One-Pot Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta is your family's new BFF. Everything is cooked in one pot, even the pasta, and you have a wonderful, creamy, garlic and herby sauce with spinach and sundried tomatoes, all in under 30 minutes. Amazing!
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Pasta is something my little Greyson can't get enough of. But when I make him his precious "noonules", I always think about how to make sure he gets all the good stuff he needs to grow up strong. He's not too much of a picky eater, but he eats like a little bird (much like me) so we eat and snack small meals throughout the day, usually with milk.
When I was in naval bootcamp, I ended up with seven stress fractures up my femur, and when I left boot camp to visit a civilian hospital, the doctor asked me if I drank a lot of milk. Well, in boot camp all we really drank was water and some juice once we got to the galley. Skim milk in your cereal, but that's about it. The doc told me that many women doing the hard physical workouts in boot camp end up breaking bones and getting fractures because we don't get enough of the nutrients needed in our bodies specifically. Did you know a majority of women are actually deficient in Vitamin D? So important in bone strength, no wonder we were falling apart in there! We needed more than just a quick pour of milk in our cereal bowl everyday to keep our bodies and bones strong. That doc had me drink multiple cups of milk every day while I was healing, I probably went through 3 gallons a week between my husband and I drinking it and me baking and cooking with it!
I learned the hard way after boot camp that milk is pretty important in your diet, supplements really don't cut it. And for kids, that calcium and vitamin D is best given through their diets. Thankfully, milk is pretty easy to find in the dairy aisle, you probably have some in your fridge right now.
Like I said, Grey eats small meals, so I feel like giving him cups of white milk and recipes with milk in them help with the protein and nutrients he may miss without the added sugars in other drinks. An eight ounce cup of milk contains 8 grams of complete protein and is a wonderful source of vitamin D, calcium and potassium.
Because, let's be honest, sometimes Greyson may only eat some ants on a log with almond butter (one of his faves) and some cheese crackers all day and only eat part of one meal but he will drink milk all day.
That's why I'm so happy to partner with the National Milk Life Campaign to bring nutrient-rich, delicious, farm fresh, affordable, no sugar added white milk to the forefront today. It's what takes this recipe from ordinary to a weeknight wonder.
What if you could give your kids a nutrient-rich, delicious, farm fresh beverage with natural protein and no sugar added – all for about a quarter per serving? Surprise – it’s something that’s likely already in your fridge – white milk!
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Making sure Greyson gets his milk gives me peace of mind from mommy guilt when it comes to making sure my little bear is growing up strong and well nourished (and full of that 3 year old energy).
Now that he's getting older, I try to incorporate milk in my cooking because I know soon he will be growing from toddler at home to little boy going to school, doing extracurricular activities (he LOVES soccer), and probably not eating those good wholesome meals I would like him to when he's at school or at friends' homes. I'm plenty of moms worry about this, especially now that your kids have gone back to school.
I feel like when it's back to school season, we need more quick weeknight meals that also pack that nutritious punch for everyone since back to school means very busy nights and little time (and energy) to prepare and cook full meals every night. Especially ones that a) are nutritious enough to feed your kids, and b) something they will actually eat without a fight.
And if your little one is going to school for the first time, I KNOW you're worried about how you are going to get a meal on the table after this big life change of starting school along with every change that may come along with it.
Don't worry, you know I got you guys!
Meet your new best friend: the one pot creamy tuscan chicken pasta. It's good for you, packed full of flavor, has awesome veg, and a rich, creamy sauce that coats every one of those 'noonules' thanks to milk. And it's all done in just one pot in only 30 minutes.
I told you! Tuscan chicken pasta and you are going to be BFF's.
I try to prep Sundays after church for the week's meals, for this pasta I had some chicken thighs that were chopped in half or quartered, small diced half a yellow onion and minced two cloves of garlic. You could also use chicken breasts, they work well in this, but boneless, skinless chicken thighs give you more bang for your buck not only by being more affordable but also in nutrients and flavor.
In a medium sized pot or dutch oven, cook up those onions in a bit of olive oil, then add your chicken thighs. Get a sear on them, they don't need to be cooked all the way because they'll be simmering in the sauce for a bit with the pasta. Once the chicken is lovely and browned, add your garlic, the seasonings and herbs, and let that cook for a minute. Enjoy that savory onion-garlic smell. I don't think there is a better savory smell than when you cook with olive oil, onions, and garlic.
Now you raise your heat up to high and pour in the chicken stock and milk. The milk is what makes your sauce rich and creamy when your pasta is done cooking.
Bring to a boil, and add your pasta to cook uncovered for how long your package tell you. Make sure to toss things around in there with tongs so nothing sticks to the bottom.
And use a wooden spoon to cover the top (like so) or else...yeah...overflow. Oopsie.
When your pasta is juuuuust about ready to eat, add in the spinach and sundried tomatoes and stir them in. When the spinach wilts, add cheese and stir it up!
Comes together in less than thirty minutes!
Put one pot tuscan chicken pasta at the top of your weeknight meal menu. It will be your family's new favorite.
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One-Pot Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut in half
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ yellow onion, small dice
- Kosher Salt and Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper
- 3 cups milk
- 1 cup low sodium chicken stock
- 4 servings fettuccini pasta
- ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes, cut into slivers
- 1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, shredded or grated
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high, add in olive oil, chicken thighs, and onion and cook for 5 minutes, cooking chicken on each side to brown. Season thighs and onions with 2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper.
- After five minutes, add in garlic, italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes and cook for one minute til garlic is fragrant.
- Turn heat to high and pour in milk and chicken stock. Add pasta and cook until done (egg fettuccini was done in about 9 minutes) be careful about over flow (a wooden spoon over the top of the pot helps).
- Once pasta is cooked and the liquid has significantly reduced, add in tomatoes and spinach. Mix in and cook until spinach begins to wilt.
- Add in parmesan cheese and stir in until melted and sauce is thickened.
- Serve hot.
Another amazing pasta dish? This short rib bolognese. It's slow cooked and to die for!
Or for a rich and decadent weeknight pasta indulgence, check out pasta carbonara. A pasta dish with garlic, a creamy sauce, and BACON!
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