Description
A crave-worthy, restaurant-style dinner that’s weeknight-friendly: tender Tuscan garlic chicken bites over silky Cajun Alfredo pasta with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. Creamy, garlicky, gently spicy—an easy dinner that feels special without taking all night. Perfect for quick dinner, easy pasta, healthy-ish comfort food, and weeknight dinner ideas.
Ingredients
1 lb chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp Tuscan seasoning (oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary)
1 tsp Cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1 tsp Cajun seasoning (for sauce)
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
1 tbsp kosher salt (for pasta water)
12 oz fettuccine or tagliatelle
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced (oil-packed)
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary (optional, garnish)
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add 1 tbsp kosher salt. Cook pasta until al dente; reserve 1 cup pasta water, drain, and set aside.
2. Pat chicken dry. Toss with olive oil, Tuscan seasoning, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, kosher salt, and pepper.
3. Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high. Sear chicken bites 3–4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through (165°F/74°C). Remove and keep warm.
4. Reduce heat to medium; melt butter in the same skillet. Add minced garlic; sauté 30 seconds until fragrant.
5. Stir in heavy cream, scraping browned bits. Add Cajun seasoning (for sauce) and Parmesan; simmer 4–5 minutes until slightly thickened. Fold in chopped spinach; season to taste.
6. Toss cooked pasta in the sauce, loosening with reserved pasta water as needed for a glossy, silky consistency.
7. Plate pasta, top with chicken bites, and garnish with sun-dried tomatoes, parsley, and rosemary.
8. Serve immediately while hot and creamy.
Notes
Freshly grate Parmesan so it melts smoothly into the sauce.
Keep heat to a gentle simmer after adding cream to prevent splitting.
Use starchy pasta water to adjust sauce thickness and help it cling to noodles.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 25
- Category: Dinner, Pasta
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 680
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 880
- Fat: 35
- Saturated Fat: 18
- Unsaturated Fat: 16
- Trans Fat: 0.5
- Carbohydrates: 54
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 38
- Cholesterol: 165
Keywords: quick dinner, easy dinner, easy pasta, creamy alfredo, cajun pasta, chicken alfredo, weeknight dinner, comfort food, food ideas, dinner ideas