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Creamy Chicken Florentine Pasta - Comforting, Rich, and Weeknight-Friendly

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • Pasta: 12 ounces penne, rigatoni, or fusilli
  • Chicken: 1 to 1.25 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
  • Spinach: 5 to 6 ounces baby spinach (about 5 packed cups)
  • Butter: 2 tablespoons, divided
  • Olive oil: 1 tablespoon
  • Garlic: 3 to 4 cloves, minced
  • All-purpose flour: 1.5 tablespoons
  • Chicken broth: 1 cup (low-sodium)
  • Heavy cream: 3/4 cup (or half-and-half for a lighter sauce)
  • Parmesan: 3/4 cup freshly grated, plus more for serving
  • Lemon: Zest of 1/2 lemon and 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • Seasonings: 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • Salt and black pepper: To taste
  • Fresh parsley: Chopped, for garnish (optional)

Method
 

  1. Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until just shy of al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup pasta water, then drain.
  2. Season and sear the chicken. Pat chicken dry, then season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer and cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring once or twice, until browned and cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate.
  3. Sauté the aromatics. Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant, scraping up browned bits.
  4. Build the roux. Sprinkle flour over the garlic. Stir for 30 seconds to cook off the raw flour taste.
  5. Add liquids. Slowly whisk in chicken broth until smooth, then add cream. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until slightly thickened.
  6. Melt in the cheese. Lower heat. Stir in Parmesan a handful at a time until melted and the sauce is creamy. Add lemon zest and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
  7. Add the spinach. Stir in spinach and cook 1 to 2 minutes until just wilted and bright green.
  8. Combine pasta and chicken. Return chicken to the pan with any juices. Add cooked pasta. Toss to coat, loosening with reserved pasta water as needed until the sauce is glossy and clings to the pasta.
  9. Finish and serve. Taste again for seasoning and lemon. Garnish with parsley and extra Parmesan. Serve hot.