Save It I discovered this dish on a rainy Tuesday when I had nothing in the pantry except chicken, cream, and a forgotten jar of sun-dried tomatoes. What started as improvisation became the meal I make whenever I need to feel like I'm sitting in a small trattoria somewhere in Tuscany. The combination of that tangy sun-dried tomato bite against the silky cream and fresh spinach hits differently every time, and honestly, it takes less time than ordering takeout.
The first time I made this for someone I was trying to impress, I panicked halfway through because the sauce looked too thin. I stood there stirring, watching it slowly come together, and realized that sometimes the magic happens when you slow down and stop rushing. They had seconds, and that's when I knew this recipe was a keeper.
Ingredients
- Penne or fettuccine, 350 g (12 oz): Use whichever shape makes you happy, though penne catches the sauce beautifully in its ridges. Cook it just shy of fully soft so it doesn't turn mushy when you toss it with the hot cream.
- Chicken breasts, 2 large boneless and skinless: Pound them to even thickness before seasoning so they cook at the same rate. This small step prevents dry edges and undercooked centers.
- Olive oil, 2 tbsp: Medium heat is your friend here; rushing on high heat will scorch the garlic and make the whole dish taste bitter.
- Unsalted butter, 2 tbsp: This is where the sauce gets its silky foundation, so don't skip it or substitute with oil.
- Garlic, 3 cloves minced: Mince it fresh right before cooking; pre-minced garlic never gives you that fragrant moment that tells you it's ready.
- Sun-dried tomatoes in oil, 120 g (3/4 cup) drained and sliced: Those little flavor bombs carry the Tuscan soul of this dish. Draining them prevents the sauce from becoming too oily.
- Chicken broth, 120 ml (1/2 cup): The acidity cuts through the cream and helps create a sauce with depth instead of one-note richness.
- Heavy cream, 240 ml (1 cup): Full fat is essential; anything lighter and the sauce breaks or tastes thin and watery.
- Parmesan cheese, 60 g (2 oz) grated: Freshly grated melts into the sauce smoothly. Pre-grated has additives that can make it grainy and separated.
- Fresh baby spinach, 80 g (3 cups): It wilts down dramatically, so don't be afraid of how much it looks in the pan. Add it just before serving for the brightest color.
- Red pepper flakes, 1/4 tsp optional: A whisper of heat makes the cream taste richer and prevents it from being one-dimensional.
- Fresh basil or parsley for garnish: These aren't optional; they add a fresh finish that reminds you this isn't just comfort food, it's also something bright and alive.
Instructions
- Boil the pasta with confidence:
- Get your water to a rolling boil and add enough salt so it tastes like the sea. This is where the pasta gets its flavor, and rushing this step makes everything taste flat.
- Sear the chicken until it's golden and rested:
- Pat the chicken dry before it hits the oil, and resist the urge to poke and flip it constantly. Let each side get golden and crusty, then rest it on a plate for five minutes so the juices redistribute instead of running onto your pasta.
- Build the sauce from the fond:
- Don't rush past that butter-and-garlic moment. Let the garlic turn pale gold and release its smell, then add those sun-dried tomatoes and let them warm and soften slightly.
- Deglaze and let everything meld:
- Pour in the broth and scrape up every browned bit stuck to the pan—that's pure flavor. Watch the liquid reduce slightly, then lower the heat before adding the cream so the sauce stays silky instead of breaking.
- Melt in the Parmesan and wilt the spinach:
- Stir gently to dissolve the cheese into the cream until it's velvety, then add the spinach and watch it collapse into the sauce in seconds.
- Bring everything together:
- Toss the pasta and chicken into the skillet and coat everything, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if it feels too thick. The starch in the pasta water helps the sauce cling to every piece.
Save It There's a moment while the spinach is wilting when the whole kitchen smells like garlic, tomato, and cream all at once, and that's when you know this dish is going to be good. It's the kind of meal that makes everyone around the table slow down and actually talk instead of just eating on autopilot.
How to Know When Everything Is Done
The chicken is ready when it's golden on the outside and no longer pink in the thickest part. The pasta should bend slightly but still have a tiny resistance when you bite it; overcooked pasta will turn to mush once it hits the hot sauce. The sauce is done when it coats the back of a spoon and falls off slowly instead of running off immediately—that silky consistency is everything.
Substitutions That Actually Work
I've made this with shrimp instead of chicken on nights when I wanted something lighter, and it's honestly just as good. You can use half-and-half instead of heavy cream if you want to cut some richness, though the sauce won't be quite as velvety. Gluten-free pasta works perfectly, and fresh spinach can be swapped for frozen if that's what you have, though you'll want to squeeze out the excess moisture first.
What to Serve Alongside This
A simple green salad with lemon vinaigrette cuts through the richness beautifully, and crusty bread for soaking up every drop of sauce is non-negotiable. If you want to match wine, a crisp Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc keeps everything light and lets the cream shine without feeling heavy.
- Make sure your skillet is large enough that everything isn't crowded when you add the pasta.
- Reserve pasta water before you drain—this small step saves you if the sauce needs loosening.
- Don't skip the rest period for the chicken; those five minutes make the difference between juicy and dry.
Save It This pasta has become my go-to when someone needs feeding and I need to feel like I haven't lost my kitchen skills. It's proof that simple ingredients, a little patience, and actual attention while cooking creates something that tastes like you spent all day on it.