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This simple one pot Spicy Tuscan Chicken Pasta is the perfect winter dinner. Quick, easy, hearty, and so delicious! Pan-seared Italian seasoned chicken in a creamy Italian chili sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. Cooked together with rigatoni pasta for a quick dinner made in one pot. Truly one of those all-in-one dinners that everyone at the table will love. Elegant enough for a special holiday dinner yet equally great to make at the end of a busy day. You can’t go wrong with this chicken pasta recipe.
Growing up, Valentine’s Day was definitely more of a holiday celebrated at school than at home. In our house, a house full of boys, no one cared much for Valentine’s Day. Even my mom, who you’d think might have some interest, does not care for the holiday. My dad refers to it as a “Hallmark Holiday“.
But there was one person in my life who always made Valentine’s Day special, my Nonnie. No matter where she was, Florida or Cleveland, she’d send us a small gift for V-Day every year. She always made it special and fun.
I can’t say that Valentine’s Day is my favorite day of the year, but I honestly find the holiday of love to be very sweet. I love any excuse to bake chocolate and make a yummy dinner that feels super special.
On Friday, I shared what I’ll be making for my Valentine’s Day dessert. With today’s pasta dish we now have a full Valentine’s Day meal (I do have another fun dessert coming tomorrow too!)
And if where you live is as booked up for dinner reservations as it is here in New York, you’re going to want to stay in and cook!! And this creamy chicken pasta, which also happens to be super easy, is just perfect.
Here are details
I mentioned last week sometime that I’ve really been enjoying cooking with Italian jarred Calabrian chili paste. I’m finding it so delicious and a great way to add a small amount of spice and flavor to my Italian-inspired dishes.
I wanted to make a red pasta for Valentine’s Day that was not tomato based. It’s funny, this is actually a request I get often. Apparently, not everyone enjoys a tomato heavy pasta.
You’ll want to start with sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil. Yes, these are tomatoes, but they’re stirred, and so different than fresh or canned. I love them so much. Drain the oil and save that for cooking. Then chop the tomatoes.
Now add the chicken, I used breasts but you could also use chicken thighs and Italian seasoning to a big pot that will also fit your pasta. Cook the chicken until browned, then add a bit of parmesan cheese. The cheese melts on the chicken, then turns crispy.
Once you’ve cooked the chicken, add the chilies and other spices/seasonings into the pot with some oil. Let that cook for a minute, then add water or chicken broth to the pot and bring it to a boil. Now add the pasta and let the pasta cook until it’s al dente. I like to use rigatoni, but penne pasta is also great.
At this point, all you need to do is add some milk or cream and a handful of spinach. Then more parmesan and mix, mix, mix.
As soon as the cheese melts. Serve the pasta directly from the pot with fresh basil on top. It’s going to smell and look incredible, so you’ll want to eat it all up right away!
I recommend some soft bread on the side like a garlic roll or maybe beer bread. A crusty no-knead bread could also be delicious.
Then a big Caesar-style salad would be great as well! Super elegant, even romantic meal, right? It could be wonderful for tomorrow night! Hope you all enjoy this as much as I do! Leftovers are great stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Looking for winter pasta recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Pesto Tortellini Zuppa Toscana
Creamy Roasted Garlic Butternut Squash Pasta
One Pot French Onion Pasta with Crispy Prosciutto
Basil Parmesan Pasta with Crispy Chicken, Prosciutto, and Arugula
southerSouthern Style Creamy Parmesan Chicken Pasta
Lastly, if you make this Spicy Tuscan Chicken Pasta be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Spicy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 622 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 jar (8 ounce) oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
- 4 teaspoons Italian seasoning (see note)
- 1 teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika
- red pepper flakes
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 medium shallot, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2-3 tablespoons crushed Calabrian chili paste
- 1 pound short cut pasta
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
Instructions
- 1. Drain 3 tablespoons of oil from the sun-dried tomato jar into a large pot or skillet with sides. Chop the sun-dried tomatoes and set aside.2. Set the pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning, the paprika, and a pinch each of red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Cook until golden brown, 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup parmesan, cook another minute, then remove the chicken from the pot.3. To the same pot, add a drizzle of oil and the butter. Add the shallot, garlic, Calabrian chili paste, and 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add 3 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, add the pasta, and cook, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente, 8 minutes. Stir in the cream, spinach, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and remaining 3/4 cup parmesan. Slide the chicken in, and any juices left on the plate.4. Serve the pasta topped with fresh parmesan and basil.
