This is a luscious Chicken Alfredo with plenty of OOMPH from the wilted spinach and sun dried tomatoes. The bacon adds yet another layer of flavor making it similar to a Carbonara. Shredding the chickens adds plenty of nooks and crannies for the sauce to adhere and provide lots and lots of flavors, though I tend to use tenders and serve them whole. I adapted from RECIPE TIN EATS
WILTED CHICKEN SPINACH PASTA serves 4
10 ounces fettuccine (see notes)
- Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water for package directions minus 2 minutes. The pasta will finish cooking in the sauce. Just before draining, scoop out a cup of cooking water. Then drain pasta as directed.
1 tablespoons avocado oil
1 1/2 pounds of chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally or chicken tenders
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
- Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt and pepper.
- Melt half the butter in a large skillet over high heat.
- Add chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until deep golden.
- Remove chicken onto plate, rest for a few minutes then shred with 2 forks.
SAUCE
2 tablespoons butter
3 garlic cloves , minced
1 small red pepper sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 1/4 cups heavy cream – DO NOT USE LIGHT
3/4 cup FINELY shredded Parmesan cheese + more for garnish
1-2 cups torn baby spinach
3 ounces sun dried tomato strips, DRAINED (see notes)
4 slices bacon, diced and browned
FRESH chopped Parsley, for garnish
- Reduce the heat of your skillet to medium high.
- Add remaining butter, sun-dried tomato oil and garlic.
- Cook garlic for 30 seconds until golden.
- Add red pepper slices and cook another minute.
- Add wine, simmering quickly and stirring to scrape up any brown bits off the bottom of the pan.
- Once mostly evaporated, add chicken broth, cream, Parmesan and sun dried tomato pieces.
Simmer on medium for 3 – 5 minutes, stirring often, until it reduces and thickens.
ASSEMBLY
- Add spinach, chicken, bacon pieces and cooked pasta.
- TOSS – this is a MUST if you are shredding the chicken!
- Cook sauce for 2 minutes, until sauce thickens and coats the pasta. (see notes)
- Serve immediately with Parmesan and parsley if desired.
NOTES:
- Flat wide pastas are best for creamy sauces, but any pasta will work in reality. DO NOT use fresh pastas.
- When I drain the sun-dried tomatoes, I drain them into my skillet as part of my cooking oil for the sauce.
- Use the reserved pasta cooking water as needed if the sauce gets too thick.