Description
This Creamy Chicken Florentine Pasta is a deliciously rich and flavorful meal combining tender chicken tenders, garlic, and spinach in a luscious creamy sauce served over linguine pasta. With a perfect balance of tangy lemon, Dijon mustard, and a touch of white wine, this easy-to-make skillet dish offers comforting Italian-inspired flavors in just 30 minutes, ideal for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 1 pound / 453 g chicken tenders, or chicken breasts cut into 1-inch strips
- 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking Fats
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
Pasta
- 8 oz / 227 g linguine pasta, or other shape as desired
Sauce Ingredients
- 1 small onion, diced (about ½ cup diced)
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, more or less to taste
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup white wine
- 1½ cups / 300 g chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ½ cup / 75 g heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice, more or less to taste
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, more or less to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more or less to taste
Vegetables and Toppings
- 6 oz baby spinach, coarsely chopped
- Parmesan cheese, for topping
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Pat the chicken tenders dry on a plate. Mix garlic powder, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Coat the chicken evenly with half of the spice mix, flip, and coat with the remaining half to ensure full seasoning on all sides.
- Cook Chicken: Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted and sizzling, arrange the chicken tenders in a single layer. Cook for 4-5 minutes on one side until browned, then flip and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160°F. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and slice into bite-sized pieces.
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguine pasta and cook for about 9 minutes, which is 1 minute less than the package instructions, to allow the pasta to finish cooking in the sauce later.
- Create Sauce Base: Return the skillet used for cooking chicken to medium heat. If the skillet is dry, add a splash of olive oil or butter. Sauté diced onion for 4-5 minutes until softened and translucent. Add finely chopped garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Make Roux and Deglaze: Sprinkle flour over the sautéed onions and garlic, stirring continuously until no dry bits remain. Pour in the white wine, whisking until it has mostly evaporated. Gradually add chicken broth in small amounts, whisking continuously to create a smooth sauce. Stir in Dijon mustard to infuse flavor.
- Thicken Sauce: Continue whisking the sauce over medium heat until it bubbles gently and thickens, approximately 5 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream, then add lemon juice, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper to taste, adjusting seasoning accordingly.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Drain the pasta using a colander or slotted spoon, reserving some pasta water. Add the drained pasta directly to the sauce in the skillet. Top with chopped baby spinach and gently fold everything together. Let the pasta finish cooking in the sauce for 1-2 minutes until the spinach wilts and the sauce thickens further. If the sauce is too thick, incorporate reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen it.
- Add Chicken: Fold the sliced chicken pieces into the pasta and sauce mixture until heated through and well combined.
- Serve: Plate the creamy chicken florentine pasta and generously sprinkle with shaved Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Use chicken breasts if tenders are unavailable, just cut them into 1-inch strips for even cooking.
- Reserve pasta water to adjust the sauce consistency if needed.
- Adjust red pepper flakes according to your preferred spice level.
- Cook pasta slightly underdone since it will finish cooking in the sauce.
- Ensure chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of 160°F before serving.
- Fresh lemon juice brightens the creamy sauce; adjust quantity to taste.
- Parmesan cheese adds salty richness when served on top.