Notes
Italian Seasoning: Mix 2 tablespoons dried basil, 2 tablespoons dried oregano, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, and 1 teaspoon dried sage. Store in a sealed container.
This post was originally published on February 13, 2023
Can I prepare right before a dinner party, put in a baking dish, and keep on warm? Will it dry out? Pasta get mushy?
Hey Natalie,
That would be perfectly okay for you to do! I hope you love this dish, let me know if you give it a try!
I made this last night as a quick meal for my family. It was DELICIOUS!! I did have to substitute the calabrian peppers with a mild harissa. (The order would not arrive until the next day on Amazon.) I don’t know what the calabrian peppers taste like, but the harissa was so good.
I doubled everything except for the pasta and tomatoes, used chicken broth instead of water, and lacinato kale instead of spinach. I will order my peppers and add mushrooms with the next batch. My family loved the dish. This is definitely going into our pasta dish rotation!
Hey Lisa,
I’m grateful you tried this recipe and took the time to comment. Delighted it turned out!
What a perfect dish for a chilly fall night! It was so delicious and definitely was restaurant quality! My husband said that it was in the top 10 dishes that I make, of which about 8 of them are your recipes.
Hey Deb,
Fantastic! I appreciate you trying this recipe, I am so glad to hear it turned out well for you!
I added onions and mushrooms. It was Delicious in every way…. I was so disappointed when there wasn’t any leftovers!….Will be making a double batch next time!
Hey Nicole,
Happy Monday! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks a lot for making it and your comment!
I made this tonight as I needed a quick meal and it was an instant family favorite! The majority of us prefer spicy dishes, so we enjoyed the heat of this recipe. I did have my grandkids over for dinner so I needed to tone it down just a little bit for the little ones. I added a few dollops of ricotta cheese and it they loved it! This is a keeper for sure, thanks!!
Hey Theresa,
Amazing, thanks for trying this recipe and letting me know it went well! Happy Fall!
This was delicious – we will make it again
Yay! Love to hear this, Andrea! Thanks so much for making this recipe and your feedback. Happy Sunday!
would gochujang work as a substitute for chili paste in this recipe?
Hi Meghan! I haven’t ever tried that personally but I think that should work just fine! 🙂 xT
The TJ stuff? Absolutely. It’s all we could find, and it’s stellar!
So flavorful and you can’t beat a one pot easy meal! The whole family loved it
Thank you SO much Anne! So glad you loved this pasta! Hope you have an amazing week! 🙂 xT
Really loved this recipe. My husband is super fussy and even he said it was restaurant quality delicious! I couldn’t get the chili paste so used Sambal Oelek, it worked. I will continue to look for the Calabrian Chili and try again
Hey Judy,
Happy Sunday!! I’m so glad to hear this recipe turned out nicely for you, I appreciate you making it! xx
I really like this the smells are so fragrant I could not find the past I found the peppers tried to make a paste. Thinking that’s why my sauce isn’t think enough. But it tastes amazing.
Hey Zenna,
Happy Monday!! Thanks a bunch for your comment and making this recipe, love to hear it was a hit!☀️
I don’t have the chili paste on hand but I saw you can sub a little tomato paste and siracha or chili powder.
I made it and made an alternate chili paste with tomato paste and chili flakes. It was delicious!