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This Dump-and-Bake Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta is an easy dinner that everyone loves — and you don’t even have to boil the noodles!
If there’s something we all need on weeknights it’s a delicious and comforting meal that requires minimal prep, effort and of course clean up!
Luckily this Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta tick’s all the boxes! It’s made with simple ingredients and couldn’t be easier to put together.
So What Is Tuscan Chicken?
Most Italian-American Tuscan chicken dishes are made with onions, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, Italian herbs and chicken. It’s all simmered in a creamy sauce and really is so comforting and delicious.
This Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta makes things even easier because it requires almost no prep work on my part. I can literally stir together all of the ingredients in one dish, put it in the oven, and then move on with more pressing matters.
Get On With Other Things While Your Dinner Bakes To Perfection
I often give the boys their baths while our meal bakes, I might help the older two with their homework, or I even respond to a few emails. And when we’re done devouring the dinner? There’s only one pan to wash. That’s like the icing on the cake!
This Tuscan Chicken Pasta is a twist on my incredibly popular Dump-and-Bake Chicken Alfredo Pasta Casserole from last year.
I added diced tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and roasted red peppers to an already creamy, cheesy pot of YUM. Now that the veggies are included in the mix, you don’t even have to worry about sides! Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better…
If you find yourself dreading the post-work, post-daycare, end-of-the-day slump, then take a weight off of your shoulders. Give yourself a break and throw together a Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta that will make even the fussiest toddler smile!
Extra Tips For Making Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta;
Cooking for a Smaller Crowd? You can cut the ingredients in half and bake the pasta in an 8-inch or 9-inch square dish.
Want to Prep Ahead? Prepare the dish to Step 2 — cover with foil and keep in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake it later.
More Chicken Pasta Recipes You Might Like;
- Dump and Bake Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Dump and Bake Chicken Pot Pie Pasta
- 10-Minute Chicken Florentine Pasta
- Chicken, Broccoli and Cheese Pasta
Dump-and-Bake Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked rotini pasta
- 1 (22 ounce) jar Alfredo sauce (about 2 ½ cups)
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups diced rotisserie chicken, or other diced cooked chicken
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 (4 ounce) jar diced roasted red peppers, drained (about ½ cup)
- ½ cup minced sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella or Italian blend cheese
- Optional: Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped herbs (such as basil, oregano, and parsley for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F (220C).
- In a large 13 x 9-inch baking dish, stir together uncooked pasta, Alfredo sauce, chicken broth, chicken, garlic, red peppers, and sun-dried tomatoes. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes.
- Uncover; stir. At this point you should check the pasta to make sure that it is al dente (firm but just about finished cooking). If it’s still too hard, cover the dish and return to the oven until pasta is al dente. Then move on to the next step.
- Once pasta is al dente, stir in the fresh spinach. The spinach will wilt almost instantly as you stir it into the hot pasta. Sprinkle mozzarella over the top. Bake uncovered for 10 more minutes (or until cheese is melted and pasta is tender).
- Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan or fresh chopped herbs, if desired.
You had me at dump and bake…and even better, this looks absolutely SCRUMPTIOUS! Thanks Blair- pinning!!
Thank you, Kate! I totally agree — dump and bake is the way to go!
I worked late, had to stop to buy the stuff to make this and because it was so easy still had dinner done at a reasonable time. And both my kids and spouse willingly ate it. Winner!! And it LOOKS nice. I could serve this to company.
Yay! That’s a true win, Katie! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back here and leave a note. Glad you enjoyed it!
Can you use regular chicken? I prefer dark meat.
Hi, Lisa! Yes, you can use any cooked, diced chicken, so feel free to use chicken thighs or any dark meat that you like. Enjoy!
This was a great easy recipe! My entire family loved it!!
Thank you, Cindy!
Dinner can definitely be the last thing on my mind after a busy day, too! Love your dump and bake recipes, Blair! This pasta is calling my name! Such wonderful flavors!
Thanks so much, Gayle!
can this be premade and frozen?
Hi, Candice! Yes, but the texture of the pasta may be a bit mushy when thawed. 🙂
Yum! Pasta bakes are always a favourite of ours as you can make so many different varieties… and well… cheese = <3
This recipe looks incredible and combines so many delicious flavours!
Thanks, Kristy! YES!! Cheese + pasta is always a good idea! 🙂
Your photos are so appealing……..how could I resist not trying this recipe?
Thank you!
Thank you so much for your kind words, Phyllis!!! Enjoy the pasta. 🙂
Yay!! Another great, easy dinner recipe! Love it Blair! Yummmmmm.
Thank you, Kelly!!! 🙂
I love your dinner recipes, Blair. Quick and easy and flavorful and kid-friendly and colourful and …and…, lol. You’ve got it all going on, girl! Sharing 🙂
Thank you so much, Robyn! You are too kind. 🙂 I’ll definitely agree with EASY! 🙂
I’m passing this recipe on to my daughter who has limited time to prepare a meal with all the after school activities she drives our grandchildren to…I know the whole family will enjoy this pasta dish.
