Description
A quick, one-pot weeknight pasta dish featuring rotisserie chicken, spinach, and a rich sun-dried tomato cream sauce. It’s designed to be ready in 20 minutes with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz Penne or Rigatoni
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 1/2 cup Sun-Dried Tomatoes, drained and chopped
- 1/2 cup Chicken Broth
- 3–4 cups Fresh Spinach
- 2 cups Rotisserie Chicken, shredded
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Shred the rotisserie chicken and chop the sun-dried tomatoes. Mince the garlic.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente (8-10 minutes). Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant but not brown.
- Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Stir in the shredded chicken and fresh spinach. Cook until the spinach wilts and chicken is heated through.
- Remove the skillet from heat. Gradually stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat evenly in the sauce.
- Serve immediately with extra Parmesan, fresh basil, and black pepper.
Notes
Save the pasta water; the starch helps the sauce cling to the pasta. Always remove the pan from heat before adding cheese to prevent it from becoming grainy. Use low-sodium broth to control saltiness as sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan are salty. This dish does not freeze well due to the dairy content.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 52
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 22
Keywords: pasta, sun-dried tomato, creamy pasta, weeknight dinner, one-pot meal, rotisserie chicken, spinach, easy dinner, 5pm dinner