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This healthy Tuscan Chicken Pasta recipe will satisfy your craving for creamy pasta without the calories! It's an easy healthy chicken recipe that your family will love, and you can cook it in your Instant Pot, slow cooker, or on the stove.
This healthy Tuscan Chicken Pasta is a popular menu item at the Cheesecake Factory and Olive Garden. It’s a decadent pasta dish loaded with Italian flavors. My copycat recipe adds a healthy twist to this classic meal.
Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta has all the flavors of the restaurant version, without all the calories, sodium, and fat. I love making this recipe in one pot using my Instant Pot, but it can also be made in the Crock Pot or right on the stove.
This is one of my favorite healthy pasta recipes, and it’s great for meal prep because it keeps well in the fridge for the week and it freezes and reheats well.
Where’s the recipe?
To better serve all of my readers here at My Crazy Good Life, I’ve made a commitment to put a ton of helpful information in all of my posts. If you’d like to skip over the parts about freezing, swapping ingredients, and diet information, please simply scroll to the bottom of the page, where you will find the easy to print Tuscan Chicken Pasta recipe.
Ingredients in Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Sun-dried tomatoes: You can find these sweet gems in your produce section. They are usually in a bag or jar. Be sure and grab the kind that does not contain oil. If you have trouble finding them, you can substitute with fresh grape tomatoes or roasted red peppers.
- Italian Seasoning: This is a space saver for your pantry. A variety of basil, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, and thyme all combined in one bottle.
- Garlic: Did you know that in Northern Italian cooking they don’t use garlic? Fresh minced garlic is only used in in Southern and Tuscan cuisine.
- Chicken: Cut your chicken breasts into 1 inch cubes or ½ inch thick strips to promote quick and even cooking.
- Chicken Broth: You can make your own or grab some from the store. If buying, make sure to get low sodium.
- Pasta: I use whole wheat noodles, but you can easily swap this for a gluten free noodle but be sure to reduce the cooking time (I use the rule of half the cooking time on the package minus 2 minutes). If using regular pasta, drain the extra water after
- Cottage Cheese: Be sure and grab 2% cottage cheese. It will help lower the saturated fat and calories without over-processing, like in the fat-free varieties.
- Greek Yogurt: Greek yogurt is a great source of protein, probiotics, and calcium. It works well as a substitute for sour cream and cream cheese in pasta dishes.
- Spinach: An excellent source of Vitamins A, C, and K, and full of fiber, calcium, and iron.
- Basil: Popular in cuisine worldwide for its sweet aromatic flavor. You can also use dried in this recipe, if you don’t have fresh handy. Just reduce the amount to 1 teaspoon.
- Parmesan Cheese: I love grabbing a wedge of fresh parmesan and grating it myself. The light nuttiness ties this recipe together perfectly.
How to make Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Set your Instant Pot to Sauté and lightly spray the pot with olive oil spray. Once your pot is hot add the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasonings. Cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add your cut chicken to the pot, and cook 2-3 minutes stirring often. This will prevent your chicken from clumping together while it’ s under pressure. Once your chicken is browned on all sides add your chicken broth.
- Add your pasta to the pot and stir well, ensuring that all noodles are below the liquid.
- Close and lock the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing. Select Pressure Cook (high) and set the time for 3 minutes.
- While your chicken is cooking, blend the cottage cheese and Greek yogurt together until smooth, then set aside.
- When the cook time is complete, quick Release the pressure, and remove the lid. Stir. Drain any excess liquid from the pot.
- While your noodles are still hot stir in spinach, and basil. Once the leaves have wilted, stir in your blended cottage cheese, and grated parmesan. Serve immediately. Garnish with additional parmesan and fresh basil.
How to make Crockpot Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Spay a large skillet with cooking spray. Over medium/high heat, sauté the sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and garlic until fragrant.
- Next, add your cubed chicken and sauté until browned on all sides.
- Transfer chicken and sun dried tomatoes to your crockpot and top with chicken broth.
- Cook on high heat for 2-3 hours, or low heat for 4-5 hours.
