This oven baked 5-ingredient Tuscan chicken pasta is pure comfort food and exactly the kind of dish my aunt has been making for Sunday dinners for 30 years. It’s the one everyone knows will be on the table, and somehow we still go back for seconds (and thirds) every time. Think tender pasta, golden chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach all tucked into a creamy, cheesy sauce and baked in a big oval dish. It’s simple enough for a busy weeknight, but cozy and special enough to feel like a family tradition.
Serve this Tuscan chicken pasta straight from the oven in the same oval baking dish, with a big wooden spoon for scooping. It’s great with a simple green salad dressed in olive oil and vinegar, and some warm crusty bread or garlic bread to swipe through the creamy sauce. A glass of chilled white wine or sparkling water with lemon works nicely, and if you want to stretch the meal for a crowd, add a side of roasted vegetables like broccoli or green beans.
Oven Baked Tuscan Chicken PastaServings: 6
Ingredients
12 oz short pasta (penne, rigatoni, or fusilli)
1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 (16 oz) jar Alfredo sauce
1 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped
3 packed cups fresh baby spinach
1 tsp kosher salt (for seasoning chicken and pasta water, divided)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil (for greasing the baking dish)
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a large oval baking dish with the olive oil and set it aside. This is the same kind of dish my aunt has used forever, and it makes for that cozy, family-style presentation.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 2–3 minutes less than the package directions for al dente (it will finish cooking in the oven). Drain the pasta and set aside.
While the pasta cooks, pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Season them with about 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt and the black pepper, tossing to coat evenly. This helps the chicken stay flavorful in the creamy sauce.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the Alfredo sauce, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Stir until everything is evenly mixed. If your Alfredo sauce is very thick, you can loosen it with 2–3 tablespoons of water so it coats the pasta easily.
Add the drained pasta and the seasoned chicken pieces to the bowl with the Alfredo mixture. Toss well so every piece of pasta and chicken is coated in the sauce and the sun-dried tomatoes are evenly distributed.
Fold the fresh baby spinach into the pasta mixture. It will look like a lot of spinach at first, but it wilts down as it bakes and gives that classic Tuscan look and flavor.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared oval baking dish, spreading it into an even layer. Make sure some of the chicken pieces are visible on top so they can get a little golden in the oven.
Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes, until the chicken is mostly cooked through and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
Carefully remove the foil (watch for steam), then return the dish to the oven uncovered and bake for another 10–15 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked (165°F in the thickest pieces) and the top has little golden spots and looks creamy and set.
Let the pasta rest for 5–10 minutes before serving. This helps the sauce thicken slightly and makes it easier to scoop out those perfect, creamy spoonfuls with bits of golden chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and wilted spinach, just like in the photo.
Serve family-style straight from the baking dish with a wooden spoon so everyone can help themselves. Expect people to go back for seconds—this is one of those recipes that disappears fast at the table.
Variations & Tips
To keep this as a true 5-ingredient recipe, the core pieces are the pasta, chicken, Alfredo sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach; the salt, pepper, and oil are just pantry basics for seasoning and baking. For extra richness, you can stir in 1/2–1 cup of shredded mozzarella or Parmesan cheese to the Alfredo mixture before baking, or sprinkle it over the top for a more golden, bubbly finish. If you like a little heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes when you mix the sauce. You can swap the chicken breasts for boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer darker meat; just trim excess fat and cut them into similar bite-size pieces so they cook evenly. Whole-wheat or high-protein pasta works well if you want to make it a bit heartier, and gluten-free pasta can be used—just slightly undercook it so it doesn’t get mushy in the oven. For a lighter version, use a lighter Alfredo sauce and add an extra handful of spinach to bulk it up. Meal prep tip: you can assemble the whole dish up to a day in advance, cover tightly, and refrigerate; add 5–10 extra minutes to the covered bake time if it’s going into the oven cold. For food safety, always make sure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) before serving, avoid letting the baked pasta sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours, and refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers. Leftovers reheat well in the oven, covered with foil at 325°F, or in the microwave with a splash of water or milk to loosen the sauce.
