Creamy Chicken Spinach Alfredo Penne Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Before turning on the stovetop, gather and prepare all the necessary ingredients to ensure a smooth cooking process. Dice the boneless, skinless chicken breasts into uniform bite-sized pieces so they cook evenly and rapidly.

Peel and finely mince the fresh garlic cloves, and measure out the butter and heavy cream. Wash the baby spinach thoroughly and pat it dry with paper towels. Fill a large pot with water for the penne pasta, ensuring everything is within arm's reach before beginning to cook.

Instructions

Boiling the Penne and Searing the Chicken

1. 1Boil the Penne Pasta
   Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the penne pasta and cook according to the package instructions until it is just al dente. Reserve half a cup of the starchy pasta water, then drain the penne and set it aside.
   Look for The pasta should be tender but still have a slight bite.
   Tip Do not rinse the pasta after draining; the surface starch helps the cream sauce cling to it.
2. 2Sear the Diced Chicken
   Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for thirty seconds until fragrant. Toss in the diced chicken breast and sear until golden-brown on all sides and fully cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
   Look for The chicken should be golden-brown and show no pinkness inside.
   Safe temperature 165°F (74°C) internal temperature (poultry)
   Tip Avoid crowding the skillet so the chicken sears beautifully instead of steaming.

At the end of this first phase, the kitchen will be filled with the rich aroma of garlic browning in melted butter. The diced chicken breasts should be beautifully golden-brown on the outside and fully cooked through, showing no pinkness.

The penne pasta should be cooked to a perfect al dente texture, meaning it is tender but still offers a slight resistance when bitten. The skillet will have a layer of golden-brown drippings, ready to flavor the upcoming cream sauce.

Creating the Creamy Sauce and Wilting the Spinach

3. 3Simmer the Cream
   Reduce the heat to medium and pour the heavy cream directly into the same skillet, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Bring the cream to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly as it begins to bubble and thicken slightly into a rich sauce.
   Look for The sauce should bubble gently and coat the back of a spoon.
   Tip Do not let the sauce boil rapidly, or the dairy may split.
4. 4Wilt the Baby Spinach
   Add the fresh baby spinach to the simmering cream sauce. Stir gently for one to two minutes until the spinach is fully wilted and distributed evenly throughout the rich sauce.
   Look for The spinach should turn bright green and shrink significantly.
   Tip Add the spinach in handfuls if your skillet is on the smaller side.

By the end of this phase, the heavy cream will have combined with the garlic butter and pan drippings, transforming into a smooth, bubbling, ivory-colored sauce. The sauce will thicken to a velvety consistency that coats the back of a spoon. The fresh baby spinach leaves will be completely wilted, shrinking down and distributing evenly throughout the rich, simmering cream base, ready for the pasta.

Tossing the Pasta and Serving

5. 5Toss the Pasta and Chicken
   Return the cooked chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet, and add the drained penne pasta. Toss everything together over low heat for one to two minutes until the pasta is thoroughly coated in the creamy sauce. If the sauce is too thick, stir in a splash of the reserved pasta water.
   Look for The sauce should be glossy and coat every piece of pasta evenly.
   Tip Serve immediately while steaming hot for the best texture.

In this final stage, the hot penne pasta is thoroughly integrated with the creamy chicken and spinach mixture. The sauce should coat every single tube of pasta in a glossy, uniform layer without any separation or pooling. The dish should look vibrant, with the bright green spinach contrasting against the golden chicken and creamy white sauce. It is now ready to be transferred to warm serving bowls and enjoyed immediately while steaming hot.

Common mistakes

One common mistake is adding the chicken to a cold skillet, which causes it to steam rather than sear, resulting in a rubbery texture and no flavorful pan drippings.

Another frequent error is overcooking the pasta in the boiling water; because the penne finishes cooking in the hot sauce, overboiled pasta will become mushy and break apart. Finally, avoid boiling the heavy cream on high heat, as extreme heat can cause the dairy to split and become greasy instead of smooth.

How to tell it’s done

The chicken is safely cooked and ready when it is golden-brown on all sides and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read digital meat thermometer.

The cream sauce is perfectly done when it has thickened enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, leaving a clear path when a finger is drawn through it. The penne pasta is done when it is al dente, holding its shape perfectly while carrying the rich, glossy sauce in every bite.

• Poultry: 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part