This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Chicken Florentine Pasta in a light creamy sauce is an easy 30-minute weeknight meal (it actually doesn’t have any cream in it at all!). In case you’re wondering what in the world “florentine” means: It’s a fancy name for foods that are served with spinach. But doesn’t the name take you to the patio of a bistro in Paris?
The spinach in this pasta is vibrant, healthy and tasty. Also, this method for cooking chicken produces some seriously tender chicken strips and it’s so easy because you don’t have to slice any raw chicken ?. You’ll wonder where this method has been all your life.
P.S. This chicken florentine pasta also reheats really well – creamy as ever!
Ingredients for Chicken Florentine Pasta:
8 oz linguine pasta, cooked to package instructions
2 small/medium boneless skinless chicken breasts
Olive oil to sauté
1 bunch green onion, (1 cup chopped) (green and white parts)
1/2 lb button mushrooms (white or brown)
Ingredients for the Sauce:
2 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2-3 garlic cloves, pressed
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
4 cups fresh baby spinach, loosely packed
Freshly grated parmesan to serve
How to Make Chicken Florentine Pasta:
1. Cook pasta according to package instructions then drain and set aside (while pasta cooks, continue with step 2).
I love that this 6 Qt dutch oven is wide enough to fit the length of the pasta without bending noodles to squeeze them in. Enter to win this below!!
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large, deep pan over medium heat and add 2 Tbsp oil. Add chicken and sauté the first side until golden brown (5 minutes), flip, cover and sauté another 5 min or until done. Remove from pan and rest 10 minutes before slicing against the grain.
3. In the same pan, add 1 Tbsp oil if needed along with sliced mushrooms and green onion. Sauté until soft and golden (5 minutes). Remove from pan and set aside.
4. In the same pan, add 2 Tbsp butter, 3 Tbsp flour and pressed garlic then whisk 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in 1 cup chicken broth then 1 cup milk. Bring to a simmer and whisk until smooth and starting to turn creamy (2 min). Add spinach and stir until wilted (1 min). Add 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper or season to taste.
5. Add sliced chicken, sautéed mushrooms and drained pasta and toss to combine. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.
Chicken Florentine Pasta
Ingredients
Ingredients for Chicken Florentine Pasta:
- 8 oz linguine pasta, cooked to package instructions
- Olive oil to sauté
- 2 small/medium boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 lb button mushrooms, white or brown
- 1 bunch green onion, (1 cup chopped) (green and white parts)
For the Sauce:
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2-3 garlic cloves, pressed
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
- 1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach, loosely packed
- Freshly grated parmesan to serve
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions then drain and set aside (while pasta cooks, continue on).
- Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large, deep pan over medium heat and add 2 Tbsp oil. Add chicken and sauté the first side until golden brown (5 min), flip, cover and sauté another 5 min or until cooked through. Remove from pan and rest 10 min before slicing against the grain.
- In the same pan, add 1 Tbsp oil if needed along with sliced mushrooms and green onion. Sauté until soft and golden (5 min). Remove from pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, add 2 Tbsp butter, 3 Tbsp flour and pressed garlic then whisk 2 min. Slowly whisk in 1 cup chicken broth then 1 cup milk. Bring to a simmer and whisk until smooth and creamy (2 min). Add spinach and stir until wilted (1 min). Add 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper or season to taste.
- Add sliced chicken, sautéed mushrooms and drained pasta and toss to combine. Season to taste if needed and serve with parmesan cheese.
Nutrition Per Serving
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
My Wolf Gourmet cookware set is dreamy and I highly recommend it. Here’s why:
- You can use nearly any cooking utensil: stainless, silicone, wood… It’s safe and won’t harm the cookware.
- Great heat distribution produces amazing results and even cooking.
- 7 layer construction = super high quality. Practically speaking, your pan won’t warp and wobble on the stove even after a lifetime of cooking. Anyone whose ever used a cheap pan knows what I’m talkin’ bout.
- They are oven safe so they can go from the stove to the oven if needed
- The dual handles on larger items make them easy to maneuver. My old stainless set was super heavy and burdensome to use. P.S. These feel lighter than my old Kirkland ones which makes my wrists very happy!
The giveaway is now closed. Thank you for entering!
The recipe was easy, light and delicious 😋. My family devoured it all.
That is the best when the family loves what we moms make. That’s so great!
Unlike all the other recipes I’ve tried from this awesome website, this one really lacked flavor. It tasted like bland pasta with some milk and salt. The garlic was totally swallowed up. Since mushrooms absorb flavor so well, I would recommend sautéing the garlic with the onions and mushrooms when they are almost done. A splash of white wine in the mushrooms would have made it tastier too.
Great recipe! Followed just as it said except added shrimp instead of chicken. Super creamy and the sauce thickened nicely!
Awesome! Nice to know that you enjoyed this recipe with shrimps too!
I put in the search: ‘chicken breast, spinach and pasta’ and got this easy delicious recipe! Why did I just discover it now!! I didn’t have linguini so I used fettuccine and used the cooking cream instead of milk but half a cup and it was great.
Thank you Natasha 🙂
Love it! Thanks for sharing, I’m glad that you’re really loved this recipe and that you chose to try it!