Tuscan Chicken with Penne Pasta

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Ready in under 30 minutes, this delicious Tuscan Chicken with Penne Pasta is flavorful and easy to make. Perfect dish for a busy weeknight meal!

Tuscan Chicken with Penne Pasta

I was thrilled to get a Dutch Oven for Christmas, I’ve wanted one for so long! We try to have at least one new dish each week in our home, to help stay out of the rut that’s easy to fall into, where we eat the same things over and over, especially on busy weeknights! I’ve been trying to test out recipes using just one or two pots, so there is less to clean up, and find things that are ready in 30 minutes or less. This works out great after sports practice, because the kids can go shower while I prepare dinner, then we can all eat together when it’s done.

My boys are tween/teenagers and I think they are ALL going through growth spurts right now, because they are eating everything in sight. I need meals that are hearty and filling, with plenty of leftovers for them to devour the next afternoon when they get home from school. They are close in age, and I feel like the “Growth Spurt” phase is never ending, so the recipes that workout well for us get added to the Meal Plan Rotation quite frequently.

To begin, gather all ingredients, and take a couple of minutes to dice, chop, and mince, so everything is ready to be added when it’s time. Honestly, I do this on my grocery shopping day, and store in reusable containers in the refrigerator, to save time on busy nights. To save additional time and money, I’ll often freeze leftover broth when I make chicken in 1/2 cup portion sizes, as well as diced or shred the extra chicken to freeze for recipes too. Otherwise, I’ll pick up some boxed Chicken Broth and a Rotisserie Chicken at the Supermarket.

Look how delicious! Sorry the lighting over the stove-top isn’t the greatest 🙂

Place Olive Oil & Butter in 5.5 Qt Dutch Oven (or large Pot) with minced garlic, diced onion, and Spinach. Saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until onions are cooked through and clear. Stir to make sure garlic doesn’t burn while cooking. Boil Pasta according to package directions. I used Barilla Gluten Free Penne Pasta, but any variety would work fine. Add Basil, Italian Seasoning, Oregano, Salt & Pepper, Thyme, Diced Tomatoes, and Chicken Broth to the Dutch Oven. Once it reaches a boil, add in the shredded or diced chicken. Reduce to Medium Low heat, and allow to simmer. Mix Flour with Half & Half in a small bowl to make sure it isn’t lumpy, then add to the Dutch Oven. Simmer about 10 minutes or until pasta is done. Drain Pasta once it is Al Dente, then add to the Dutch Oven. Simmer until ready to serve. Once plated, top with Shredded Parmesan Cheese. Garnish with additional diced tomatoes, basil, or parsley if desired.