What to Make Next if You Love Tuscan Chicken Macaroni

We’re over the moon that so many of you have been making and loving our Tuscan Chicken Macaroni recipe! We had a sneaky feeling that this dish might be a smash, especially since it’s both creamy and cheesy, with plenty of pasta to fill you up. 

If this recipe ticks all your boxes, and you’re looking for similar recipes to try, let us save you a job! We’ve put together this list of other dishes that are every bit as simple and delicious as this one, to make planning your dinners easy-peasy. 

Here’s a few ideas about what to make next if you love Tuscan Chicken Macaroni…

Tuscan-inspired Recipes

There’s no better place to start than by taking it back to the very beginning. Our original Creamy Tuscan Chicken recipe was inspired by delicious Italian flavours such as rich sundried tomatoes, salty Parmesan cheese and velvety cream. 

In classic Pinch of Nom style, we made our version lighter by switching a few ingredients for lower-calorie alternatives, all without losing any of the flavour. Ever since this recipe came out in our Quick & Easy cookbook it’s been a popular choice over in the Facebook group. 

Once we realised how much the whole community loved these flavours, we knew it was time to dream up another dish…and that’s how Tuscan Chicken Macaroni came to exist!

If you’ve yet to try the dish that inspired it all, treat yourself to Creamy Tuscan Chicken for dinner soon – it’s just 284 calories, and on the table in half an hour. 

Call it a hunch, but if you can’t get enough of creamy, cheesy, pasta recipes, we reckon this Tuscan Chicken Pasta Bake is right up your street. We’ve cooked tender chunks of chicken in a fragrant sauce with garlic, basil, oregano, cream cheese and sundried tomatoes. 

Once that all comes together, it’s time to mix in some pasta, sprinkle on mozzarella and top with thin slices of tomato. Just 20 minutes in the oven will turn it into a dreamy dinner for the whole family. 

Keep an eye on the sundried tomatoes that you use for this recipe – some of them come in oil, which can add extra calories to your food. 

Fancy a change from chicken? We’ve got you covered with this Creamy Tuscan-Style Salmon. Despite being just 500 calories per serving, we’ve made the creamiest, dreamiest sauce for our soft, flaky fish. 

Roasted cherry tomatoes add a touch of sweetness, and they’re lower in calories than the sundried version, while still bringing that Tuscany-inspired flavour to your plate. 

Best of all, this recipe is handy to have in your back pocket on busy days – it’s ready in just 26 minutes, so you can sit down and eat something delicious, even on days when time isn’t on your side. 

Psst…you’ll need a copy of our Family Meal Planner if you want the full recipe for this one! Flick to page 95 to get started. 

Macaroni Cheese Recipes

If it’s the ‘macaroni’ bit of Tuscan Chicken Macaroni that really grabs your attention, there’s more where that came from. We get it – macaroni cheese is a comfort food classic, and it’s one of those dishes that feels like it can’t possibly be slimming friendly (but it definitely can!).

On first glance, this Cauli Mac ‘n’ Cheese looks just as luxurious and indulgent as you’d expect, but it’s hiding a secret! We’ve made the sauce extra-creamy by blending cauliflower into it, sneaking some extra veggies into your day. 

You’ll never even notice it once you’ve added in your bacon, cheese and that all-important macaroni pasta!

Macaroni cheese, but make it spicy! If you’ve already got a copy of Pinch of Nom: Budget, you’ll probably have spotted this Curried Macaroni Cheese on pages 138-139. By mixing some curry powder and red chillies into the cheese sauce, we’ve ramped up the fiery flavour. 

You’ll find loads of tasty veggies hidden amongst the cheese and pasta, helping you towards your 5-a-day, for just 430 calories per serving. Plus, there’s no need to miss out if you can’t handle the heat – you could use a mild curry powder and leave out the chillies to make a version of this that’ll gather everyone around the table. 

Why not double up on Italian-style deliciousness and load your macaroni cheese with herby pork meatballs? This Cheesy Mac ‘n’ Meatballs isn’t messing around – we put ‘cheesy’ in the name because you’ve got a creamy cheese sauce AND a golden cheese topping to look forward to. 

All that cheesiness doesn’t stop this recipe from being slimming friendly though! Each meatball and pasta-loaded portion is only 397 calories. The magic is all in using lean 5% fat pork mince to make your homemade meatballs, and choosing reduced-fat Cheddar for the topping. 

Pasta Bake Recipes

At its heart, our Tuscan Chicken Macaroni recipe is a good old-fashioned pasta bake – and that’s why we all love it so much! A pasta bake is easy, filling and always a hit with the whole family. There are loads of ways to switch up the flavours too, so you can tuck into a variety of dishes and never get bored. 

If you haven’t already tried this Chicken Kyiv Pasta Bake, put it at the top of your list to go on next week’s meal plan. The filling tastes just like the inside of a Kyiv, with tender chunks of chicken and a decent helping of pasta, simmered in a creamy, garlicky sauce. 

Cover the whole thing in a mixture of Cheddar cheese and herby breadcrumbs, then get it into a hot oven until it smells so amazing, you can’t wait another minute to dig in!

It’s hard to beat this hearty Chilli Pasta Bake, particularly on a chilly evening. All the best bits of a chilli con carne and cheesy pasta bake combined, it’s a winning dinner any day of the week. 

With so many different veggies hidden among the lean beef mince and pasta twirls, there’s plenty of goodness packed into this easy recipe. It’s a little bit higher in calories than the dishes you’ll find in our Everyday Light category, but still only 523 per serving! Filling and satisfying, there’s no chance you’ll feel hungry after polishing off your portion. 

This next dish has a lot in common with our delicious Tuscan Chicken Macaroni…juicy chicken, melted cheese and plenty of pasta. Rather than Italian-style flavours, this Hunter’s Chicken Pasta Bake is instead inspired by one of our favourite pub grub orders! 

The rich, tomatoey sauce is flavoured with BBQ seasoning, for that moreish hint of smokiness. Once your chicken and pasta is all mixed together, it’s time to sprinkle reduced-fat Cheddar all over the top and get it into the oven. 

Wait until you see the cheese bubbling and melting – you’ll be fighting over who gets the spoonful with the crispy edges. 

Which recipe will you be making next?

We can’t wait to see our selection of Tuscan Chicken Macaroni-inspired dishes in your posts and stories (don’t forget to tag us!). We’re always scrolling through your photos in our Facebook group, where we have almost 1 million incredible community members supporting each other on their slimming journey.

Our Gallery never fails to give us inspiration when we’re not sure what to make next. The only thing you’ll need to do is sign up to a free website account to upload and share your photos.

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