[Gluten-Free] Spinach Pasta w/ Chicken
Ingredients you’ll need:
2 lbs of chicken breasts, cut into 1/2"
pieces
8oz of baby spinach
1 c of heavy cream
1/4 c olive oil, plus 2 Tbs
1/2 c Parmesan cheese, grated and divided
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground pepper
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 c dry gluten free pasta, cooked and drained. Reserve about 1/4 c of the water before draining
Garnish (optional): cracked pepper, finely grated Parmesan cheese, and 1 T of chopped parsley. Add toasted pine nuts or toasted shaved almonds for a luxury feel.
Kitchen “stuff” you’ll need:
Stock pot, Cutting board, Large knife, Large skillet (6qt) or dutch oven, colander, wooden spoon, serving spoon or tongs.
Prep.
In a blender or food processor, blend together 1/4 c of the olive oil, spinach, heavy cream, 1/4c of the parmesan, salt, and pepper.
Create.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat remaining 2 Tbs on medium high heat. Cook chicken pieces until cooked through (about 7-8 minutes) season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the chicken from the pan.
In the same pan, add the garlic (if the pan is too dry, add a little more olive oil) and sauté for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the sauce from the blender and bring to a simmer and reduce to medium low heat. Continue to simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Taste your sauce - add salt and pepper to taste. The key to a good spinach sauce is that it’s well seasoned.
Stir in the chicken, continue to simmer for 5 minutes. Add remaining parmesan until combined well. Stir in the pasta and the reserved pasta water.
Finish.
Serve in pasta bowls and garnish with Parmesan and chopped parsley.
“Far-FALLING for spinach sauce”
Substitutions: Sub to your dietary or pantry’s content! Tested all of the below -
Vegetarian? - replace chicken with 1 15oz can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained. Add after the garlic and cook for about 1-2 minutes before adding the sauce mixture and add an 8oz bag of frozen peas when the chicken is added bag (no need for pasta water in this version)
Dairy free? - sub heavy cream for coconut cream, sub parmesan cheese with 6 T of nutritional yeast, divided and 2 t of salt, divided.
Minced Garlic - frozen, fresh or prepared paste will work for this dish.