Tuscan Chicken Pasta is a creamy pasta dish full of garlic, tomatoes, spinach, bacon, and Parmesan cheese. It’s a restaurant quality meal that’s easy to make at home.
It can be on the table in about 30 minutes. Tuscan Chicken Pasta is full of Mediterranean flavors which are some of my favorites. Even though it’s a cream-based sauce, not a tomato sauce, there’s both diced tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes for extra flavor.
How To Make Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Be sure to save some of the cooking liquid when you drain it.
- Cook the bacon. While the water for the pasta comes to a boil, cook the bacon in a large nonstick skillet. Set the bacon aside, leaving 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the skillet.
- Cook the chicken. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning and cook it in the bacon grease until cooked through. Let cool 10 minutes and then slice it.
- Make the sauce. Cook the garlic, diced tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes for a few minutes. Then add the heavy cream and resevred pasta liquid and simmer. Add the parmesan, spianch, and crushed red pepper flakes.
- Check for seasoning and mix in the pasta, chicken, and bacon.
Is This Dish Spicy?
Half a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes adds a moderate amount of heat. Adjust the amount up or down for more or less spice.
Recipe Tips
Shrimp or scallops can be used instead of chicken.
Leftovers can be refrigerated for 3 to 4 days and reheated in the microwave.
For a Low Carb Version of Tuscan Chicken, try this Low Carb Creamy Tuscan Chicken.
Try These Other Amazing Pasta Recipes
- Creamy Rotel Pasta with Sausage
- Mardi Gras Pasta
- Instant Pot Creamy Cajun Pasta
- Spicy Shrimp and Tomato Cream Pasta
- Creamy Angel Hair Pasta with Bacon and Shrimp
Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 ounces angel hair pasta
- 6 slices bacon,, chopped
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 4 garlic cloves,, minced
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes,, not in oil
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 cups baby spinach
Instructions
- Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
- Cook bacon until crispy in a large nonstick skillet. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of bacon grease. Heat over medium-high heat.Season chicken with salt and pepper and Italian seasoning.
- Cook chicken in bacon grease for about 5 minutes per side, or until no longer pink in the middle. Transfer to a cutting board. Let rest 10 minutes and then slice.
- To the grease in the skillet, add the garlic, diced tomatoes, and sun-dried tomatoes. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Stir in heavy cream and reserved pasta liquid.
- Simmer for a few minutes and then stir in Parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper flakes, and spinach. Cook until spinach is wilted.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.Mix in pasta. Add sliced chicken and bacon.Serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
this was delicious and I will make it again
CRACK PASTA!!!
I made this recipe just as it listed. I couldn’t stop eating it! Love it. Will make it again and again.
It is hard to stop eating this pasta. I totally agree!
A girlfriend and I were discussing this recipe and called it an “Olive Garden dish.” That’s exactly what it seemed to be, a very tasty dish you’d order at Olive Garden. I’m taking the leftovers for my work lunch this week. Easy and delicious.