Want an easy, fuss-free, and absolutely delicious one-pot dinner in 30 minutes? Then, give this Tuscan Chicken Mac and Cheese a try.
Try more easy and delicious pasta recipes for your weeknight dinner or weekend brunch – White Sauce Pasta, Chicken Florentine Pasta, Jambalaya Pasta, Instant Pot Tuscan Pasta.
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About Tuscan Chicken Mac And Cheese
Tuscan Chicken Mac And Cheese is a delicious pasta dish loaded with flavors and comes together in under 30 minutes using a few simple ingredients.
Seasoned chicken pieces and soft pasta coated in a creamy, cheesy, silky smooth, and herby sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, this one will surely be your new favorite.
It is a one-pot recipe which means minimal cleanup.
Double or triple it as per your requirement.
Ingredients
Chicken – I used skinless, boneless chicken breasts, but you can use boneless chicken thighs too.
Seasonings For Chicken – To season the chicken, you will need some basic condiments such as salt, ground black pepper, paprika powder, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
You can use cayenne pepper instead of paprika in the recipe.
Pasta – Since it is a mac and cheese recipe, you will need macaroni pasta.
If it’s unavailable, use other pasta shapes like fusilli, shells, penne, rigatoni, etc.
You can also use whole wheat pasta for this mac and cheese for a healthy twist.
Sun-Dried Tomatoes – Use jarred sun-dried tomatoes. They add a sweet-tart flavor making the pasta very delicious.
Cheese – This pasta has a lot of cheese, and that’s what makes it so irresistible. I have used a combination of mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, and cheddar cheese.
I suggest you grate the cheese fresh instead of adding packaged grated cheese to the pasta. Freshly grated cheese tastes much better than store-bought grated cheese.
Cream – Unsweetened heavy cream makes the pasta rich and creamy.
Spinach – I used regular spinach, but you can use baby spinach too.
Others -You will also need unsalted butter, extra virgin olive oil, onions, garlic, all-purpose flour, milk, fresh parsley, and chicken broth.
Add a splash of white wine to make the pasta dish more indulgent.
How To Make Tuscan Chicken Mac And Cheese
Cook The Chicken
Rinse 2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts and pat them dry using paper tissues.
Pound them using a meat tenderizer until they are 1 inch thick.
Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoon unsalted butter in a large pan over medium-high heat.
Once the butter is melted and the oil is hot, arrange the chicken pieces in the pan in a single layer.
Sprinkle with some salt, black pepper powder, paprika, and Italian seasoning.
Cook for 3-4 minutes.
Then flip them using a pair of tongs and sprinkle the other side with salt, pepper, paprika, and Italian seasoning.
Cook for another 3-4 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a plate and keep it aside.
Make The Pasta
Add ½ cup chopped onions and 2 teaspoon chopped garlic to the same pan and saute until onions turn transparent (45-50 seconds), stirring frequently.
Add 7 oz (200 g) of sun-dried tomatoes and 2 tablespoon of the oil from the jar and cook for 50-60 seconds.
Now add 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour and cook for 30-35 seconds, stirring frequently.
Reduce the heat to medium.
Add 2 and ½ cups of chicken broth, 1 cup of unsweetened heavy cream, and ½ cup milk, and stir well.
Add 10 oz (300 g) of uncooked elbow macaroni, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon crushed black pepper, and mix everything well.
Cook for 10-12 minutes until the macaroni is al dente, stirring frequently.
Add 2 cups of chopped spinach and mix well.
Now add 1 cup of shredded parmesan cheese, 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, and ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese and cook for 2-3 minutes until the spinach is wilted and the cheese is melted.
If the sauce is too thick, add some more milk. Keep in mind that the sauce will thicken some more once it starts to cool down.
Check for salt and pepper and add more if needed.
Slice the cooked chicken into strips and stir it in the pasta.
Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley on top and serve immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make it vegetarian, skip adding chicken and replace it with veggies like mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant, and bell peppers. You can also add tofu, white beans, etc., to the vegetarian version.
Use gluten-free pasta and substitute all-purpose flour with any preferred gluten-free flour.
Serving Suggestions
Garlic Bread: Serve your Tuscan chicken mac and cheese with warm and toasty garlic bread to add crunch and flavor to the dish.
Roasted Vegetables: Roasted vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, or asparagus make a great side dish for this pasta. The savory and creamy flavors of the mac and cheese pair well with the slightly sweet and nutty flavors of roasted vegetables.
Salad: Serve it with a simple side salad to add freshness to the meal. A Caesar salad or mixed greens salad with a light vinaigrette would complement the rich and creamy flavors of the macaroni and cheese.
Storage Suggestions
Refrigerator: If you plan to eat your Tuscan chicken mac and cheese within 3-4 days, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Make sure the dish has cooled down to room temperature before placing it in the fridge to avoid moisture buildup.
Freezer: If you want to keep your pasta for a longer period, you can store it in the freezer. Place the cooled-down dish in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag, and remove any excess air. It can be stored in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Reheating: When you are ready to eat your Tuscan chicken macaroni and cheese, you can reheat it in the microwave or oven. If you are reheating from the refrigerator, it can be heated in the microwave in 1-2 minute intervals, occasionally stirring, until heated through. If you are reheating from the freezer, it is best to thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before reheating it in the microwave or oven.
Add some milk while reheating, as the pasta thickens after refrigeration.
Reheat the amount you want to eat. Reheating again and again will spoil the pasta.
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Recipe Card
Tuscan Chicken Mac And Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
To Cook The Chicken
- 2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
For The Pasta
- ½ cup chopped onions
- 2 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 7 ounce sun-dried tomatoes (200 g, plus 2 tablespoon of oil from the jar)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 and ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 cup unsweetened heavy cream
- ½ cup milk
- 10 ounce uncooked elbow macaroni pasta (300 g)
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon crushed black pepper
- 2 cups chopped spinach
- 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Cook The Chicken
- Rinse the chicken breasts and pat them dry using paper tissues.
- Pound them using a meat tenderizer until they are 1 inch thick.
- Heat olive oil and butter in a large pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the butter is melted and the oil is hot, arrange the chicken pieces in the pan in a single layer.
- Sprinkle with some salt, black pepper powder, paprika, and Italian seasoning.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Then flip them using a pair of tongs and sprinkle the other side with salt, pepper, paprika, and Italian seasoning.
- Cook for another 3-4 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate and keep it aside.
Make The Pasta
- Add onions and garlic to the same pan and saute until onions turn transparent (45-50 seconds), stirring frequently.
- Add sun-dried tomatoes and oil from the jar and cook for 50-60 seconds.
- Now add all-purpose flour and cook for 30-35 seconds, stirring frequently.
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add chicken broth, heavy cream, and milk, and stir well.
- Add macaroni, salt, and black pepper, and mix everything well.
- Cook for 10-12 minutes until the macaroni is al dente, stirring frequently.
- Add spinach and mix well.
- Now add parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, and cheddar cheese and cook for 2-3 minutes until the spinach is wilted and the cheese is melted.
- If the sauce is too thick, add some more milk. Keep in mind that the sauce will thicken some more once it starts to cool down.
- Slice the cooked chicken into strips and stir it in the pasta.
- Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley on top and serve immediately.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!