Ingredients:

  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into bite-sized medallions
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp sea salt
  • 0.5 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 8 oz penne or rigatoni pasta
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, julienned
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken bone broth
  • 0.5 cup half-and-half
  • 0.5 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach, tightly packed
  • 0.25 cup fresh basil, chiffonade
  • 0.5 cup reserved pasta water

Instructions:

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until just before al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
  2. Pat chicken medallions dry and season with smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken for 3 minutes per side until a golden-brown crust forms. Remove from pan and set aside.
  3. In the same skillet, sauté minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes for 1-2 minutes until aromatic, scraping up the browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan.
  4. Stir in the chicken bone broth, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the half-and-half and Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth.
  5. Add the chicken back to the pan along with the cooked pasta and baby spinach. Toss continuously, adding reserved pasta water as needed to reach a velvety consistency. Stir until spinach is wilted and chicken is cooked through.
  6. Garnish with fresh basil and serve immediately.