Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta

🧂 Ingredients

• 10 oz pasta

  5 cups rigatoni; or other pasta shapes – fusilli, penne, bow-ties, etc.
• 16 oz chicken breasts

  2 large; skinless boneless
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano

  or Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• parsley

  to garnish
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes

  or baby plum tomatoes, grape tomatoes, or other baby tomatoes
• 1.4 oz sun dried tomatoes

  1/3 cup
• 1.5 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1.5 cups milk
• 1.5 cups heavy cream (double cream)
• 1 cup parmesan cheese

  grated
• 1 cup spinach

  fresh; OR kale
• 1/2 cup shallots

  finely chopped; OR onions
• 2 cloves garlic

  small
• 1.5 Tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 Tbsp butter

  unsalted

Instructions

• 1 Start by rehydrating the dried tomatoes in hot water, setting them aside to soak
  while you prepare the chicken and pasta. Alternatively, boil them for 3-4
  minutes and leave to soak until they’re needed.
• 2 Combine all the spices in a small bowl.
• 3 Pan-fried chicken:  Cut the chicken into strips or bite-sized pieces, then
  season with the spices and sauté in a skillet over medium heat for 8-10 minutes,
  stirring occasionally. Then, remove it from the pan and set aside.
  
  Oven-baked chicken: Rub the chicken breasts with the oil and massage in the
  spices, then bake them in a preheated oven at 350ºF/175ºC for 10-15 minutes,
  depending on their size. Leave it to rest, tented under foil.
  
  To ensure the chicken is properly cooked, use a meat thermometer in the thickest
  part of the breast. It needs to read 165ºF/74ºC. If you don't have a
  thermometer, ensure that the juices run clear when you pierce the thickest part
  of the breast with a fork or a knife.
• 4 As the chicken cooks, prepare the rigatoni according to its package instructions
  – usually adding it to a pot of boiling salted water and cooking until al dente
  (about 12-14 minutes).
• 5 Finely dice the rehydrated tomatoes and onion/shallot, halve the cherry
  tomatoes, and mince the garlic.
• 6 Heat the large skillet over medium heat with the butter and olive oil. Once hot,
  add the shallots and sauté until soft (about 3-5 minutes).
• 7 Add the garlic and sauté for a minute before stirring in all the tomatoes
  (rehydrated, cherry, and tomato paste) and adding the milk and cream. Stir well
  to combine.
• 8 At this point, taste the sauce and add any extra salt, if preferred.
• 9 If you baked the chicken, slice it now.
• 10 Add the chicken, along with the cooked pasta and grated parmesan, to the skillet
  and stir well. Then add the spinach, stir, and let it wilt for 1-2 minutes over
  low heat.
• 11 Serve the Tuscan chicken pasta garnished with extra parmesan cheese and some
  fresh parsley – enjoy!

Nutrition Info