- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- Salt and black pepper
- 4 thin-cut boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 5 tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted)
- 1 medium shallot, minced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried basil (or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 8 oz fresh spinach
- 8-12 oz of short pasta (trumpets are best)
Step 1
On a plate, mix together the flour, Parmesan and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Butterfly chicken breasts and beat until thin. Dredge each chicken breast in the mixture, evenly coating on both sides.
Step 2
Heat a large pan over medium. Add olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan and melt to combine. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown (but not cooked through), about 4 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
Step 3
Add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan and let it melt. Add shallot, garlic and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring until the shallot is softened and the garlic is aromatic, about 2 minutes.
Step 4
Add wine, broth, basil and oregano, and stir, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the liquid has reduced by about half, 4t o 5minutes. Add the heavy cream and cream cheese and stir, allowing the cream cheese to soften and melt, until a thick sauce forms, about 6 minutes. Add baby spinach and stir until it is folded into the cream sauce and the spinach is beginning to wilt, about 1 minute. Whisk mixture to help dissolve the cream cheese.
Step 5
Return the chicken breasts to the pan and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve immediately with freshly grated Parmesan on top.
Step 6
Mix in cooked pasta to finish. Add up to 1 cup of pasta water to dilute sauce and a knob of butter if needed. Mix thoroughly until sauce evenly coats pasta and develops glossy sheen, 2 minutes.
Notes: Needs to be topped with parm or asiago – maybe add something else to the mix to give it a bit more funk? Would also be good with mashed potatoes. Add mushrooms next time? A couple of shakes of nutmeg would also be good. Watch the amounts of liquid you add as you get to the end of cooking. Try for a thicker sauce. If you over did the liquids, try dissolving a couple of teaspoons of corn starch in a small amount of hot water to make a paste. Add a little of the paste and stir and then add a bit more to thicken your sauce. Corn starch is essentially tasteless. Another method would be to make a roux from flour and oil, but it takes time and care.
Tyler and I had a little help making the dish.
