This creamy chicken spinach pasta made with ground chicken is a 20-minute dinner the whole family will enjoy. It is delicious, creamy, and packed with flavor.
There is no faffing about in the kitchen with this one. It is a straightforward recipe, but it tastes like something you would get from a restaurant. Expect cleaned plates with this chicken spinach pasta. Let's get to it.
I love quick dinners that don't cost an arm and a leg to make but taste like a million bucks. This creamy chicken spinach pasta is packed with flavor and will keep you full and satisfied.
This pasta is packed with protein and highly nutritious thanks to the ground chicken and fat-free cream cheese. Today's recipe is the definition of the ultimate comfort food.
Related pasta recipes: creamy spinach pasta, garlic parmesan orzo and spinach and ricotta pasta.
Why you will love it
- Simple ingredients and economical
- 20 minutes dinner. You can't argue with that.
- Kids love it, too. Score!
- Easy to customize with your favorite veggies or protein options. Swap the ground chicken for turkey, pork or beef. You can even use shrimp for this recipe.
What you will need
Ground chicken
Pasta: I use small shell pasta.
Baby spinach
Onion
Cream cheese
Parmesan cheese
Garlic
Smoked paprika
Herbs de Provence
Olive oil
Unsalted butter
Chicken stock
Jalapeno
Salt and black pepper
How to make creamy spinach chicken pasta
Cook pasta according to package directions in salted water until al dente. Do not overcook the pasta.
Place a skillet on medium heat, add olive oil and butter, and melt. Add ground chicken, paprika, garlic, jalapeno, salt, and black pepper, stir to combine, and cook until no longer pink.
Add cream cheese and herbs de Provence to the cooked ground chicken, pour the chicken stock, and stir to combine until the cream cheese is completely melted.
Stir in the parmesan cheese and cook until melted. Simmer for 4-5 minutes.
Add the baby spinach and cook until wilted.
Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the skillet with the creamy chicken mixture. Stir or toss together to combine.
Leave to simmer for about 3 minutes for the ingredients to marry (very important)
Remove from heat and serve hot, topped with more shredded parmesan cheese. Enjoy
Watch how to make it
Variations
- Feel free to use different types of pasta like penne, fusilior fettuccine.
- For a vegetarian option, substitute ground chicken with mushrooms or tofu.
- Add more jalapeno or red pepper flakes to taste to make it spicier.
How to store
Let the pasta cool completely and store it in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
I do not recommend freezing this pasta, as the texture can be affected after reheating it, but that doesn't mean it can't be frozen. However, if you choose to freeze it, you can do so for up to 3 months.
Creamy Chicken Spinach Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground chicken
- ½ lb Pasta I use small shell pasta.
- 4 cups Baby spinach
- 200 g Cream cheese I used fat free cream cheese
- 1 cup chicken stock
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 Cup onion finely chopped
- ½ Tablespoon smoked paprika or as needed
- ½ Tablespoon Herbs de Provence
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 Jalapeno chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions in salted water until al dente. Do not overcook the pasta.
- Place a skillet on medium heat, add olive oil and butter, and melt. Add ground chicken, paprika, garlic, jalapeno, salt, and black pepper, stir to combine, and cook until no longer pink.
- Add cream cheese and herbs de Provence to the cooked ground chicken, pour the chicken stock, and stir to combine until the cream cheese is completely melted.
- Stir in the parmesan cheese and cook until melted. Simmer for 4-5 minutes.
- Add the baby spinach and cook until wilted.
- Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the skillet with the creamy chicken mixture. Stir or toss together to combine.
- Leave to simmer for about 3 minutes for the ingredients to marry (very important)
- Remove from heat and serve hot, topped with more shredded parmesan cheese. Enjoy
Nutrition
Nutritional data: Please note that the nutrition label provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients and brands you use. Under no circumstances will thedinnerbite.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.
And there you have it, a simple and delicious creamy pasta recipe you can make at home in no time. As always, if you made this recipe, I would love to hear from you! Kindly rate the recipe 5 stars and leave me feedback in the comment section below. Tag me @thedinnerbite on Instagram and save it to your Pinterest. Please subscribe to the blog if you haven’t for free new recipes in your inbox.
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