Creamy Spinach Pasta with Chicken Dinner
Make this simple, rich pasta dish featuring tender chicken, fresh spinach, and a garlic Parmesan cream sauce. It is perfect for a quick weeknight meal.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Total Time: 35 min
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 pound pasta (fettuccine or penne work well)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 5 ounces fresh spinach
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
Instructions
- Season the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining. Set the drained pasta aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter to the same skillet. Once melted, add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn.
- Pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. Let it cook for 3 minutes until it thickens slightly.
- Stir in the Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water.
- Add the fresh spinach to the sauce. Stir until the spinach wilts down completely, about 2 minutes.
- Return the cooked chicken and the drained pasta to the skillet. Toss everything together until the pasta and chicken are fully coated in the creamy sauce.
- Stir in the nutmeg, if using. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For a lighter sauce, substitute half of the heavy cream with whole milk, but you may need to simmer longer to achieve the desired thickness.
- If you do not have chicken broth, you can use water mixed with 1/2 teaspoon of chicken bouillon powder.
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic for a slight kick.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 750
- Fat: 35
- Saturated Fat: 18
- Unsaturated Fat: 12
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 40
- Cholesterol: 150