Description
Creamy chicken and asparagus spinach and artichoke pasta blends Mediterranean flavors into a comforting dinner delight. Home cooks can savor this elegant meal with minimal kitchen effort and maximum satisfaction.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (454 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 12 oz (340 g) penne, fettuccine, or pasta of choice
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 (14 oz/400 g) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
- Fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Pasta Preparation: Bring a generously salted water bath to a vigorous boil. Immerse pasta and cook until al dente, reserving a small amount of starchy liquid before draining.
- Chicken Transformation: Sear chicken in a hot skillet with olive oil, seasoning thoroughly with salt and pepper. Achieve a crisp exterior while maintaining a succulent interior. Remove and set aside on a plate.
- Flavor Foundation: In the same skillet, release garlic’s aromatic potential. Introduce asparagus, coaxing to tender-crisp perfection, followed by artichoke hearts to build complex flavor layers.
- Sauce Alchemy: Combine cream, lemon juice and zest, and Parmesan cheese. For adventurous palates, sprinkle red pepper flakes. Simmer until the mixture reduces to a luxurious, silky consistency.
- Harmonious Integration: Reintroduce chicken to the skillet. Gently fold in spinach leaves, allowing them to wilt and meld with the creamy sauce. Incorporate pasta, tossing with purposeful movements and using reserved pasta water to adjust sauce texture if necessary.
- Culinary Presentation: Plate the dish with artistic precision. Garnish with chopped parsley and an optional Parmesan cheese dusting, creating a Mediterranean-inspired masterpiece that beckons to be savored.
Notes
- Enhance Pasta Cooking: Salt water generously and reserve starchy liquid for sauce adjustment, guaranteeing perfect pasta texture and sauce consistency.
- Maximize Chicken Flavor: Sear at high temperature with thorough seasoning, ensuring golden crispy exterior while maintaining internal juiciness and preventing dryness.
- Vegetable Precision: Cook asparagus to tender-crisp state, avoiding overcooking that leads to mushy texture; add artichoke hearts strategically for maximum flavor integration.
- Sauce Balancing Technique: Control cream sauce thickness by gradual simmering and strategic pasta water addition, creating smooth, silky consistency without separating or becoming too heavy.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 62 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg