Creamy Tuscan Pasta Sauce Recipes

CREAMY TUSCAN CHICKEN PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and toss with butter.
• Optional: For quicker, more even cooking, slightly flatten breasts with a kitchen mallet. If they are very thick, slice them in half horizontally before flattening.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat a skillet over high heat. When pan is hot, add 1 tablespoon oil.
• When oil is hot, put chicken breasts in pan and cook until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. Remove chicken from pan.
• Let chicken cool for a few minutes, then slice. Set aside.
• Add remaining tablespoon oil to pan. Add onions and cook until softened.
• Add red bell pepper and cook until almost softened.
• Add the garlic, sundried tomatoes, and Italian seasoning. Stir, and cook for about 1 minute.
• Deglaze pan with broth, scraping bottom to release any bits sticking to the bottom of the pan.
• Add cream and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 2 minutes. Add parmesan and cook until melted.
• When cheese is melted turn off the heat and stir in baby spinach.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Combine pasta, chicken, and sauce.
• Serve.

CREAMY TUSCAN PASTA SAUCE WITH CHICKEN AND BALSAMIC MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Set out cream cheese to soften. Then prepare your chicken. Precooked chicken strips are very easy, and this would also be a great way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken, by dicing into bite-sized pieces. Or you can bake or pan-fry your chicken breasts and then cut into bite sized pieces.
• Prepare the balsamic mushrooms. First, in a small dish, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and 1 tablespoon water, set aside.
• In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter with the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, add the mushrooms and salt and stir right away with a wooden spoon until the mushrooms have absorbed all the fat.
• Let the mushrooms cook undisturbed for 2 minutes and then stir once. The pan will look dry, but keep the heat at medium-high and continue to cook, stirring infrequently, until the mushrooms are shrunken, glistening, and some sides have developed a deep orange-brown color, 6 to 7 minutes more.
• Turn the heat to low, add the garlic and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and cook, stirring, until the butter is melted and the garlic is fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds. Carefully add the balsamic mixture. Cook, stirring, until the liquid reduces to a glazey consistency that coats the mushrooms, 15 to 20 seconds. Season with pepper. Set aside mushrooms.
• Prep remaining ingredients - shred parmesan, mince garlic (or use garlic press), halve cherry tomatoes, julienne-slice basil leaves into thin strips, boil pasta.
• In a medium pot or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, taking care not to let the garlic burn. Stir in the dried basil. Add the cream cheese, stirring with a whisk until the mixture is smooth. It will look curdled at first, but with constant whisking for 2-3 minutes, it should come together to form a smooth, creamy paste. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes.
• Over medium heat, add the milk gradually, about 1/4 cup at a time, whisking quickly and constantly until each addition is incorporated fully into the sauce. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, pepper, salt, and half of the fresh basil. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the cheese is melted and the sauce is the desired consistency, 5-10 minutes.
• Plate! Layer pasta, then chicken, then mushrooms, then sauce, and top with cherry tomatoes and remaining fresh basil.

BASIC ITALIAN WHITE CREAM SAUCE (LIKE AN ALFREDO OR BECHAMEL)

Steps:

• Melt butter in small saucepan cooking over low to medium heat, stirring for about 5 minutes.
• Add flour and stir until the butter and flour are well combined. Pour in cream & remaining ingredients, stirring constantly as it thickens.
• Add more cream or flour depending on desired consistency.

PASTA WITH CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the broth, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; cook for 8 minutes or until reduced by about half. Stir in cream. , Cook, uncovered, 8-10 minutes longer or until sauce is reduced to 1-1/4 cups. Drain pasta; toss with sauce.

TOMATO-CREAM SAUCE FOR PASTA

Steps:

• In a saucepan, saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat. Make sure it doesn't burn. Add tomatoes, basil, sugar, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to boil and continue to boil 5 minutes or until most of the liquid evaporates. Remove from heat; stir in whipping cream and butter. Reduce heat and simmer 5 more minutes.