Chicken Rigatoni Fiorentina

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts (sliced into four even-sized cutlets)
• salt and pepper (to taste, for seasoning chicken and sauce)
• 1 tbsp olive oil (for frying)
• 1 tbsp butter (for frying)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 0.25 cup white wine (for deglazing)
• 0.5 cup chicken stock
• 0.5 cup heavy cream
• 0.25 cup parmesan cheese (grated)
• 200 g rigatoni (cooked according to package instructions)
• 2 cups fresh spinach (packed)

Steps

1. 1

   Slice two chicken breasts horizontally to create four even-sized cutlets.

2. 2

   Season both sides of the chicken cutlets generously with salt and pepper.

3. 3

   Heat a little bit of oil and butter in a pan over medium-high heat.

4. 4

   Add the chicken cutlets to the pan and fry on both sides until they are lightly charred and cooked through.

5. 5

   Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside to rest, making sure to save any juices that collect.

6. 6

   In the same pan with the leftover fat, add the minced garlic and tomato paste. Sauté for about a minute until fragrant.

7. 7

   Deglaze the pan with white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.

8. 8

   Pour in the chicken stock and cream to form the base of the sauce.

9. 9

   Stir in the grated parmesan cheese and add a little more seasoning to taste.

10. 10

    Pour the resting juices from the chicken back into the sauce for extra flavor.

11. 11

    Add the cooked rigatoni and fresh spinach to the pan, tossing until the spinach has wilted and the pasta is well coated in the sauce.

12. 12

    Slice the rested chicken cutlets and add them back into the pan or serve on top of the pasta.

Notes

The author emphasizes using the resting juices from the chicken to enhance the sauce's flavor. Ensure the pasta is cooked al dente before adding it to the sauce.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• chicken
• pasta
• rigatoni
• creamy
• dinner
• Italian-inspired