- Add your pasta during the last 30 minutes of cook time. You could also boil these separately and add them to the slow cooker if you’d like them cooked faster.
- Blend the cottage cheese and Greek yogurt (in a blender or food processor) until smooth and set aside.
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain the extra liquid from the slow cooker and add in spinach and basil, then stir until wilted.
- Stir the cottage cheese mixture into the contents of the slow cooker.
- Finally, add your parmesan cheese. Stir one last time and serve immediately with extra cheese and fresh basil, as desired.
How to make Stovetop Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Spay a large skillet/pot with cooking spray. Over medium/high heat, sauté the sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and garlic until fragrant.
- Next, add cubed chicken and sauté until browned on all sides.
- Add chicken broth and noodles to the pot.
- Once the broth begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium. Boil 12-15 minutes, stirring often to avoid clumping.
- Once pasta is cooked, drain excess liquid. Add in the spinach and basil, then stir until wilted.
- Blend cottage cheese and Greek yogurt (in a blender or food processor) until smooth, then stir into your noodles.
- Finally, add your parmesan cheese. Stir one last time and serve immediately with extra cheese and fresh basil, as desired.
Recipe Tips
- You can substitute fresh, halved grape tomatoes in place of sun-dried tomatoes. Reduce your cooking liquid by ½ cup when using fresh tomatoes.
- While this recipe tastes best when followed exactly, you can add more Greek yogurt or more cottage cheese if you don’t have one of them.
- Cut your chicken into equal-sized pieces to make sure they are cooked evenly.
- Add more spinach and tomatoes to increase your vegetables per serving, or add a salad as a side dish.
- I don’t typically add salt to my recipes so that you can add salt and pepper to your taste and dietary needs.
- If using crockpot or stovetop cooking method, start with 1 cup of water and slowly add more if needed to keep the recipe from becoming watery. *This amount will change if not using whole wheat pasta*
- If using gluten free pasta, reduce Instant Pot cook time to 2 minutes.
Healthy Eating Plans
- 21 Day Fix: For the entire 21 Day Fix Tuscan Chicken pasta recipe: 2 ½ Green Containers, 10 Red Containers, 12 Yellow Containers, and 2 Blue Containers. I give you the count for the entire recipe so its easier to re-calculate the containers if you change something.
- For each 1 ½ cup serving: 1/3 Green Container, 1 2/3 Red Containers, 2 Yellow Containers, and 1/3 Blue Containers.
- 2B Mindset: I would eat this as a healthy lunch with extra vegetables.
- Weight Watchers: For WW recipe and points information see this post: https://mycrazygoodlife.com/weight-watchers-tuscan-chicken-pasta/
More healthy Instant Pot recipes
More Instant Pot Pasta Recipes:
- Cajun Chicken Alfredo
- Philly Cheesesteak Pasta with Chicken
- Homemade Hamburger Helper
- Instant Pot Pad Thai with Tofu
- Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese
Healthy Tuscan Chicken Pasta Recipe
This healthy Tuscan Chicken Pasta recipe will satisfy your craving for creamy pasta without the calories! It's an easy healthy chicken recipe that your family will love, and you can cook it in your Instant Pot, slow cooker, or on the stove.
Servings: 6
Approximate Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
Calories: 467kcal
Equipment
Instant Pot 6 qt
Sealing Rings
Kitchen Knife
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes sun dried with no oil or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 2 lbs chicken breast (about 2 large breasts, diced into 1-inch cubes)
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth low sodium
- 3 cups whole wheat pasta I used one 12 oz. box
- ¾ cup cottage cheese 2%
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt 2%
- 2 cups spinach baby
- ¼ cup basil fresh, or 1 tsp dried basil
- ⅔ cup cheese parmesan
Instructions
Instant Pot
- Set your Instant Pot to Sauté and lightly spray the pot with cooking spray. Once your pot is hot, add the sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add your cubed chicken to the pot and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring often. This will prevent your chicken from clumping together while it’s under pressure. Once your chicken is browned on all sides, add your chicken broth.
