Description
A quick and comforting chicken pasta dish with creamy sauce, sautéed veggies, and tender chicken.
Ingredients
Scale
- 10 oz penne pasta
- 1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1.5 tsp garlic powder
- 1.5 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup tomatoes, diced
- 2 cups spinach
- 2 cups cream
- 1/2 cup parmesan, freshly grated
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Boil the pasta: Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente, reserving about ¼ cup of the pasta water before draining.
- Season the chicken: Toss chicken cubes with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
- Cook the chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes per side.
- Sauté garlic and veggies: In the same skillet, melt butter, add minced garlic, and sauté for 1 minute. Then add tomatoes and spinach, cooking until the spinach wilts.
- Make the cream sauce: Lower heat, pour in cream, and stir. Add parmesan and red pepper flakes, stirring until melted. Season to taste.
- Combine everything: Return chicken and pasta to the skillet, gently folding to combine and adding reserved pasta water as needed.
- Serve hot: Transfer to serving dishes and enjoy!
Notes
For quicker prep, use precooked or rotisserie chicken. You can swap spinach for kale or add other veggies.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
Keywords: chicken pasta, quick dinner, creamy pasta, family meal, easy recipe