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Creamy Spinach Chicken Pasta with Garlic

Close-up of Creamy Spinach Chicken Pasta with Garlic featuring fettuccine, seared chicken pieces, and rich green spinach sauce.
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Make a rich and savory pasta dish featuring tender chicken, fresh spinach, and a strong garlic cream sauce.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound pasta (fettuccine or penne)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 5 ounces fresh spinach
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining. Set pasta aside.
  2. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
  3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.
  4. Reduce heat to medium. Add minced garlic to the same skillet and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let it burn.
  5. Pour in chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it simmer for 1 minute.
  6. Stir in heavy cream and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook for 3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
  7. Stir in Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water.
  8. Add the spinach to the sauce and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add red pepper flakes now if using.
  9. Return the cooked chicken and the drained pasta to the skillet. Toss everything together until the pasta and chicken are fully coated in the sauce.
  10. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • For a stronger garlic flavor, increase the garlic to 8 cloves.
  • You can substitute heavy cream with half-and-half, but the sauce will be thinner.
  • Use rotisserie chicken to speed up the cooking time.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://spoonswirl.com/creamy-spinach-chicken-pasta-with-garlic/