This smooth and creamy Italian Chicken Florentine Pasta needs minimal prep and finishes in under 30 minutes. If you are looking for an easy-to-make chicken dinner, try it.
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About Chicken Florentine Pasta
Florentine Pasta is a pasta dish featuring spinach. This Chicken Florentine Pasta is a creamy and cheesy Italian pasta dish with cooked pasta tossed in a creamy sauce, flavorful chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach.
Pasta Florentine with chicken is easy to make, comes together in under 30 minutes using a few simple ingredients, and requires minimal cleanup. It is a great, cozy, comforting dish for a busy weekday dinner for the whole family.
This pasta recipe reheats very well. So you can double or triple the recipe and meal prep it for the week.
This recipe can also be made vegetarian easily. Just replace chicken chunks with veggies like broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, etc., and chicken stock cube with veg stock cube.
Looking for more easy and delicious pasta recipes, then do give these a try too
- Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Cajun Spaghetti
- White Sauce Pasta
- Gigi Hadid’s Spicy Vodka Pasta
- Olive Tapenade Pasta
- Haitian Spaghetti
- Chicken Penne Alla Vodka
- Outback Mac And Cheese
- Jambalaya Pasta
- Tuscan Chicken Mac And Cheese
Ingredients
Pasta – You can use any pasta of your choice to make this florentine pasta. Spaghetti, Penne Pasta, Linguine Pasta, Bowtie pasta, Fusilli Pasta, Farfalle Pasta, or any other pasta works in this recipe.
Use whole wheat pasta or multigrain pasta to make this dish healthier.
Always cook the pasta al dente (just cooked).
Chicken – I like to use boneless skinless chicken breasts to make this recipe. You can use boneless skinless chicken thighs too.
If you have leftover chicken from the previous night, you can use it in this recipe.
Spinach – Spinach gives a nice vibrant color and taste and enhances this dish’s nutrition. Use fresh spinach or frozen spinach.
If using frozen spinach, thaw it before use and squeeze out as much moisture as possible.
Fresh baby spinach is also great to use in this recipe.
Sun-Dried Tomatoes – Sundried Tomatoes are optional but highly recommended. I love the sweet-tart flavor they add.
You can replace them with halved fresh cherry tomatoes too.
Chicken Stock Cube adds a beautiful flavor to this dish. You can replace it with bouillon powder, also.
If you have chicken broth, then use ½ cup of it in place of a stock cube. Just skip the water from the recipe.
Cream – Unsweetened heavy cream makes this pasta dish super creamy.
Cheese – You will need cream cheese and mozzarella cheese to make the Florentine pasta creamy, cheesy, and gooey.
You can also add parmesan cheese to make it cheesier.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Butter – I like combining both to make this chicken florentine pasta recipe.
Seasonings – To add some extra flavor to this easy pasta recipe, add seasonings such as smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt & ground black pepper. Want to make it spicier? Throw in some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
Others – You will also need garlic and onions.
You can also add some Italian seasoning and a splash of dry white wine while cooking the pasta.
How To Make Creamy Chicken Florentine Pasta
Cook The Pasta
Bring 4-5 cups of water to a boil over high heat in a large pot.
Once the water comes to a boil, add 1 tablespoon salt and 10 oz (300 g) of dried pasta and stir gently.
Cook on high heat for 6-7 minutes until the pasta is al dente (just cooked). Do not overcook; otherwise, the pasta dish will become mushy.
Remove the pot from heat, drain the water (reserving 1 cup for the recipe), and toss the pasta with a teaspoon of oil. Set it aside.
Make The Florentine Pasta
Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoon butter (salted or unsalted) in a large pan (6-quart) or a Dutch oven over medium heat.
Once the oil is hot, add 2 teaspoon minced garlic and ½ cup chopped onions and cook for 2 minutes.
Add
- 10 oz (300 g) of boneless skinless chicken breast (cut into ½-inch cubes)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
- ¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
and cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add 1 chicken stock cube and ½ cup of water from boiling the pasta and mix until the cube dissolves.
Now add
- cooked pasta
- 2 cups of chopped spinach (packed, rinsed)
- ½ cup of unsweetened heavy cream
- 7 oz (200 g) of cream cheese
- ½ cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
and mix until combined.
Add more hot pasta water (or milk) if the pasta looks dry.
Check for salt and pepper and add more if needed. Serve hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can. Replace chicken with veggies like mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers, etc, and replace chicken stock cube with vegetable stock cube.
Yes, just replace the regular wheat-flour based pasta with any gluten-free pasta and your gluten-free Florentine pasta is ready.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Pasta Florentine with Chicken on its own for a delicious weeknight dinner. You can also serve Dinner Rolls, Garlic Bread, or a Bruschetta on the side.
I sometimes like to serve a light and summery fresh salad with this pasta to fill the meal. Some of my favorites are Watermelon Feta Salad, Cucumber Avocado Salad, Jamaican Cucumber Salad, Lemon Capellini Salad, etc.
You can also serve some sides like No Breading Air Fryer Zucchini, etc.
Top this delicious pasta dish with some Pangrattato just before serving.
Storage Suggestions
This florentine pasta with chicken tastes best when served right from the pan; however, if you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Reheat in a pan or a microwave until nicely warm before serving. Add some milk while reheating the pasta, as it thickens when refrigerated.
Do not freeze this pasta dish; the cheese might curdle when thawed.
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Recipe Card
Creamy Chicken Florentine Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 ounces dried pasta (300 g, I used fusilli pasta but you can choose any pasta of your choice)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ¼ cup chopped onions
- 10 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts (300 g, cut into ½ inch pieces)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder (or to taste)
- ¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 chicken stock cube (or 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder)
- 2 cups chopped spinach (tightly packed)
- ½ cup unsweetened heavy cream
- 7 ounces cream cheese (200 g, at room temperature)
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Cook The Pasta
- Bring 4-5 cups of water to a boil over high heat.
- Once the water comes to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt and pasta and stir gently.
- Cook on high heat for 6-7 minutes until the pasta is al dente (just cooked). Do not overcook otherwise the pasta dish will become mushy.
- Remove the pot from heat and drain the water (reserving 1 cup for the recipe) and toss the pasta with a teaspoon of oil. Set it aside.
Make The Florentine Pasta
- White the pasta is cooking, make the sauce.
- Heat oil and butter in a pan over medium heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add garlic and onions and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add chicken breast, paprika, oregano, salt, pepper powder, and sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add chicken stock cube and ½ cup of water from boiling the pasta and mix until the cube dissolves.
- Now add the cooked pasta, spinach, heavy cream, cream cheese, and mozzarella cheese and mix until combined.
- Add some more pasta water (or milk) if the pasta looks dry.
- Check for salt and pepper and add more if needed. Serve hot.
Linda
This recipe is the bomb! My family loves it!
Nrushali
Made this today for lunch, and was absolutely phenomenal! Tastes like something right out of a restaurant.