Tuscan Chicken with Pasta
My Tuscan chicken with pasta is the perfect meal for a busy weeknight dinner or your next date night. You're going to love the tender boneless chicken tenders in a flavorful sauce, perfectly seasoned and served over linguine.
Servings: 2
Calories: 635kcal
Equipment
- large skillet
Ingredients
- 8 oz linguine or spaghetti cooked aldente (I use De Cecco brand)
- 8 ounces chicken tenderloins 6-8 pieces
- 1 cup flour to dredge chicken and butter
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- ½ red bell pepper sliced
- 6-8 pepperoncini
- 4 ounces chicken stock
- 2 ounce extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic chopped
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ ts[ onion powder
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon Italian Parsley finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon romano cheese grated
Instructions
- Add a pinch of salt to a large pot with water over high heat to cook the pasta.
- When the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook per directions on the box for aldente. When it's time to drain the pasta, reserve ½ cup of the starchy pasta water to add to the sauce if needed.
- Dredge chicken in flour seasoned with ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper. Mix to combine
- Add one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- When the oil is hot, add the floured chicken to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Turn the chicken over and add the sliced mushrooms and bell pepper to the pan. Continue cooking for 3-4 minutes until the mushrooms and peppers have softened. Add more oil as needed and if the chicken starts to get too brown, lay it on top of the mushrooms and peppers as they finish cooking.
- Add the garlic to the pan and saute for 1 minute. Don't let the garlic burn!
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the peppercini (Tuscan Peppers) and the seasonings to the pan. Stir to combine.If you'd like to add a splash of white wine, this is the time. It will deglaze the pan.
- Add the chicken broth to the pan, scraping all of the tasty brown bits off the bottom of the pan.
- Return the pan to the stovetop over medium heat and let the sauce reduce for 2 minutes.You want to time this so the dish is just about done when the pasta has finished cooking. If the pasta is not ready, move the pan off the heat.
- Roll one tablespoon of butter in the seasoned flour and add it to the pan. This is a beurre manie and will help thicken the sauce.
- Continue cooking the dish until the sauce has thickened sufficiently.
- Drain the pasta, then split the linguine between two bowls or plates and spoon the Chicken Tuscano over the pasta.If the sauce is too thick or there isn't enough sauce, add as much of the reserved starch pasta water needed for the desired consistency.
- Sprinkle with chopped Italian parsley and grated Romano cheese.
Notes
Can I add other ingredients to this dish?
Absolutely. In my restaurant days, I made a version of this dish that included shrimp. It was a delicious combination and a splurge for people while keeping the costs reasonable.You could also add hot or sweet Italian sausage for a meatier dish. If you'd like to add additional vegetables, fresh baby spinach, zucchini, artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, and broccoli are good options. If you prefer a creamy sauce, add half a cup of heavy cream to make this a creamy Tuscan chicken pasta recipe. You could also add mascarpone or cream cheese to the sauce. If you aren't a fan of heat, you can leave out the peppercini. If you'd like a little more heat, add a little red pepper flakes to the dish. For a spicier dish, you can also add your favorite Italian seasoning to the sauce. I used linguine, but spaghetti or your favorite pasta shape can be used. Penne pasta, ziti, and rigatoni pasta are good choices. I used chicken tenders for the dish, but you can also use boneless skinless chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs to make the recipe. The goal is to make a dish your whole family loves, so cook with ingredients you like to eat, and you'll make a delicious dinner every time.
Nutrition
Calories: 635kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 53g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 362mg | Sodium: 1181mg | Potassium: 807mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1405IU | Vitamin C: 72.6mg | Calcium: 226mg | Iron: 4.9mg