Description
This Creamy Chicken Florentine Pasta is a luscious and comforting dish featuring tender chicken tenders cooked to perfection, tossed with al dente linguine pasta in a rich, creamy sauce infused with tender baby spinach, garlic, Dijon mustard, and a hint of white wine. Finished with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, this recipe is perfect for a satisfying weeknight dinner bursting with flavor and creamy goodness.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For Chicken:
- 1 pound / 453 g chicken tenders, or chicken breasts cut into 1-inch strips
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
For Sauce:
- 8 oz / 227 g linguine pasta, or other shape as desired
- 1 small onion, diced (about 1/2 cup diced)
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, more or less to taste
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1 1/2 cups / 300 g chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup / 75 g heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice, more or less to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, more or less to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more or less to taste
- 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 chicken evenly with half of the spice mix, flip, and coat with remaining half.
- Cook Chicken: Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted and sizzling, arrange chicken tenders in a single layer. Cook for 4-5 minutes until browned, then flip and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until cooked through (internal temperature 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 and cook for 1 minute less than package instructions (about 9 minutes for 10-minute pasta). The pasta will finish cooking in the sauce.
- Create Sauce Base: Return the skillet used for chicken to medium heat. If dry, add a splash of olive oil or butter. Sauté onion for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Make Roux and Deglaze: Sprinkle in flour and stir until no dry bits remain. Pour in white wine, whisking until mostly evaporated. Gradually add chicken broth in small amounts, whisking continuously until smooth. Stir in Dijon mustard.
- Thicken Sauce: Continue whisking over medium heat until the sauce bubbles gently and thickens, roughly 5 minutes. Stir in heavy cream. Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Drain pasta using a slotted spoon or colander, reserving some pasta water. Add pasta directly to the sauce skillet. Top with baby spinach and gently fold to combine. Let pasta finish cooking in the sauce for 1-2 minutes until spinach wilts and sauce thickens. If sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water to loosen.
- Add Chicken: Fold sliced chicken into the pasta and sauce mixture until warmed through.
- Serve: Plate the creamy chicken florentine pasta and sprinkle generously with shaved Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Use chicken breasts if tenders are unavailable, cutting into 1-inch strips for even cooking.
- The pasta finishes cooking in the sauce to absorb maximum flavor and maintain a creamy texture.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to your preferred spice level.
- Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency as needed.
- Ensure chicken is cooked to a safe internal temperature of 160°F for best taste and safety.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 46 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 105 mg
