Description
This creamy garlic tomato chicken and spinach fettuccine is a rich and flavorful pasta dish combining tender chicken breasts, fresh spinach, and cherry tomatoes in a luscious Parmesan cream sauce. Perfect for a hearty weeknight dinner, it delivers comfort and elegance all in one skillet.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 oz fettuccine pasta
Chicken and Vegetables
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup spinach
Sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Garnish
- Fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- Cook pasta: Cook the fettuccine pasta according to the package instructions, typically boiling in salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Prepare chicken: Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook them until browned on both sides and fully cooked through, approximately 5-7 minutes per side depending on thickness. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté garlic and tomatoes: In the same skillet, add the minced garlic and halved cherry tomatoes. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes start to soften and release their juices, infusing the oil with flavor.
- Cook spinach: Add the fresh spinach to the skillet and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes, stirring to combine it with the garlic and tomatoes.
- Make sauce: Stir in the heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer to allow the sauce to thicken, about 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent curdling.
- Combine chicken and sauce: Slice the cooked chicken breasts into strips and add them back into the skillet. Stir everything together and cook for an additional 5 minutes, allowing the chicken to absorb the creamy sauce flavors.
- Serve: Plate the creamy garlic tomato chicken and spinach sauce over the cooked fettuccine pasta. Garnish with fresh chopped basil and serve immediately for a delicious and comforting meal.
Notes
- You can substitute heavy cream with half-and-half for a lighter version, but the sauce will be less rich and creamy.
- Feel free to use fresh spinach or baby spinach for best results; frozen spinach is not recommended as it adds excess moisture.
- For an extra kick, sprinkle some red pepper flakes while cooking the garlic and tomatoes.
- Parmesan cheese can be swapped with Pecorino Romano for a sharper flavor.
- Leftover chicken can be stored separately and added when reheating to avoid drying out.
