Chicken Penne Pasta

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 35

Servings: servings

Calories: 416cal

Author: Ashley Fehr

Chicken Penne Pasta is a one pan dinner recipe that always satisfies! Tender bites of penne are tossed with chicken, spinach and tomatoes in the best creamy sauce. It's an easy dinner recipe that's loaded with protein, nutrients and tons of flavor.

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb)
½ teaspoon seasoning salt
3 cloves garlic (finely minced)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried thyme
⅛ teaspoon red chili flakes
2¼ cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes with liquid (14oz or 398ml)
4½ cups dry penne pasta (13oz or 375g)
½ cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 cups spinach (loosely chopped)
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with seasoning salt and sear each side for about 2 to 3 minutes, until golden.
Add the garlic, basil, oregano, salt, thyme, and chili flakes to the pan and cook for 1 minute.
Add the broth, tomatoes, and pasta, and press the pasta into the liquid. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook, stirring often, about 9 to 10 minutes, until the pasta is al dente.
Check that a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F, then remove the chicken from the saucepan and slice.
In a small bowl, whisk together the cream and cornstarch and stir into the sauce to thicken.
Return the chicken to the saucepan and add the spinach and Parmesan.
Taste and adjust seasonings according to your preferences before serving.

Video

Notes

Ingredients and Substitutions:

Chicken: any kind of boneless, skinless chicken will work here, and thighs should cook in about the same amount of time. You can also swap for cooked, crumbled sausage or omit and add in white beans for a meatless meal.
Broth: I like to start with low sodium broth and add salt as needed. If you are starting with salted broth, you may want to omit the added salt and adjust as needed before serving,
Diced tomatoes: I have not tested this recipe without the tomatoes, and the pasta does need the juice from the tomatoes to cook. If you want to omit them, I would start by adding an additional 1/2 cup broth and adding more liquid to cook the pasta as needed.
Pasta: any variety of short pasta will work here, but ideally choose something with roughly the same cook time. Macaroni, rotini, etc., would all work well.
Cream: heavy cream gives the thickest and richest sauce, but you can swap for a lighter cream if need be.
Spinach: spinach adds a pop of color and nutrients, but you can omit if necessary or swap for fresh herbs or chopped kale.
Parmesan: Parmesan adds a great, salty kick, but you can swap for another cheese if desired.

Nutrition