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Creamy One-Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta

creamy one-pot tuscan chicken pasta - featured image
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A cozy, easy one-pot pasta dish featuring tender chicken, creamy sauce with cottage cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach. Perfect for quick dinners with minimal cleanup.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (packed in oil)
  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup small-curd cottage cheese, blended smooth
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 4 cups fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
  • 12 oz penne or rigatoni pasta
  • Salt, to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend (or dried basil and oregano)

Instructions

  1. Prep the Ingredients (5-10 minutes): Dice the chicken into roughly 1-inch pieces. Mince garlic and chop sun-dried tomatoes. Rinse and roughly chop baby spinach. Grate Parmesan cheese. Set aside pasta.
  2. Blend the Cottage Cheese (2 minutes): In a blender or food processor, pulse cottage cheese until smooth and creamy.
  3. Cook the Chicken (7-8 minutes): Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken pieces in a single layer, season with salt and pepper, and let brown undisturbed for 3-4 minutes. Flip and cook another 3-4 minutes until cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.
  4. Sauté Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomatoes (2-3 minutes): In the same pan, add more olive oil if needed. Add minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Stir constantly to prevent burning.
  5. Add Liquids and Pasta (5 minutes): Pour in chicken broth and heavy cream. Stir in uncooked pasta. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  6. Finish the Sauce (3-4 minutes): Once pasta is tender and most liquid absorbed, stir in blended cottage cheese, Parmesan, and cooked chicken. Add baby spinach last and stir until wilted and combined.
  7. Season and Serve (1-2 minutes): Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or Italian seasoning as desired. Serve hot.

Notes

Do not rush browning the chicken; let it sit undisturbed for best texture. Blend cottage cheese well to avoid lumps. Stir pasta occasionally but not constantly to prevent breaking. Use low-sodium broth to control saltiness. If sauce is too thick, add a splash of broth or cream. Timing is key to avoid mushy pasta.

Nutrition

Keywords: Tuscan chicken pasta, creamy pasta, one-pot dinner, easy chicken recipe, cozy dinner, sun-dried tomatoes, cottage cheese sauce

Find it online: https://zorbmeal.com/creamy-one-pot-tuscan-chicken-pasta-recipe-for-easy-cozy-dinners/