Description
A quick and delicious one-pan meal combining tender chicken, al dente pasta, and a creamy garlic parmesan sauce, perfect for busy evenings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz penne pasta
- 1 lb chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups spinach (fresh or frozen)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the penne pasta in a large pot of salted water according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, drizzle in the olive oil. Add the chicken pieces, seasoning with salt and pepper, and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.
- Toss in the minced garlic and red pepper flakes (if using), sauté for about 1 minute.
- Add the spinach to the skillet, stirring until it wilts.
- Pour in the heavy cream and reduce the heat. Stir in the grated parmesan cheese until melted and creamy.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, tossing everything together until the pasta is coated in the sauce. Adjust seasoning as necessary.
- Spoon generous portions onto plates and add an extra sprinkle of parmesan before serving.
Notes
Substitute any pasta you have on hand if you don’t have penne. For a lighter version, replace half of the heavy cream with chicken broth.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Skillet Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 90mg