Creamy Chicken and Spinach Pasta
This creamy chicken spinach pasta is a comforting, one-pan dinner inspired by creamed spinach. Packed with tender chicken thighs, sautéed mushrooms and a parmesan cream sauce, it's the ultimate weeknight winner!Prepare the pasta
Servings: 4
Calories: 542kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 ½ oz (300g) dried pasta penne or rigatoni
- 1½ tsp salt
- 6 skinless and boneless chicken thighs
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 large shallots or 1 small sweet onion, finely diced
- 2 medium leeks white and light green parts, finely diced
- 1 cup (120g) mushrooms sliced
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tsp mustard powder or Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp grated nutmeg freshly grated, ideally
- ½ cup (125ml) chicken stock or broth
- 6 cups (240g) fresh baby spinach shredded
- ½ cup (120ml) cream heavy / double
- 4 tbsp grated parmesan cheese plus extra to serve
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- pinch red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Prepare the pasta
- Bring a pot of water to the boil, add the salt and your choice of pasta and cook according to pack instructions or until al dente. Set a timer – you will be making the creamy chicken spinach sauce as it cooks!10 ½ oz (300g) dried pasta, 1½ tsp salt
- Drain the pasta, reserving some of the starchy pasta water.
Make the sauce
- Trim the chicken of any fatty bits and cut into bite-size pieces. Season with salt and pepper and set aside for now.6 skinless and boneless chicken thighs, 1 tsp salt , ½ tsp black pepper
- Heat olive oil and butter in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven. Sauté the shallots and leeks over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes.1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp unsalted butter, 3 large shallots, 2 medium leeks
- Add the mushrooms and cook for a couple of minutes then stir in the garlic.1 cup (120g) mushrooms, 3 cloves garlic
- Push the vegetables to one side and add the diced chicken, garlic powder, mustard powder and nutmeg. Turn up the heat to medium and brown the chicken for a few minutes.1 tsp mustard powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp grated nutmeg
- Add the chicken stock and bring to a gentle simmer, cooking for 5 minutes or so.½ cup (125ml) chicken stock
- Stir in fresh spinach until it starts to wilt, then add the cream and simmer gently over low heat until slightly thickened. Stir in some of the reserved pasta water if you want to cut down on the amount of cream in the sauce – the starch released from the pasta will make it silky and delicious.6 cups (240g) fresh baby spinach, ½ cup (120ml) cream
- Add the grated parmesan and let it melt into the sauce.4 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
- Combine the drained pasta with the sauce, so that the pasta is coated in the creamy garlicky spinach goodness.
- Add some fresh lemon zest to brighten everything up and sprinkle with some extra grated parmesan cheese for good luck plus a pinch of red pepper flakes for a touch of heat. Serve with garlic dough balls or garlic bread and have yourselves a little feast ;)1 tsp lemon zest, salt and pepper, pinch red pepper flakes
Video
Notes
Leftovers and storage: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove or microwave with a splash of cream or stock to loosen the sauce. This recipe is not suitable for freezing due to the creamy sauce which can turn grainy when thawed and reheated.
Nutrition
Calories: 542kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 1814mg | Potassium: 713mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 5535IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 174mg | Iron: 4mg
