Description

A rich, one-pan weeknight dinner featuring juicy chicken thighs, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach in a silky Parmesan cream sauce. The secret to perfection is tempering the cream and using starchy pasta water for a stable emulsion.

Ingredients

Scale

1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 cup heavy whipping cream (240 ml)
½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
4 cups fresh baby spinach
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
8 oz fettuccine or penne
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil or reserved sun-dried tomato oil

Instructions

Pat chicken thighs dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 4-5 minutes until golden. Flip and cook another 4-5 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove to a plate and tent with foil.
Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the skillet. Once melted, add garlic and Italian seasoning. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to brown the garlic.
Pour in heavy cream and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened.
Stir in chopped sun-dried tomatoes and grated Parmesan cheese. Whisk until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Remove pan from heat to prevent cheese from clumping.
While sauce simmers, boil pasta in salted water according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup of starchy pasta water before draining.
Add cooked pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Toss to coat. Add reserved pasta water a splash at a time if the sauce is too thick.
Add spinach and toss until just wilted, about 1 minute.
Slice the cooked chicken into strips and arrange on top of the pasta. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan.

Notes

The key to this recipe is tempering the cream. Remove the pan from heat before adding the Parmesan cheese to ensure a smooth, silky sauce without clumping. Also, do not skip the reserved pasta water; the starch helps bind the sauce to the noodles. For a lighter option, coconut cream can be used, but the flavor profile will change.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 plate with sliced
Calories: 650
Sugar: 4
Sodium: 800
Fat: 32
Saturated Fat: 18
Carbohydrates: 55
Fiber: 3
Protein: 35

Keywords: creamy tuscan chicken pasta, one pan pasta, weeknight dinner, chicken thighs, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach pasta, easy dinner, restaurant style pasta