Creamy Pasta with Chicken, Tomatoes, and Spinach

A flavorful and easy weeknight dinner, you won't need a recipe in the future once you've made it. The exact amount of ingredients are not important. You can wing that. The technique is easy and you can go from the raw ingredients to dinner on the table in under 45 minutes.

Julian's Creamy Pasta

I'm using Gruyère cheese in this dish as it melts very well and I had it on hand.  Comté, Emmental (Swiss), Raclette, and Jarlsberg are all good substitutes as they too melt well and have a nutty flavor. Provolone could also be substituted, but Mozzarella should be avoided as it has a stringy texture when melted. I'm also using fresh chicken breast but you could use leftover rotisserie chicken or even boneless skinless chicken thighs. 

Ingredients (Serves 4-6)

1 chicken breast
1 tablespoon poultry/Italian seasoning
1/2 to 1 pound Farfalle (bow tie) pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium - large onion, chopped
Salt and pepper
12-20 cherry tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup white wine
5 ounces baby spinach
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2/3 cup chicken broth
1/2 - 3/4  cup Gruyère cheese, freshly grated
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions

Cut the chicken breast in half horizontally so you have two thinner pieces. Then cut the chicken again into strips and then bite-sized pieces. Put on a plate and sprinkle with seasoning of your choice. Set aside.

Start to cook the pasta in salted water according to package directions until just barely al dente (firm and slightly resistant to the bite rather than soft or mushy) about 11-13 minutes. Reserve a cup of the pasta water when cooked. Drain and sprinkle with a little olive oil to prevent sticking if the rest of the dish is not yet ready.

While the pasta is cooking, to a deep skillet set over medium-high heat, add olive oil. When hot but not smoking, add the chicken and brown lightly on all sides. Remove to a clean plate.

Add the chopped onion to the skillet with some salt and pepper and cook, stirring regularly for 2 minutes until it begins to soften. Add the cherry tomatoes and stir. Continue cooking for 4-5 minutes until a few of the tomatoes begin to burst. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.

Add the white wine scape up any browned bits from the chicken, and cook to reduce by about half.  Stir in the baby spinach a handful at a time and cook until softened and reduced, another 3-4 minutes. 

Sprinkle with flour and cook while stirring for another minute.  Add the chicken broth and cook stirring to combine until it is hot and just starting to simmer and thicken slightly.

Stir in the grated cheese for another minute, then stir in the heavy cream. Add the cooked chicken and stir in the cooked pasta. Stir to thicken the sauce. If it’s too thick, stir in some of the reserved pasta water. Serve with a sprinkle of grated cheese.

Ingredients