We’ve incorporated Tuscan flavors into countless of our weeknight dinners, including one of our most popular recipes of all time: creamy Tuscan chicken. We turn to this recipe so often, we decided to transform it into a pasta dinner to shake up your dinner rotation. We tossed crispy bacon, spinach, chicken breasts, and spaghetti in our creamy Tuscan-inspired sauce for a hearty chicken pasta dinner that’s just as perfect for date night as it is for a simple and quick weeknight dinner. Ready to upgrade your weeknights? Keep reading on to learn how to ace this weeknight favorite:
Tuscan chicken pasta variations:
We think this pasta is perfect as is, but there are plenty of ways to shake it up based on what you have on hand. This pasta is all about simplicity, so make it easy on yourself. Here are a few of our favorite ways to switch up this recipe:
— The noodles. We prefer spaghetti for this dish, but you can also use angel hair instead if you prefer.
— The chicken. You can use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts if you prefer, or if you’re not feeling chicken, feel free to omit it! You can leave out the bacon if you want a fully vegetarian dish, but you’ll miss out on a lot of the key flavors.
— The spinach. Not a spinach fan? Leave it out, or replace it with another favorite veggie.
— The tomatoes. We use halved cherry tomatoes in this recipe, but if you prefer, you can use sun-dried tomatoes instead (just like we do in our creamy Tuscan chicken soup).
Ingredients
- 12 oz.spaghetti
- 1 Tbsp.extra-virgin olive oil
- 3boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 pounds)
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 6slices bacon
- 2cloves garlic
- 2 c.cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 c.heavy cream
- 1/3 c.freshly grated Parmesan
- 3 c.packed baby spinach
- Freshly torn basil, for garnish
Directions
-
- Step 1Preheat oven to 350°, rack in the middle position.
- Step 2In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water.
- Step 3Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook until golden on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Remove to a metal baking sheet.
- Step 4Transfer to oven and roast until cooked through, 5-10 minutes more. Let rest 10 minutes, then thinly slice.
- Step 5Meanwhile, in same skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy, 8 minutes. Drain on a paper towel–lined plate, then chop.
- Step 6Add garlic and tomatoes to skillet and cook over medium heat until fragrant and slightly wilted, 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then add heavy cream, Parmesan, and 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water. Simmer until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted, 1 minute more.
- Step 7Add cooked pasta and toss until fully coated, then add chicken and bacon and toss until combined. (For a looser sauce, stir in more reserved pasta water.)
- Step 8Garnish with basil before serving.