Description
Creamy chicken florentine pasta brings Italian comfort right to your kitchen with rich spinach and silky parmesan sauce. Garlic-infused chicken and tender pasta create a luxurious meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 8 oz / 227 g linguine pasta
- 6 oz baby spinach
- 1 small onion
- 3 garlic cloves
Protein:
- Chicken (amount not specified in original recipe)
Sauce and Seasoning Ingredients:
- 1½ cups / 300 g chicken broth
- ½ cup / 75 g heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Parmesan cheese (for topping)
Instructions
- Prepare the seasoning blend by combining garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a small mixing bowl.
- Pat chicken tenders dry and generously coat with the prepared spice mixture on both sides, ensuring even coverage.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high temperature, adding a combination of oil and butter until the butter begins to sizzle.
- Carefully arrange chicken tenders in a single layer, cooking for 4-5 minutes until golden brown on the first side.
- Flip the tenders and continue cooking for an additional 3-4 minutes, ensuring the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.
- Transfer chicken to a cutting board and slice into bite-sized pieces.
- Simultaneously, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil and cook pasta approximately 1 minute less than package instructions for al dente texture.
- In the same skillet used for chicken, sauté onions over medium heat until softened and translucent.
- Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes, stirring quickly to release their aromatic oils.
- Sprinkle flour into the skillet, whisking thoroughly to eliminate any dry patches.
- Gradually incorporate chicken broth, whisking constantly to create a smooth, lump-free sauce.
- Stir in mustard and continue whisking until the sauce begins to gently bubble and thicken.
- Pour in cream, then add a splash of lemon juice, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
- Drain pasta using a slotted spoon or colander, transferring directly into the sauce.
- Add fresh spinach to the skillet, gently folding to coat pasta and allow spinach to wilt.
- If sauce seems too thick, introduce a small amount of reserved pasta water to achieve desired consistency.
- Fold in the previously prepared chicken pieces to warm through completely.
- Serve immediately in individual bowls, generously topping with shaved parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Perfectly seasoned chicken tenders create a flavor-packed base for this creamy, restaurant-worthy pasta dish.
- Cooking pasta slightly under al dente ensures a perfect texture when finishing in the rich, velvety sauce.
- Reserve pasta water as a secret weapon to adjust sauce consistency and help ingredients bind together seamlessly.
- Gentle folding technique prevents breaking delicate spinach leaves while evenly coating pasta with luxurious sauce.
- Quick-cooking method transforms simple ingredients into an impressive meal in under 30 minutes.
- Versatile recipe allows easy customization with different protein or vegetable options for endless variations.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 485
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg