Description
A rich and flavorful chicken pasta dish with a creamy garlic Parmesan sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach. So delicious it might just earn a proposal!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust:
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb total)
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- 8 oz fettuccine or penne pasta
- Fresh basil or parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
1. Prepare the Crust:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt, pepper, and paprika. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet and let rest before slicing.
- Reduce heat to medium. In the same skillet, melt butter. Add minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes; sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes until the sauce is smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add fresh spinach to the sauce and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to coat evenly in the sauce. If too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water until desired consistency.
- Slice the chicken and serve over the pasta. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley if desired.
Notes
You can customize the seasonings to taste. Use chicken thighs for extra juiciness if preferred. For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream.