Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces penne pasta
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, sliced
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups asiago cheese, freshly grated
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
- Season the chicken thighs with salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sear the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden brown and fully cooked. Remove from the skillet and slice into bite sized pieces.
- In the same skillet, sauté the garlic and sun dried tomatoes for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream. Stir well and let the mixture simmer gently.
- Add the freshly grated asiago cheese gradually, stirring continuously until the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.
- Stir in the spinach and let it wilt into the sauce.
- Add the cooked pasta and sliced chicken back into the skillet. Toss until evenly coated. Add reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
- Sprinkle fresh basil and optional red pepper flakes over the top before serving.
- Serve hot with extra asiago cheese if desired.
Notes
- Freshly grated asiago cheese melts more smoothly than pre shredded cheese.
- Do not boil the cream sauce aggressively to prevent separation.
- Add extra chicken broth when reheating leftovers to keep the sauce creamy.
- Rigatoni or fettuccine can be used instead of penne pasta.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian Inspired
- Diet: Low Salt
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 690
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 640mg
- Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 42g
- Cholesterol: 155mg
Keywords: sun dried tomato creamy asiago chicken, creamy chicken pasta, asiago pasta skillet, chicken pasta dinner, creamy penne pasta, sun dried tomato pasta