Wonderful, Karen! Thanks so much for sharing it with your daughter. I hope that her family enjoys it! 🙂
Does anyone think using an attractive stove top skillet (with lid) could be used instead of the oven? I think that would make the stirring of the pasta easier once it is al dente. Any thoughts? I am new to this site and looking forward to lots of great ideas.
Thanks!
Hi, Maryellen! Yes, I think that you can definitely use a skillet on the stove top! I haven’t tried it with that method, though, so I’m not sure if the cooking time will be the same or not. Just keep a close eye on it so that you know when the pasta is done without overcooking it. Enjoy! 🙂
Wow…….this is looking so yummy. Looking forward to making this. Thanks a lot for sharing.
This is definitely easy to make recipe, great idea to share with my family or friends…
Love it so much
Yay! That’s great, Wendy! Thanks so much for the feedback. I’m glad that you enjoyed it!
How would I use frozen spinach instead? I’ve made this and love love it. I’m trying to freeze prep as much as I can for when baby gets here. Thoughts?
Hi, Kel! Congrats on your pregnancy!!! You’re a smart gal to start getting some meals ready — you’ll be so happy they’re waiting for you. 🙂
If you want to use frozen spinach, I would buy one of those small boxes of frozen chopped spinach (I think they’re 10 ounces). Thaw the spinach (either on the counter or in the microwave), and then wrap it in a dish towel. Squeeze as much of the water out of the spinach as you can. Then stir it into your pasta dish just like you would the fresh spinach. It should work perfectly! Enjoy!
Could I freeze this at step two?
Hi, Kelly! I honestly don’t know. I’m a big fan of freezer meals, but I’ve never tried freezing this particular dish. I think it would probably work fine; however, I haven’t tried it with the raw pasta myself. Let me know if you give it a shot! 🙂
Thanks. My husband loved loved this one. We have a baby on the way so I’m going to try. I’ll let you know how it goes. I’ll prob freeze everything but the pasta….
That sounds like a good idea! And congrats on the baby!!! You’re so smart to be preparing some meals in advance!
Why is my comment not posted? Anybody try this as a freezer meal?
Thank You?
I can see your comment. 🙂 It’s posted!
I was just wondering if you or anyone knows how to cook this in the crock pot. Would the pasta cook right? I’m sure the cook time would be different. Any thoughts?
Hey, Crystal! I honestly don’t know. I haven’t tried it myself in the Crock Pot, but I think it would probably work well! I just can’t give you exact times, since I’ve not tested it. I would start with HIGH for 2-3 hours, or LOW for 4-6 hours and see how that goes. 🙂
Should this be fairly wet/soupy when the pasta is done? Or should all liquid be absorbed by the time you add spinach and cheese?
Hey, Kate! You want it to still have some sauce (not a totally dry pasta), but it’s definitely not “soupy.” I prefer to focus on the pasta — because when it’s done, it will totally absorb most of the liquid. The sauce continues to thicken as it’s finishing in the oven without the cover (and even after it’s sitting on the counter for a few minutes), so you definitely want some liquid in the dish at that point. Just make sure that your pasta is al dente before stirring in the spinach, because you don’t want to end up with crunchy pasta when you pull it out of the oven. 🙂 Hope that makes sense!
Thanks for that question. When I first pulled it out I was really worried and thinking the same thing. Waiting for it to finish up now.
This is a great recipe! Spent the day Christmas shopping, so I was not in the mood to do a lot of cooking. So easy & tastes like it took all day. Also, the weather was not good today. Perfect comfort food! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Perfect! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it, Sharon! Nothing better than coming home to a cozy, easy dinner when you’re exhausted! 🙂
Would it work to sub in uncooked rice for the uncooked pasta?
Hi, Chantal! I think that you probably could, but I haven’t tested it myself. Regular long grain white rice usually takes longer to cook than the pasta, and it may not absorb the exact same amount of liquid from the cooking sauce (so the dish may be more or less “saucy” in the end). Sorry I can’t give you more specific details! 🙂
Made this tonight and it turned out great. Love the flavor and creamy texture. Also anything I can throw in one dish and into the oven is a win for me 🙂
Thank you, Lindsay!
Easy and delicious, loved it. Also sautéed some cre mini mushrooms and added too.
Sounds perfect! Thanks, Ann!
Can this be made with gluten free pasta ?
Hey, Kris! I’ve never cooked with gluten free pasta, so I don’t have any experience to offer there. That said, I’ve had other readers tell me that similar recipes work really well with the gluten free pasta, so I would say that it’s probably safe to try! 🙂
Ive never had luck with double cooked chicken. It comes out very hard. Why cant we start with uncooked chick?
Hi, Larry! Absolutely! I have quite a few recipes on this site that are dump-and-bake but start with raw chicken instead of cooked. It works fine! Some folks don’t like the idea of baking the chicken in the dish with the other ingredients, so they prefer to start with cooked chicken, but like I said — the raw works fine. 🙂
This was very delicious! Pleasantly surprised myself on how well this came out.
Thanks, Holly!
Made this for dinner last night and it was so good! So easy to make! And the leftovers today were just as good, if not better!
Thank you, Ivy! We’re so glad you enjoyed it!