This smooth and creamy Italian Chicken Florentine Pasta needs minimal prep and gets done in under 30 minutes. If you are looking for an easy-to-make chicken dinner, then give it a try.
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 and Olive Tapenade Pasta.
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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 where cooked pasta is tossed in a creamy sauce along with chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach.
Pasta Florentine with chicken is super easy to make, comes together in under 30 minutes using a few simple ingredients, and requires minimal cleanup. It is a great cozy and comforting dish to make for a busy weekday dinner.
You can easily double or triple the recipe as per your requirements.
This recipe can also be made vegetarian easily. Just Replace chicken with veggies like broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, etc, and chicken stock with veg stock.
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.
Spinach – Spinach gives a nice vibrant color, and taste, and also enhances the nutrition of this dish. Use fresh or frozen spinach.
If using frozen spinach, thaw it before use and squeeze out as much moisture as you can.
Sun-Dried Tomatoes – Sundried Tomatoes are optional but highly recommended. I love the sweet-tart flavor they add.
Chicken Stock Cube – It adds a beautiful flavor to this dish so don’t skip it. You can replace it with bouillon powder also.
Cream – Unsweetened heavy cream makes this pasta dish super creamy.
Cheese – You will need cream cheese and mozzarella cheese to make the florentine pasta extra creamy, cheesy, and gooey.
Oil & Butter – I like to use a combination of both to make this chicken florentine pasta recipe.
Seasonings – To add some extra flavor, add seasonings such as paprika, oregano, salt & pepper. Want to make it spicier, throw in some red pepper flakes too.
Others – You will also need garlic and onions.
You can also add some Italian seasoning and a splash of white wine while cooking the pasta.
How To Make Chicken Florentine Pasta
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 salt and 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 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
Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoon butter (salted or unsalted) in a large pan or a dutch oven over medium heat.
Once the oil is hot, add 2 teaspoon minced garlic and ½ cup chopped onions and sauté for 2 minutes.
Add 300 g of boneless skinless chicken breast (cut into ½-inch cubes), 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder, and ¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes and saute for 6-7 minutes.
Add 1 chicken stock cube and ½ cup of water from boiling the pasta and mix until the cube dissolves.
Now add the cooked pasta, 2 cups of chopped spinach (packed), ½ cup of unsweetened heavy cream, 200 g of cream cheese, and ½ cup of shredded 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.
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 salad along with this pasta to make the meal more filling. 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 along with it.
Storage Suggestions
This florentine pasta with chicken tastes best when served right from the pan, however, if you have leftovers, then you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Reheat in a pan or in a microwave until nicely warm before serving. Add some milk while reheating the pasta as it tends to thicken when refrigerated.
Do not freeze this pasta dish as the cheese might curdle when thawed.
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Recipe Card
Chicken Florentine Pasta Recipe
IngredientsÂ
- 300 grams dried pasta (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
- 300 grams boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into ½-inch pieces)
- 1 teaspoon 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
- 200 grams cream cheese (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 sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add chicken breast, paprika, oregano, salt, pepper powder, and sun-dried tomatoes and saute for 6-7 minutes.
- 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.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!