Weeknight Chicken Florentine Pasta Recipes

CHICKEN FLORENTINE PASTA

Steps:

• In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook penne according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Season both sides of chicken with salt, pepper and oregano and cook until golden and no longer pink in the middle, 8 minutes per side. Transfer chicken a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing into strips.
• Make sauce: Add the white wine to deglaze the pan. When the wine is simmering, use a wooden spoon to scrape all the golden chicken bits from the pan. (They have a lot of flavor that you'll want in your sauce!)
• Add tomatoes and garlic and cook until the tomatoes soften slightly, about 2 minutes. Add cream and bring mixture back to a simmer. Add mozzarella and Parmesan and stir until the cheese melts. Season sauce with salt and pepper.
• Turn off heat and add in the cooked penne, baby spinach, parsley and red pepper flakes (if using). Toss until the pasta is evenly coated in sauce and the spinach has wilted slightly. Serve immediately.

CHICKEN FLORENTINE PASTA

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package instructions then drain and set aside (while pasta cooks, continue on).
• Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large, deep pan over medium heat and add 2 Tbsp oil. Add chicken and sauté the first side until golden brown (5 min), flip, cover and sauté another 5 min or until cooked through. Remove from pan and rest 10 min before slicing against the grain.
• In the same pan, add 1 Tbsp oil if needed along with sliced mushrooms and green onion. Sauté until soft and golden (5 min). Remove from pan and set aside.
• In the same pan, add 2 Tbsp butter, 3 Tbsp flour and pressed garlic then whisk 2 min. Slowly whisk in 1 cup chicken broth then 1 cup milk. Bring to a simmer and whisk until smooth and creamy (2 min). Add spinach and stir until wilted (1 min). Add 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper or season to taste.
• Add sliced chicken, sautéed mushrooms and drained pasta and toss to combine. Season to taste if needed and serve with parmesan cheese.

CHICKEN FLORENTINE PASTA

Steps:

• Cook the pasta according to package directions in lightly salted water. Drain and set aside.
• Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the butter and olive oil over high heat in a large skillet. Add the chicken chunks in a single layer and do not stir for a minute or two in order to allow the chicken to brown on the first side. Flip the chicken and brown on the other side. Cook until done, and then remove the chicken from the skillet.
• Turn the heat to medium. Add the garlic and quickly stir to avoid burning. After about 30 seconds, pour in the broth and wine, stirring to deglaze the skillet. Allow the liquid to bubble up, and then continue cooking until it's reduced by at least half (most of the surface of the liquid should be bubbling at this point).
• Turn off the heat. Add the spinach, tomatoes, chicken, cooked pasta and Parmesan shavings to the skillet. Toss to combine; the spinach will wilt as you toss everything.
• Add more Parmesan shavings and serve immediately! Serve with extra Parmesan shavings.

CHICKEN FLORENTINE MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
• Heat half the butter in a braiser over medium heat. Add the chicken, then sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until the chicken is browned on all sides and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, then stir and cook briefly. Add the chicken stock, scraping the bottom of the pan as it boils. Add the milk, cream and the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and cook, stirring, until it is warmed through and the sauce is simmering.
• Toss together the Cheddar, fontina and cornstarch in a bowl.
• Sprinkle the shredded cheese mixture into the pan, stirring constantly until the cheese is completely melted. Add the processed cheese cubes and allow them to melt. Bring to a simmer and allow the sauce to thicken, about 1 minute. Add the cooked macaroni, the spinach and tomatoes, then stir until well combined. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Garnish with the fresh parsley and serve.

WEEKNIGHT CHICKEN FLORENTINE PASTA

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Cook fettuccine at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, season both sides of the chicken breasts with herbs, salt, and pepper. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken breasts until golden, 3 minutes per side. Remove chicken from skillet, set aside, and keep warm.
• Add the onion, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic to the skillet, scraping up the browned bits with a spatula. Pour in wine to deglaze and allow to reduce by half. Stir in Parmesan cheese and cream until sauce starts to thicken. If sauce seems too thick, add milk (or more cream) and stir to combine.
• Place spinach in the bottom of a colander. Carefully drain pasta into colander and 'wilt' spinach with the hot pasta water. Add pasta and spinach to the sauce in the skillet, and mix to combine. Add cooked chicken back to skillet. Cook until flavors are well combined and chicken is heated through, about 1 more minute.
• To serve, place pasta mixture in a bowl, top with a cooked chicken breast, and serve with more Parmesan cheese if desired.

WEEKNIGHT CHICKEN AND PASTA

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions., Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, saute onion and red pepper in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the chicken, sour cream, milk and seasonings; heat through. Drain pasta; stir into skillet. Sprinkle with cheese and chives.

CREAMY CHICKEN FLORENTINE PASTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes.
• While the macaroni is cooking, combine chicken, Swiss and mozzarella cheeses, mayonnaise, basil, and onion in a bowl. Add spinach, condensed soup, garlic powder, thyme, and pepper; mix to combine.
• Drain macaroni. Gently stir into the chicken mixture. Transfer to an ungreased 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Toss bread crumbs with melted butter; sprinkle over the casserole.
• Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven until bubbly, 40 to 45 minutes.