on Oct 31, 2022, Updated Nov 01, 2023 If you’re looking for more easy and delicious pasta recipes, try these: Cajun Spaghetti, White Sauce Pasta, Gigi Hadid’s Spicy Vodka Pasta, Olive Tapenade Pasta, and Haitian Spaghetti.
About Chicken Florentine Pasta
Florentine Pasta is a pasta dish featuring spinach. This Chicken Florentine Pasta is a creamy and cheesy Italian pasta dish with cooked pasta tossed in a creamy sauce, flavorful chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach. Pasta Florentine with chicken is easy to make. It comes together in under 30 minutes using a few simple ingredients and requires minimal cleanup. It is a great, cozy, comforting dish for a busy weekday dinner for the whole family. This pasta recipe reheats very well, so you can double or triple it and meal-prep it for the week. This recipe can also be easily made vegetarian. Just replace the chicken chunks with veggies like broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, etc., and the chicken stock cube with a vegetable stock cube.
Ingredients
Pasta – You can use any pasta of your choice to make this florentine pasta. Spaghetti, Penne Pasta, Linguine Pasta, Bowtie pasta, Fusilli Pasta, Farfalle Pasta, or any other pasta works in this recipe. Use whole wheat pasta or multigrain pasta to make this dish healthier. Always cook the pasta al dente (just cooked). Chicken – I like to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, but you can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. If you have leftover chicken from the previous night, you can use it in this recipe. Spinach – Spinach gives a nice, vibrant color and taste and enhances this dish’s nutrition. Use fresh spinach or frozen spinach. If using frozen spinach, thaw it before use and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Fresh baby spinach is also great to use in this recipe. Sun-Dried Tomatoes – Sundried Tomatoes are optional but highly recommended. I love the sweet-tart flavor they add. You can replace them with halved fresh cherry tomatoes, too. Chicken Stock Cubes add a beautiful flavor to this dish. You can also replace them with bouillon powder. If you have chicken broth, use ½ cup of it instead of a stock cube. Just skip the water from the recipe. Cream – Unsweetened heavy cream makes this pasta dish super creamy. Cheese – Cream cheese and mozzarella cheese are needed to make the Florentine pasta creamy, cheesy, and gooey. You can also add parmesan cheese to make it cheesier. Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Butter – I like combining both to make this chicken florentine pasta recipe. Seasonings – To add some extra flavor to this easy pasta recipe, add seasonings such as smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt & ground black pepper. Want to make it spicier? Throw in some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper. Others – You will also need garlic and onions. You can also add some Italian seasoning and a splash of dry white wine while cooking the pasta.
How To Make Creamy Chicken Florentine Pasta
Cook The Pasta
Bring 4-5 cups of water to a boil over high heat in a large pot. Once the water comes to a boil, add 1 tablespoon salt and 10 oz (300 g) of dried pasta and stir gently. Cook on high heat for 6-7 minutes until the pasta is al dente (just cooked). Do not overcook; otherwise, the pasta dish will become mushy. Remove the pot from heat, drain the water (reserving 1 cup for the recipe), and toss the pasta with a teaspoon of oil. Set it aside.
Make The Florentine Pasta
Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoon butter (salted or unsalted) in a large pan (6-quart) or a Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add 2 teaspoon minced garlic and ½ cup chopped onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add
10 oz (300 g) of boneless skinless chicken breast (cut into ½-inch cubes) 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1 teaspoon dried oregano ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder ¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
and cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 1 chicken stock cube and ½ cup of water from boiling the pasta and mix until the cube dissolves. Now add
cooked pasta 2 cups of chopped spinach (packed, rinsed) ½ cup of unsweetened heavy cream 7 oz (200 g) of cream cheese ½ cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
and mix until combined. Add more hot pasta water (or milk) if the pasta looks dry. Check for salt and pepper and add more if needed. Serve hot.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Pasta Florentine with Chicken on its own for a delicious weeknight dinner. You can also serve Dinner Rolls, Garlic Bread, or a Bruschetta on the side. I sometimes like to serve a light and summery fresh salad with this pasta to fill the meal. Some of my favorites are Watermelon Feta Salad, Cucumber Avocado Salad, Jamaican Cucumber Salad, Lemon Capellini Salad, etc. You can also serve some sides like No Breading Air Fryer Zucchini, etc. Top this delicious pasta dish with some Pangrattato just before serving.
Storage Suggestions
This florentine pasta with chicken tastes best when served right from the pan; however, if you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in a pan or a microwave until nicely warm before serving. Add some milk while reheating the pasta, as it thickens when refrigerated. Do not freeze this pasta dish; the cheese might curdle when thawed.
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