Creamy Chicken + Spinach over Angel Hair Pasta

Watch how I make creamy chicken and spinach over angel hair pasta with tender chicken, fresh spinach and a rich garlic cream sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 pound angel hair pasta

• 1 medium yellow onion, very thinly sliced

• 6 garlic cloves, pressed or minced

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to approximately ¼-inch thick

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, more or less to taste

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• ½ cup all-purpose flour

• 2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon butter

• ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth

• ½ cup heavy cream

• ¼ cup sour cream

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 fresh red chili pepper, finely sliced, or ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 1 5-ounce package baby spinach, approximately 5 packed cups

• Parmesan cheese, for serving

• Additional red pepper flakes, for serving

Instructions

1. Fill a large pot with water for the pasta. Add salt, place it on the stove and leave it covered until you are ready to bring it to a boil.

2. Thinly slice the onion and press or mince the garlic.

3. Pound the chicken breasts to approximately ¼-inch thick. Season both sides with kosher salt and black pepper.

4. Place the flour on a plate. Coat each piece of chicken evenly with flour, shaking off any excess. Arrange the chicken in a single layer on a clean plate.

5. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half of the chicken and cook until lightly browned, approximately 1½ minutes per side. The chicken will not be fully cooked at this stage.

6. Transfer the browned chicken to a plate. Add more olive oil if needed and repeat with the remaining chicken.

7. While the chicken cooks, whisk together the chicken broth, heavy cream, sour cream, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar and garlic powder in a medium bowl.

8. Once all of the chicken has been browned and removed from the skillet, add the sliced onion, butter and a pinch of kosher salt. Reduce the heat to medium or medium-low.

9. Cook the onion for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden or silicone spoon.

10. Add the garlic and fresh chili pepper or red pepper flakes. Cook for approximately 30 seconds, just until fragrant.

11. Turn the pasta water to high and bring it to a boil.

12. Pour the cream mixture into the skillet and stir well. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the sauce begins to thicken. You may need to increase the heat slightly depending on your stove.

13. Gradually add the spinach, stirring frequently until it has completely wilted into the sauce.

14. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for approximately 6 minutes, turning the chicken once, until it is cooked through and coated in the sauce.

15. While the chicken finishes cooking, prepare the angel hair pasta according to the package directions. Drain well.

16. Divide the pasta among the plates. Top each serving with a piece of chicken and plenty of creamy spinach sauce.

17. Finish with Parmesan cheese and additional red pepper flakes, if desired.

The chicken and sauce can also be served over rice.

There are quite a few steps, but none of them are difficult, and the payoff is worth it. You can also prepare the chicken and sauce earlier in the day, then gently reheat everything at dinnertime while the pasta cooks.

And yes, that tiny red chili pepper came straight from Liam’s garden 🌶️