Italian-American · main

Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta

Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta reads umami 7.7, richness 6.7 and salinity 5.4 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian-American main, about 41 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 8.5 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 2.8 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 1.6 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.4 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 7.3 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.1 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.7 · Richness 6.7 · Salinity 5.4 · Allium 3.7 · Funk & Ferment 2.3 · Sweetness 2.2 · Herbaceous 2.2 · Fruity 2.1 · Nutty 2.0 · Heat 1.6 · Warm Spice 1.5 · Sourness 1.5 · Earthy 1.2 · Bitterness 1.1 · Floral 0.6 · Citrus 0.5

What's in it (13)

• penne pasta — 340 g
• boneless chicken — 680 g
• salt — 5 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• olive oil — 41 g
• garlic — 12 g
• sun-dried tomato — 118 g
• low-salt chicken broth — 355 g
• heavy cream — 237 g
• parmesan cheese — 114 g
• baby spinach — 142 g
• italian seasoning mix — 1 g
• red chili flakes — 1 g

Time & effort: about 41 min (35 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 130.8 kcal, 13 g protein, 7 g fat, 4.1 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (11 steps)

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook 12 oz penne according to package directions until al dente, about 11 minutes; reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
2. While the pasta cooks, season the chicken cutlets on both sides with the kosher salt and black pepper.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken until deeply golden on the first side, 4-5 minutes, then flip and cook until the second side is golden and a thermometer reads 160F at the thickest point, 3-4 minutes more. Transfer to a plate to rest; carryover heat will carry it to a safe 165F.
4. Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and the garlic to the same skillet, and saute until fragrant, about 45 seconds.
5. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes; cook 1 minute to bloom their flavor.
6. Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and simmer until reduced by half, about 4 minutes.
7. Stir in the heavy cream and simmer until slightly thickened, 3-4 minutes.
8. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the parmesan a handful at a time until melted and smooth; keeping the heat low keeps the sauce from breaking.
9. Add the spinach and stir until just wilted, 1-2 minutes.
10. Slice the rested chicken and return it to the skillet with any accumulated juices. Add the drained pasta and a splash of the reserved pasta water, and toss over low heat until everything is coated and glossy, 1-2 minutes.
11. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Plate and top with extra grated parmesan.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Turkey Meatballs in Marinara over Spaghetti — Italian-American
• Spaghetti and Meatballs — Italian-American
• Baked Rigatoni with Mini Meatballs — Italian-American
• Baked Manicotti — Italian-American
• Beef and Ricotta Meatball Bake with Garlic Toast — Italian-American

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.