Tuscan Chicken Pasta with Cottage Cheese (Print-Friendly Version)

Cottage cheese, cream and Parmesan coat this chicken pasta with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. Keep the dairy over gentle heat and reserve pasta water for adjusting the sauce. Cottage cheese can retain curds; it does not melt into a smooth sauce on its own.

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# Ingredients You’ll Need:

→ For the Chicken

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

03 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

04 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder

05 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ For the Pasta

06 - 8 ounces penne or any pasta of your choice

07 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

08 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

09 - 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

10 - 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped

11 - 1 cup cottage cheese

12 - ½ cup heavy cream

13 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

14 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

15 - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

16 - Salt and pepper to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Season the chicken with its Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

02 - Heat the first tablespoon of oil and cook the chicken, turning as needed, until thick centers reach 165°F. Transfer to a clean board and slice after a short rest.

03 - Cook pasta according to its package and reserve some cooking water before draining. Heat the second tablespoon of oil in the skillet.

04 - Briefly cook garlic, then add chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Reduce heat and stir in cottage cheese, cream, Parmesan, the remaining Italian seasoning and optional pepper flakes.

05 - Warm gently without boiling. Add spinach and stir until wilted.

06 - Toss in pasta and cooked chicken, loosening with a little reserved water if necessary. Taste the finished sauce before adding more salt and serve promptly.

# Extra Suggestions:

01 - For a smoother sauce, blend the cottage cheese and cream while cold before adding them to the skillet.

02 - Drain oil-packed tomatoes before measuring and chopping.

03 - The first tablespoon of oil and teaspoon of Italian seasoning belong to the chicken. Measure eight ounces of dry pasta before cooking. The two tablespoons of oil are separate allocations for chicken and sauce, as are the two teaspoons of Italian seasoning. Check whether the sun-dried tomatoes are oil-packed or dry: drain oil-packed pieces, and soften dry pieces according to their package before chopping and measuring. Cottage cheese curds remain visible when simply stirred into the sauce. For a smoother texture, blend the measured cottage cheese and cream together before warming them; do not add extra cream just to hide the curds. Keep the sauce below a boil and add reserved pasta water in small splashes. Taste after the Parmesan and tomatoes are incorporated because their salt levels vary.

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