Creamy Chicken Pasta with Spinach and Cherry Tomatoes is a quick and easy chicken dinner to make when all you got is chicken tenders, spaghetti, wine and cream! With the addition of garlic and Parmesan you've got an addictive mid week meal that will become a staple.
Why you'll love Chicken Spinach Pasta
- The sauce: The amazing white wine parmesan cheese sauce comes together in the time it takes to cook your pasta. Eating it straight out of the pan is highly encouraged! And white wine and creamy pasta sauce is such an easy go to
- Simple and fast to make: Because this creamy chicken pasta is so simple - you can make it tonight! It's super fast to make too, if you have spaghetti and chicken on hand. Which I always do.
More delicious chicken pasta recipes: Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta, Creamy Lemon Garlic Chicken Pasta, Louisiana Chicken Pasta.
Main Ingredients
- Chicken tenders: I love using chicken tenders or chicken thighs in these type of recipes.
- Spaghetti: My pasta choice for this delicious dinner is spaghetti. It's comfort food. Tasty, savory and carby.
- Parmesan: Not so secret ingredient for a cheesy sauce. Grate your own or buy pre-grated.
- Heavy cream: you can't beat the silky texture and delicious flavor of real cream
How to make Creamy Chicken Spinach Pasta
This is an overview of the process: 4 simple steps to perfection of creamy chicken pasta.
Step 1. Brown chicken tenders
Once the skillet is hot, place seasoned chicken tenders in the skillet and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, turning once between cooking, about 8-10 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
Step 2. Cook creamy sauce
- Add butter and minced garlic cloves to pan. Cook on medium high until translucent, about 2 minutes.
- Next add flour to pan. Whisk to combine.
- Now add heavy cream, wine.
- Bring mixture to a simmering point and then add ½ cup of shredded Parmesan cheese. Use a whisk or a wooden spoon and mix it in until you have a smooth mixture.
- Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add halved cherry tomatoes, minced garlic. Cook the tomatoes on medium heat for about 2 minutes until they soften.
- Stir in fresh spinach and cook until it wilts.
Step 3. Prepare pasta
Cook pasta according to the package instructions to al dente, or when it's a little bit undercooked. Drain, but do not rinse
Step 4. Assmeble Chicken Pasta
- Add cooked and drained pasta to the skillet with the sauce and stir to combine on low heat for 2-4 minutes. You should taste the sauce at this point and add more salt and seasoning
- Add cooked chicken tenders to the skillet on TOP of the pasta and allow the skillet to warm up for an additional 5 minutes.
Creamy Chicken Spinach Pasta
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Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb chicken tenders
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- salt and black pepper freshly ground
Pasta Sauce
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup white wine
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- 1 ½ cups spinach
- 10 oz cherry tomatoes halved (red and yellow in color)
- 12 oz spaghetti uncooked
Instructions
Cook chicken tenders
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Season the chicken tenders with Italian seasoning, paprika, salt and pepper.
- Once the skillet is hot, place seasoned chicken tenders in the skillet and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, turning once between cooking, about 8-10 minutes.
- Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
Make creamy sauce
- Add butter and minced garlic cloves to pan. Cook on medium high until translucent, about 2 minutes. Next add flour to pan. Whisk to combine.
- Now add heavy cream, wine. Bring mixture to a simmering point and then add ½ cup of shredded Parmesan cheese.
- Use a whisk or a wooden spoon and mix it in until you have a smooth mixture. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add halved cherry tomatoes, minced garlic. Cook the tomatoes on medium heat for about 2 minutes until they soften.
- Stir in fresh spinach and cook until it wilts.
Cook Pasta
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to the package instructions.
- Drain and proceed with the rest of the recipe.
Assembly
- Add cooked and drained pasta to the skillet with the sauce and stir to combine on low heat for 2-4 minutes.
- You should taste the sauce at this point and add more salt and seasoning
- Add cooked chicken tenders to the skillet on TOP of the pasta and allow the skillet to warm up for an additional 5 minutes.
Serving suggestions
Serve with chicken tenders whole or sliced either on top or next to pasta and sprinkle with plenty of Parmesan cheese.
It's a terrific complete-meal that includes protein, carbs and fats. It's simple to make, with adaptable ingredients and just requires a trip to your favorited grocery store. Enjoy!
Tips for Recipe Success
Use chicken tenders: They are the best type of chicken to get because they are compact, delicious and easy to cook fast. Feel free to change the chicken tenders to chicken breasts, or even another protein. But I really urge you to use the chicken tenders.
Storage and leftovers
- Refrigerate: Keep leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for about up to 5 days. A splash of broth or pasta water loosens the creamy sauce when you reheat it.
- Reheat: Warm it gently on the stove top. Add a little liquid (milk is best) and stir until the creamy chicken spinach pasta comes back to life.
- Freeze: You can freeze this creamy chicken pasta, but the sauce will disintegrate and become gritty once thawed. Let it cool, then freeze in a container for up to 1 month. Reheat on the stove with more milk or heavy cream to smooth the sauce again.
Marina says
Great