chicken and spinach skillet pasta with lemon and parmesan

Noodles & Pasta

Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan

This chicken pasta combines lean chicken breast and sautéed spinach for a meal that’s garlicky, lemony and best served with a little Parm on top. I call it “Mom’s Skillet Pasta,” and she called it “Devon’s Favorite Pasta.” Either way, it’s a quick and easy weeknight dinner we created together and scribbled on a little recipe card more than a decade ago, and it remains in my weekly dinner rotation to this day. It’s a simple dinner the whole family will love.

Ingredients

8 ounces gluten-free penne pasta or whole-wheat penne pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, trimmed, if necessary, and cut into bite-size pieces
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons lemon zest
¼ cup lemon juice
⅓ cup unsalted butter, cubed
4 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, divided
10 cups chopped fresh spinach

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add 8 ounces pasta and cook according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup of cooking water; drain the pasta and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces, salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 165°F, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in wine, lemon zest and lemon juice; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Add cubed butter and 1 tablespoon Parmesan; cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is creamy and emulsified, about 2 minutes. Add ¼ to ½ cup pasta water; cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes.
Stir in chopped spinach and the cooked pasta. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is wilted and bright green, about 5 minutes. Divide among 4 plates; top with the remaining 3 tablespoons Parmesan.