Tuscan Chicken and Pasta

This Tuscany Chicken and Pasta is just the perfect dish to serve company with a “WOW” factor! The sweetness of the marinade along with the delicious sun dried tomatoes and mushroom sauce will make your mouth explode with a rush of flavor!

 Tuscany Chicken and Pasta – a Meal to Impress!

What an awesome meal this is to impress your family and friends! I’ve served for friends several times and Oh, my, my! This is a huge hit. Tuscany Chicken and Pasta is also the perfect date night dinner for that special romantic candlelight dinner.

How Long Should I Marinate the Chicken?

Ideally, you should marinate for only 1-2 hours when using an acid like in this Tuscany Chicken and Pasta recipe. Here’s why . . .

Marinating meat adds tons of flavor to it that elevates the meal to far greater level than if you don’t. Some meats require it just to taste good or even chew it. Chicken is no different. However, there is a caution with chicken.

You can actually marinate chicken too long. What? Yes! Marinating meats with an acid like wine, citrus juices, and so on, typically help to break down the strands that make meat tough. It’s the exact opposite with chicken.

When using an acid in your chicken marinade, the strands will get tighter rather than loosen, making the chicken denser and tough.

Marinating the Tuscany Chicken

Here’s what I do . . .

• First, I put all the ingredients for the marinade in a mixing bowl and whisk them together.
• Next, I pour the mixture into a gallon sized zip-top bag.
• Then I put the chicken in, squeeze out most of the air, and zip shut the bag.
• I then massage the chicken moving it all around in the bag to get the pieces thoroughly coated.
• Since chicken can stay out of the fridge for up to 2 hours, I sometimes just leave the bag out on the counter for about an hour. But usually I put it in the fridge for that hour.
• This is a great time to prep the rest of the ingredients for the meal.

Cooking Instructions

1. Cook the penne pasta according to the instructions on the box. That usually takes about 20 minutes or so start to finish.
2. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook it through, about 5 to 7 minutes on each side. (Be sure to reserve ¼ cup of the marinade for the sauce). Remove the chicken and place them on a plate. Take a piece of aluminum foil and tent the chicken so it stays warm.
3. In the same skillet, add another 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the shallots and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute.
4. Add the mushrooms, capers, and sun dried tomatoes. Cook until the mushrooms begin to brown, about 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Next add the lemon juice and reserved marinade juice. Cook until the juices are reduced by half, about 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Add the spinach and cook until they are wilted and add the chicken stock.
7. In a small cup or bowl, mix about 2 tablespoons of water with the flour to make a slurry. Slowly stir it in with the sauce until the until the sauce thickens.
8. Return the chicken to skillet, nestling the pieces under the sauce. Scoop sauce over the chicken to cover them and warm for about 2 minutes.
9. Pour the pasta and chicken into a bowl and mix well.
10. Serve and enjoy!

Print

Tuscany Chicken and Pasta

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword chicken, Italian, Tuscany

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Marinade Time 1 hour

Total Time 2 hours

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 4 Chicken Breasts about 1 lb.

Marinade

• 1 Cup White Wine
• ½ Cup White Wine Vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
• 1 teaspoon Anchovy Paste
• 1 Small Onion – Minced
• 2 Cloves Garlic – Minced
• 1 Tablespoons Honey
• 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
• 1 teaspoon Ground Sage
• 1 teaspoon Dried Parsley
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• ½ teaspoon Dried Basil
• ½ teaspoon Black Pepper

Sauce

• 4 Tablespoons Olive Oil, divided
• 3 Medium Shallots, diced
• 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 8 Ounces Baby Bella Mushrooms, sliced
• ¼ Cup Sun-dried Tomatoes, sliced
• 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
• 1/4 Cup Marinade
• 2 Cups Spinach
• 1 teaspoon Capers Chopped
• 2 Cups Chicken Broth
• 2 Tablespoons Flour
• 12 oz. Penne Pasta
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

Marinade

1. Cut each chicken breasts into 4 pieces each and pound flat.

2. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. Pour the marinade into a large zip-top bag and add the chicken pieces. Place in the fridge and let marinade for 1 hour.

Chicken and Sauce

1. Cook the penne pasta according to the instructions on the box.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add chicken and cook thoroughly, about 5 to 7 minutes on each side. (Be sure to reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade for the sauce). Remove chicken onto a plate and tent with foil to keep it warm.

3. In the same skillet, add another 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the shallots and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes, and add the garlic. Sauté for 1 minute.

4. Add the mushrooms, capers and sun dried tomatoes. Cook until the mushrooms begin to brown, about 3 to 4 minutes.

5. Next add the lemon juice and reserved marinade juice. Cook until the juices are reduced by half, about 3 to 4 minutes.

6. Add the spinach and cook until it is wilted and add the chicken stock.

7. In a small cup or bowl, mix about 2 tablespoons of water with the flour to make a slurry. Slowly stir it in with the sauce until the sauce thickens.

8. Return the chicken to the skillet, nestling the pieces under the sauce. Scoop the sauce over the chicken to cover them and warm for about 1 to 2 minutes.

9. Pour the pasta and chicken into a bowl and mix well.