Fettuccine, seared chicken breast, baby spinach, and sun-dried tomato strips come together in a white wine cream sauce finished with parmesan. The chicken sears in butter over high heat, then the sauce builds directly in the same pan before pasta goes in. The dish takes about 35 minutes and serves 4.
Each chicken breast gets cut in half horizontally into two thin cutlets before hitting the pan. At high heat, those cutlets sear through in two minutes per side without guessing. A thick breast at the same temperature would be golden outside and raw in the middle before enough fond develops.
White wine goes into the pan immediately after the chicken comes out, while the browned bits are still fresh. Those bits dissolve into the wine as it reduces and carry the whole depth of the finished sauce. Without the wine, or with it added too late, the cream and parmesan have nothing to build on.
Chicken Pasta Recipe
Course: DinnerCuisine: Italian-AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
25
minutes887
kcalChicken Pasta Recipe with fettuccine, seared chicken breast, baby spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and a white wine cream parmesan sauce. Serves 4 in 35 minutes
Ingredients
- Pasta and Chicken
10 oz fettuccine
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved horizontally
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons butter, divided
- Sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup dry white wine (or extra chicken broth)
½ cup low-sodium chicken stock
1¼ cups heavy cream
¾ cup parmesan, finely shredded
3 oz sun-dried tomato strips
2½ oz baby spinach
- Serving
4 oz bacon, cooked and crumbled
Extra parmesan and fresh parsley, for garnish
Directions
- Cook fettuccine per package directions minus 1.5 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over high heat. Sear chicken 2 minutes per side until deep golden. Transfer to a board, rest 5 minutes, then shred.
- Reduce heat to medium-high. Add remaining butter and garlic and cook 30 seconds. Pour in the wine and simmer, scraping up the browned bits, until mostly evaporated.
- Add chicken stock, heavy cream, parmesan, and sun-dried tomatoes. Simmer over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon.
- Add spinach, shredded chicken, and drained fettuccine. Toss for 1.5 to 2 minutes, adding pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Serve topped with crumbled bacon, parmesan, and parsley.
FAQs
What does the bacon add, and can it be left out?
The crispy bacon garnish is the only part of this recipe that never touches the stovetop. It adds a smoky, salty crunch against the cream sauce that no other topping replicates at the same time. Toasted breadcrumbs work as a substitute for texture if bacon is not available, though the smokiness disappears entirely.
Can the white wine be left out entirely?
The wine can be left out, and the source includes the swap in the recipe itself. More chicken broth replaces it at the same half-cup quantity, though the sauce loses the acidity that keeps the cream from tasting flat. A small squeeze of lemon juice stirred in with the broth brings back most of that brightness.
Can the heavy cream be swapped for something lighter?
Half-and-half works at the same quantity but produces a noticeably thinner sauce that clings less to the fettuccine. Whole milk thins it further and needs an extra minute of simmering before the sauce reduces enough to coat. Avoid low-fat or skim milk, as neither has enough fat to emulsify cleanly with the parmesan without the sauce breaking.
What chicken pasta dish works when broccoli is the preference over spinach?
Spinach wilts into cream sauce in under a minute, but broccoli brings a firmer texture that pairs differently with parmesan. A chicken and broccoli pasta on this site builds the same cream sauce base with broccoli florets tossed through fettuccine. Together the two give a weekly pasta rotation one delicate green and one hearty one.
What pasta dish adds shrimp alongside the chicken for a more substantial bowl?
Two proteins in the same pan changes the whole dynamic of a pasta dish, and bold seasoning handles the added richness. A Cajun chicken and shrimp pasta on this site pairs chicken and shrimp in a spiced cream sauce with a completely different flavor profile. Together the two cover cream pasta from mild and Italian-inspired to smoky and Cajun.