Chicken Florentine Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 lb Penne
• 4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (Cut into chunks)
• Salt (To taste; use lightly salted water for the pasta and season the chicken and tomatoes)
• Black pepper (To taste)
• 2 tbsp Butter
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 4 cloves Garlic (Minced)
• 0.75 cup Dry white wine (For a nonalcoholic version, use double the amount of broth and omit the wine)
• 0.75 cup Low-sodium chicken broth (More if needed)
• 1 bag Baby spinach (Estimated as one 5-ounce bag)
• 2 cup Grape tomatoes (Halved lengthwise; season with a little salt and pepper)
• 4 oz Parmesan cheese (Shaved with a vegetable peeler)

Steps

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the penne according to the package directions until al dente. Drain well in a colander and set aside.

2. 2

   Cut the chicken breasts into bite-size chunks. Season them with salt and pepper.

3. 3

   Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over high heat until the butter melts and the fat is hot.

4. 4

   Add the chicken in a single layer. Leave it undisturbed for 1 to 2 minutes so the first side can brown well.

5. 5

   Turn the chicken pieces and brown the second side. Continue cooking until the chicken is thoroughly cooked through and no longer pink in the center, then transfer it to a plate and set aside, reserving any juices.

6. 6

   Reduce the skillet heat to medium. Add the minced garlic and stir quickly for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant; do not let it burn.

7. 7

   Pour in the white wine and chicken broth. Stir while scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet to deglaze it.

8. 8

   Let the liquid bubble and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until it has reduced by at least half and looks richer. Do not allow it to disappear; add a splash of additional broth if necessary.

9. 9

   While the sauce reduces, halve the grape tomatoes lengthwise and season them lightly with salt and pepper.

10. 10

    Turn off the heat once the sauce has reduced. Add the baby spinach, seasoned tomatoes, cooked chicken and any accumulated juices, and drained penne to the skillet.

11. 11

    Immediately toss everything together with tongs or a large spoon. The hot pasta and sauce should wilt the spinach and warm the tomatoes without separately cooking them.

12. 12

    Add the shaved Parmesan and toss or serve it over the pasta. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper before serving.

Notes

The recipe yields approximately 10 servings. For a nonalcoholic version, replace the wine with an additional 3/4 cup of chicken broth, for 1 1/2 cups broth total. If the reduced sauce becomes too concentrated or nearly disappears, loosen it with more broth.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pasta
• Italian-inspired
• one-pan
• chicken
• vegetables
• quick dinner