Description
A creamy, flavorful one-pot pasta dish featuring tender chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh spinach all cooked together for an easy and delicious meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 1 pound boneless chicken breasts or thighs, cubed
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 4 teaspoons Italian seasoning, divided
- 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, oil drained
Pasta and Sauce
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3/4 – 1 pound short cut pasta (such as penne or rigatoni)
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
Greens and Herbs
- 2 cups chopped baby spinach
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped basil
Instructions
- Cook Chicken: In a large pot set over medium-high heat, add the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar, cubed chicken, and 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning. Cook the chicken for about 5 minutes until fully cooked. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics and Cook Pasta: To the same pot, add butter, chopped garlic, and the remaining 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning. Cook for about 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the short cut pasta and 2 cups of water. Stir often and cook until the pasta is al dente, approximately 8 minutes.
- Make Creamy Sauce: Stir in whole milk, cream cheese, and grated parmesan cheese into the pot with pasta. Mix well until the sauce is creamy and cheese has melted completely.
- Add Chicken and Vegetables: Slide the cooked chicken back into the pot with the pasta. Add chopped baby spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and an additional 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese. Gently mix until everything is combined and spinach wilts slightly.
- Finish with Fresh Basil and Serve: Remove the pot from heat and stir in fresh chopped basil. Serve the pasta immediately topped with extra parmesan and basil if desired. Enjoy your creamy, flavorful chicken pasta!
Notes
- Use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes to incorporate extra flavor from the oil when cooking the chicken.
- If desired, substitute half-and-half for whole milk for a lighter sauce.
- For gluten-free pasta, use your preferred gluten-free short cut pasta.
- This dish is best enjoyed immediately as the spinach will become mushy upon reheating.
- Adjust Italian seasoning quantity according to your spice preference.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Keywords: One Pot Chicken Pasta, Marry Me Chicken, Creamy Chicken Pasta, Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta, Easy Pasta Dinner