- Add your pasta to the pot and stir well, ensuring that all noodles are below the liquid.
- Close and lock the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing. Select Pressure Cook (high) and set the time for 3 minutes.
- While your chicken is cooking, blend the cottage cheese and Greek yogurt together until smooth (in a blender or food processor), then set aside.
- When the cook time is complete, quick release the pressure, and remove the lid. Stir. Drain any excess liquid from the pot.
- While your noodles are still hot, stir in spinach and basil. Once the leaves have wilted, stir in your blended cottage cheese and grated parmesan. Serve immediately. Garnish with additional parmesan and fresh basil.
Video
Notes
*For stovetop/crockpot directions, please see original post
Recipe Tips:
- You can substitute fresh, halved grape tomatoes in place of sun-dried tomatoes. Reduce your cooking liquid by ½ cup when using fresh tomatoes.
- While this recipe tastes best when followed exactly, you can add more Greek yogurt or more cottage cheese if you don’t have one of them.
- Cut your chicken into equal-sized pieces to make sure they are cooked evenly.
- Add more spinach and tomatoes to increase your vegetables per serving, or add a salad as a side dish.
- I don’t typically add salt to my recipes so that you can add salt and pepper to your taste and dietary needs.
- If using crockpot or stovetop cooking method, start with 1 cup of water and slowly add more if needed to keep the recipe from becoming watery. *This amount will change if not using whole wheat pasta*
- If using gluten free pasta, reduce Instant Pot cook time to 2 minutes.
- 21 Day Fix: For the entire recipe: 2 ½ Green Containers, 10 Red Containers, 12 Yellow Containers, and 2 Blue Containers. For each 1 ½ cup serving: 1/3 Green Container, 1 2/3 Red Containers, 2 Yellow Containers, and 1/3 Blue Containers.
- 2B Mindset: I would eat this as a healthy lunch with extra vegetables.
Nutrition
Calories: 467kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 318mg | Potassium: 673mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1371IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 201mg | Iron: 3mg
Click for info about WW & Beachbody Counts
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Super good and easy recipe I followed it exactly but did have to add a little extra chicken broth to get noodles covered which was no big deal! Saw some of the negative comments about the flavors and was nervous but I thought it was great could not taste the greek yogurt at all I used the fage total 0% yogurt
Husband and I both loved it reheats well we will totally make it again!
Thanks for the great recipe!
I like to cook my pasta on the stove on the side so the leftovers will be better. We use gluten free pasta so I don’t like to have it all mixed up plus I usually eat my portion over veggies. How much broth would I need if not adding in the pasta?
I made this in the crockpot and made it pretty much exactly as the recipe stated. However the yogurt/cottage cheese mix tasted waaay to yogurt like so all to taste I added Italian seasoning, garlic, a little salt and mixed in some Parmesan cheese and let it sit in the fridge for an hour before mixing with the pasta and chicken mix. It came out absolutely DELICIOUS! I will be making this again.
Hi! I’ve made this recipe probably a half dozen times with the stovetop method, so yummy! We recently got a Ninja Foodi 14-in-1 appliance that has instapot functions and I would love to try this recipe in it. What should I set the temp to? Maybe this is an option only required by my appliance, but it requires me to set a temp when using the saute and all other functions. What would you recommend?
Hey Ally! How fun! I haven;t had a chance to play with the 14 in one yet. It sounds like this cooking device might be best with the stovetop directions?
So tasty and came together quickly. Definitely will go on the repeat list.
For the instant pot recipe, is 3 minutes SAUTEE plus 3 minutes instapot on high enough time to make sure the chicken is cooked? i’m a little nervous about that. Otherwise, I’m excited about executing this! THANK YOU :)
If the chicken is cut into 1 inch cubes, it’ll cook in the time stated :)
Would you eliminate the chicken broth step if making this with fresh pasta? Or would you recommend just reducing the boil time and drain when pasta is cooked?
I’d reduce the boil time and drain after the pasta is cooked (but be sure to drain before adding your cream base).
Tried it, super tasty! Thank you! It could use salt and maybe some red pepper flakes.