Creamy Garlic Chicken Penne with Spinach Recipe
Creamy Garlic Chicken Penne with Spinach is a comforting and flavorful pasta dish featuring tender chicken breast, a rich garlic cream sauce, and fresh spinach. This easy-to-make recipe combines perfectly cooked penne pasta with a luscious sauce made from butter, garlic, heavy cream, chicken broth, and Parmesan cheese. The dish is versatile and can be customized with optional spices or baked for a cheesy twist.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sautéing and Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Low Salt
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Chicken
- 350 g (12 oz) penne pasta
- 450 g (1 lb) chicken breast, sliced
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Creamy Garlic Sauce
- 2 tbsp butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream or cooking cream
- ½ cup chicken broth (or reserved pasta water)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- Optional: pinch of chili flakes or Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Boil penne pasta in well-salted water until al dente, usually about 10-12 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
- Cook the chicken: Season the sliced chicken breast with salt, black pepper, and paprika. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 4–5 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- Make the sauce: In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth, then simmer for 3–4 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese until smooth and creamy.
- Combine: Return cooked pasta and chicken to the skillet with the sauce. Toss everything together to coat evenly, adding reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce. Fold in fresh spinach and cook for 1–2 minutes until the spinach wilts.
- Serve: Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as desired. Garnish with extra Parmesan cheese or fresh herbs. Optionally sprinkle chili flakes or Italian seasoning for added flavor.
Notes
- For extra flavor, add sun-dried tomatoes or sautéed mushrooms when making the sauce.
- To make a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or evaporated milk.
- For a spicy kick, increase the amount of chili flakes or add a dash of hot sauce.
- You can also transfer the finished dish to a baking dish, top with mozzarella cheese, and bake until bubbly for a baked variation.
- Reserve pasta water carefully as it helps adjust sauce consistency and adds starch for better coating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1/4 of the recipe)
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
Keywords: Creamy garlic chicken penne, pasta with spinach, chicken pasta recipe, easy creamy pasta, garlic cream sauce