If you're looking for an easy weeknight dinner that tastes like it came from your favorite Italian restaurant, this Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta is exactly what you need.
Tender bites of chicken, sweet sun-dried tomatoes, bow tie pasta, and a rich Parmesan cream sauce come together in about 30 minutes for a comforting meal the whole family will love.
The best part? This recipe uses simple pantry ingredients but delivers restaurant-quality flavor. Whether you're feeding a hungry family or meal prepping lunches for the week, this pasta recipe is guaranteed to become a regular on your dinner menu.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ready in about 30 minutes
- Rich, creamy homemade Parmesan sauce
- Family-friendly comfort food
- Great way to use leftover cooked chicken
- Easy enough for busy weeknights
- Makes delicious leftovers
What Is Tuscan Chicken Pasta?
Tuscan Chicken Pasta is inspired by the creamy chicken dishes commonly served at Italian-American restaurants. While it isn't a traditional Italian recipe, it's filled with flavors often associated with Tuscany—garlic, Parmesan cheese, cream, and sun-dried tomatoes.
This version skips heavy cream and instead creates a silky sauce using cream cheese, milk, butter, and freshly shredded Parmesan.
Ingredients You'll Need
- 1 (16-ounce) box bow tie pasta
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes with Italian seasonings, chopped if needed
- 2 cups milk
- 2 cups freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
How to Make Tuscan Chicken Pasta
To make this dish, I roasted off two chicken breasts earlier in the day. I season 2 whole boneless skinless chicken breasts with Salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
I sear them in an iron skillet on both sides and then put in a 350 degreee oven for about 15 minutes — or until juices run clear and the themometer reads 160.
Then I make the sauce, cook the noodles, and put everything together in my big skillet for the perfect comfort food meal. It's quick and easy.
The added sun dried tomatoes really kicks the flavor of this pasta dish up about 10 notches. It is superb! This one is a definite 5 star dish according to my family.
This Tuscan Chicken Pasta dish is definitely one of those meals you want to make when you need something quick and comforting.
Tips for the Best Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Freshly shredded Parmesan melts much smoother than pre-shredded cheese.
- Cook the garlic just until fragrant so it doesn't burn.
- Save a little pasta water to loosen the sauce if necessary.
- Leftover rotisserie chicken works perfectly in this recipe.
- Don't boil the sauce after adding the cheese, or it may become grainy.
Recipe Variations
Add Spinach
Stir in 2 cups of fresh baby spinach during the last few minutes of cooking.
Add Mushrooms
Sauté sliced mushrooms with the garlic before making the sauce.
Make It Spicy
Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes for a little heat.
Use Different Pasta
This sauce also tastes wonderful with:
- Penne
- Rotini
- Rigatoni
- Fettuccine
What to Serve with Tuscan Chicken Pasta
This rich pasta pairs beautifully with:
- Garlic bread
- Homemade breadsticks
- Caesar salad
- Roasted broccoli
- Steamed asparagus
- Italian green beans
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of milk to bring the creamy sauce back to life.
You can also microwave individual servings in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes! Prepare the recipe and refrigerate. Reheat with a little extra milk before serving.
Can I freeze it?
Cream-based sauces can separate after freezing, so this recipe is best enjoyed fresh or refrigerated for several days.
Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Absolutely! It's one of the easiest ways to make this recipe even faster.
Can I use heavy cream instead of milk?
Yes. Heavy cream will make the sauce even richer, but milk creates a creamy sauce without being overly heavy.
Check out these other quick pasta meals
Tuscan Chicken Pasta
This recipe for Tuscan Chicken Pasta is super quick and easy to make. If you want dinner on the table in 20 minutes or less -- this is it!
Ingredients
- 1 16 ounce box of bow tie pasta
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- 1/4 cup Sun Dried Tomatoes with Italian Seasonings
- 2 Cups milk
- 2 Cups Shredded Parmesan Cheese (I prefer Fresh)
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 each boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
Instructions
- Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Sear on both sides in cast iron skillet and then place in the oven at 350 degrees and bake for about 15 minutes or until juices run clear and temp reaches 160 degrees. Remove from oven and let rest.
- In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring the whole time to make sure it does not stick and burn.
- Add the cream cheese, stirring with a whisk until the mixture is smooth. Don't worry if it looks weird at first. It might look curdled, but just continue to whisk and it will come together and get super creamy.
- Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes. Keep cooking over medium heat and add the milk and whisk quickly and constantly until it is blended into the sauce. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, pepper and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the cheese is melted and the sauce is the desired consistency, 5-10 minutes.
- While sauce is coming together, boil your noodles according to package directions and cube up your cooked chicken breasts. Set those aside.
- Add the chicken into the sauce and mix together (or you can leave the chicken out altogether). Serve over top of bow tie pasta and top with extra shredded Parmesan Cheese.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 484Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 99mgSodium: 842mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 32g
Taylor Kiser
Monday 3rd of September 2018
Love how quick and easy this is to make! It's perfect for a busy weeknight dinner!
Krissy Allori
Monday 3rd of September 2018
Creamy Tuscan goodness. Love me a good chicken and pasta recipe!
Dan Zehr
Monday 3rd of September 2018
What a great idea! Love this. I'm sure this is incredibly delicious! Wonderful combination of ingredients. yessss! This is the perfect recipe for me.
Ann
Monday 3rd of September 2018
You had me at quick and comforting! This is my favorite kind of meal. I also love throwing sun dried tomatoes in wherever I can :)
Jodi
Wednesday 13th of June 2018
That looks truly delicious! I love Sun-Dried Tomatoes. I'd love to add this to my recipe list to make for the family, it would be a huge hit!