Looking for a dairy-free + grain-free healthy tuscan chicken pasta recipe? Oh, & that also only requires one pot (& a blender), look no further because this recipe is all of that with tons of richness & flavour packed into every bite! Plus it is nut-free & can be modified for low-carb, Whole-30, & vegan options.
Dairy-free ‘cream sauce’
Ok so I have to admit, I am pretty proud of this trick that I actually came up with in the summer for my dairy & gluten-free seafood chowder in my eCookbook, but am using again in this recipe.
The trick is… to blend up some veggies & then add them back into the pot! That is why you need a recipe to make this one-ish pot meal a hit.
What we’re going to do after cooking the chicken, is sauté the onion + garlic in some oil, add in the chicken broth & then the frozen or fresh cauliflower until it is all nice & soft & BLEND. Yup, we will blend all of that up until it is super smooth & creamy then add it back into the pot or saucepan with the rest of the ingredients.
You get all that ooey-gooey creaminess & incredible texture but without ANY dairy (or nuts for that matter).
Ingredients you will need for this healthy tuscan chicken:
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or vegan protein of choice)
- Avocado oil
- Red onion
- Garlic cloves
- Chicken broth (use vegetable broth for vegan option)
- Frozen or fresh cauliflower
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Italian seasoning
- Paprika
- Parsley
- Black pepper
- Pink salt
- Full-fat coconut milk
- Pasta (here is the gluten-free one I used)
- Spinach
Kitchen tools you will need
- A large saucepan (this is my favourite)
- A blender
- Measuring spoons & cups for accuracy
- Wooden spoon or mixing spoon
- Serving bowls & utensils
How to modify this healthy tuscan chicken to be low-carb or Whole-30
Super simple. Instead of adding pasta & cooking it until al-dente you are going to want to swap that out for a low carb alternative. My best recommendations would be: konjac noodles or rice, zoodles (spiralized zucchini), or cauliflower rice.
Simply add it in with the chicken & cook until your desired texture is reached for whatever alternative you’re using!
How to modify this recipe to be vegan
All you have to do is omit out the chicken & swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth! The pasta I used was a lentil & brown rice pasta so actually contains a decent amount of protein for my vegan friends. If you do want some added protein simply add in your favourite prepared vegan protein, such as, chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, or tempeh/tofu. Feel free to get creative with your add-in’s!
Rate & review this healthy tuscan chicken pasta (& tell your friends)!
Don’t forget to rate & review this recipe if you try it out! I greatly value your feedback & it really helps readers understand what recipes they should try as well! I hope you love this healthy tuscan chicken pasta as much as I do!
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Healthy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 30 Minutes
- Total Time: 45 Minutes
- Yield: 6 Servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
Looking for a dairy-free + grain-free healthy tuscan chicken pasta recipe? Oh, & that also only requires one pot (& a blender), look no further because this recipe is all of that with tons of richness & flavour packed into every bite!
Ingredients
Healthy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or vegan protein of choice, see above)
- 2 tbsp avocado oil, divided
- 1/2 large red onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 cups chicken broth (use vegetable broth for vegan option), divided
- 2 cups frozen or fresh cauliflower
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp parsley
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 tsp pink salt
- 1 can of full-fat coconut milk
- 2 + 1/4 cups pasta (here is the gluten-free one I used)
- 2–3 handfuls spinach, if desired
Toppings
- Fresh parsley
- Sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, sauté the chicken breasts over medium heat in enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Then cover.
- Flip the chicken after a few minutes, continuing to do this until the chicken is fully cooked. Add more water as needed to keep the chicken from burning to the bottom of the pan.
- Once cooked (check by cutting them open & ensuring there is no pink left), remove them from the pan & place them on a plate to slightly cool.
- Now add 2 tbsp of avocado oil to the same pan over medium heat. Add in the red onion & garlic.
- Sauté until fragrant, for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add 1 + 1/2 cups of chicken broth to the pan with the cauliflower, cover & cook until it can easily be pierced with a fork (about 4-5 minutes).
- Once the cauliflower is soft, remove the pan from the stove & carefully add the cauliflower/onion/garlic mixture to a powerful blender.
- Add 1/4 cup more of broth & bend until smooth & creamy, for about 1-2 minutes.
- Then transfer this mixture back to the pan, add in the rest of your spices, coconut milk, the other 1 + 1/4 chicken broth & the uncooked pasta to the pan.
- Continue cooking this on medium heat, covered until the pasta is soft. This will depend on the type of pasta you’re using but the one I used took about 10 minutes to get al-dente.
- Note: you want to regularly stir the pasta to ensure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of your pan.
- Once cooked add in your chicken. I shredded mine simply by using my hands & then added in the sun-dried tomatoes as well.
- Cook until everything is warm & then stir in your spinach, mixing until it is nice & wilted.
- Serve warm topped with fresh parsley & a few extra sun-dried tomatoes, if desired.
- Enjoy!
We’ve made this recipe so many times now, its become a household staple. It freezes really well and is even better as leftovers!
★★★★★
That is so amazing to hear Melissa! Thanks for sharing your feedback- perfect freezer meal for sure !
Very delicious! Minimal ingredients made it super easy to make, but still boasted plenty of flavour. I doubled the recipe and froze the other half, so I will have a quick, delicious meal in a pinch!
★★★★★
Love the idea of doubling this & freezing some, Racheal! Thanks for sharing your feedback 🙂