in seconds. Add it right at the end, once the sauce is off the heat or just barely simmering, and stir until it wilts. You want it to stay bright green and tender, not dark and mushy. Overcooking the spinach can dull both the color and the flavor.
• Grate your own Parmesan for best melt and flavor. Pre-shredded Parmesan often contains anti-caking agents that keep it from melting smoothly and can make sauces grainy. If you can, buy a wedge of Parmesan and grate it yourself. Freshly grated cheese melts into the cream sauce more evenly and has a richer, cleaner flavor, which makes a big difference in a recipe where Parmesan is one of the main flavor drivers.
• Season gradually and taste before adding extra salt. Sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, and even store-bought broth or bouillon (if you use it) all contain salt. Add a pinch of salt early on, then taste the sauce after the Parmesan and tomatoes are in before adding more. It is easy to oversalt creamy sauces if you season heavily up front. Adjust gradually so the final dish is well seasoned but not overly salty.
• Combine the pasta and sauce in the pan, not on the plate. For the best texture, add the drained pasta straight into the pan with the sauce and toss it together over low heat. This lets the pasta absorb some of the sauce and starches, which helps everything come together as one dish instead of feeling like pasta with sauce poured on top. Add splashes of pasta water as needed until the sauce is glossy and coats every piece.
• Let the pasta rest for a minute before serving. After tossing everything together, take the pan off the heat and let the pasta sit for a minute or two. This short rest gives the sauce a chance to thicken slightly and cling to the pasta even more. Give it one final toss, taste for seasoning, then serve with extra Parmesan cheese or cracked black pepper for more flavor.

Tuscan Chicken Pasta Variations You Can Try

• Tuscan Shrimp Pasta: Swap the chicken for sautéed shrimp for a seafood twist. Season 1 pound of shrimp with salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder, then sauté in olive oil until just pink and opaque. Remove the shrimp from the pan, make the Tuscan sauce as directed, and stir the shrimp back in right at the end so they stay juicy and tender.
• Mushroom Tuscan Pasta: For an extra savory version, add 8–12 ounces of sliced mushrooms (cremini or button mushrooms work great). Sauté the mushrooms with the onions and garlic until they release their liquid and start to brown, then continue with the recipe. The mushrooms add depth and a “meaty” texture that pairs perfectly with the creamy sauce and sun-dried tomatoes.
• Spicy Tuscan Chicken Pasta: If you like a little heat, add ½ to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or an extra teaspoon of smoked or hot paprika to the seasoning. You can add the red pepper flakes when you sauté the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes so the spice blooms in the oil, or sprinkle them over the finished dish for a more adjustable level of heat.
• Healthier Tuscan Pasta: To lighten the sauce a bit, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, or use a mix of 1 cup milk and 1 cup heavy cream instead of all cream. The sauce will still be creamy and flavorful from the Parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes, just a little less rich. Be careful not to boil the sauce too hard, since lighter dairy can split if cooked over high heat.
• Gluten-Free Tuscan Chicken Pasta: You can easily make this recipe gluten-free by using your favorite gluten-free pasta and checking that your sun-dried tomatoes, broth, and any seasonings are certified gluten-free. Cook the gluten-free pasta according to package directions (often slightly less time for al dente) and toss it gently in the sauce so it does not break apart.

Tuscan Chicken Pasta FAQs

My Final Thoughts

This creamy Tuscan chicken pasta is comforting and packed with bold Italian flavor. With tender chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and a rich Parmesan cream sauce, it’s the kind of dish that feels special but is easy enough to make anytime. Once you try it, it’ll be a regular in your dinner rotation. If you try it, leave me a comment and review below so I can hear how it turned out for you. 

Pasta Recipes To Try Next

• White bolognese
• Saffron pasta
• Ditalini pasta
• Chicken bacon ranch pasta
• Buffalo chicken mac and cheese