Description
This 30 Minute Creamy Chicken Spinach Pasta is a delicious and comforting weeknight meal featuring tender penne pasta tossed in a rich homemade parmesan cream sauce with shredded chicken and fresh spinach. The sauce is made from scratch with butter, garlic, flour, milk, cream cheese, and parmesan, resulting in a velvety, flavorful dish that comes together quickly and easily.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 pound penne pasta
Sauce
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 Tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cups milk
- 2 Tablespoons cream cheese (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish
Additional
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 3 heaping cups fresh spinach, lightly chopped
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Boil the penne in very salty water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta and return the pot to the stove.
- Sauté Garlic: Add butter to the pot and melt over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Make Roux: Add flour to butter and whisk to combine. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant and lightly browned.
- Add Milk: Slowly add milk while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. The mixture will thicken quickly at first and then loosen as all milk is incorporated.
- Thicken Sauce: Cook sauce over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 6 minutes.
- Add Chicken, Spinach, and Cream Cheese: Stir in shredded chicken, chopped spinach, and cream cheese. Mix until the cream cheese has melted and the spinach is wilted.
- Finish with Parmesan: Turn off the heat and stir in parmesan cheese until melted and smooth.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Return the cooked pasta to the sauce and stir well to coat. Slowly add reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time until the sauce reaches a smooth and creamy consistency.
- Season and Serve: Taste the pasta and adjust salt and pepper to preference. Garnish with extra parmesan and freshly cracked black pepper if desired, and serve immediately.
Notes
- This quick and easy weeknight pasta features a homemade parmesan cream sauce, tender chicken, and plenty of fresh spinach for a balanced and tasty meal.
- The cream cheese is optional but adds extra richness to the sauce.
- Saving some pasta water is key to adjusting the sauce consistency.
- Use freshly grated parmesan for best flavor and melting quality.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/5 of recipe)
- Calories: 618
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 461.4 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 11.3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13.6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 64.9 g
- Fiber: 2.9 g
- Protein: 31.8 g
- Cholesterol: 99 mg
