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Chicken spinach alfredo pasta
Everyone loves a good alfredo but our recipe for chicken spinach alfredo pasta takes this classic meal to a whole new level. You will be surprised at how quickly you can make this dinner and how easily a complete meal can come together with just one pot and one saute pan.
Chicken and Spinach Alfredo
Alfredo sauce is definitely a classic pasta sauce that many people enjoy. It is creamy and rich, full of delicious cheese flavor along with notes of garlic, salt and pepper. Everything about this sauce is just so decadent and tasty! However, we have found a way to make it even better.
Adding fresh spinach and chicken to alfredo along with the pasta makes a really good dish and turns it into something fantastic. With the added protein and vegetables, our recipe is a complete meal in a bowl- you have everything you need in just one dish! Incredible flavor, a full meal and it is easy to make- this alfredo recipe can’t be beat.
Favorite Alfredo Sauce
Making this dish couldn’t be easier and the main reason is due to the fact that we utilize a perfect, pre-made alfredo sauce. Newman’s All Natural Alfredo Sauce is absolutely delicious and tastes like something right out of a restaurant. It is full of parmesan cheese and garlic flavors with the perfect creamy texture.
Two jars of this alfredo is the perfect quantity for our recipe, coating all the pasta, chicken and spinach in a thick creamy sauce. We are also big fans of the fact that this sauce has no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives added in so you can feel good about enjoying every last drop of this alfredo sauce.
Of course, you can definitely use your own favorite brand of sauce in this recipe, just be sure to keep the quantity the same. You can even use your own homemade sauce which will certainly add a personalized touch to this recipe. Just be sure to use fresh garlic and parmesan cheese when you make your sauce- it is necessary for a good alfredo!
How to Make Pasta with Chicken and Spinach
To make our pasta with spinach and chicken recipe, you only need to follow a few simple steps.
- Boil a large pot of water over high heat and cook the pasta according to the package directions (exact cook time may vary depending on the type of pasta you choose).
- Drain the pasta and set aside.
- While the pasta is cooking, cook the ground chicken in a large skillet along with the seasonings.
- Once the chicken has browned, add the baby spinach to the skillet along with the sauce and stir.
- Add the prepared pasta and toss all the ingredients together.
- Serve while hot!
Pretty simple, right? All the fresh garlic taste, the golden-brown chicken and the healthy spinach come together easily and quickly. That also means you will have dinner on the table with barely any prep time needed and just a few minutes of active cook time!
Spinach Chicken Pasta Variations
If this recipe looks amazing to you, you may also be interested in a few variations we have tried that add a little extra flavor and excitement. Take a look and see which one of these little additions or added steps appeals to you.
- Grab a few cloves garlic, minced very small. Pour some olive oil in the skillet, turn to medium heat, add the garlic to the pan and cook until it is browned. Then, mix in the ground chicken and seasonings and continue with the recipe as written. This will add some great extra flavor that every garlic lover will enjoy!
- After the chicken has cooked, add some cooked, crumbled bacon to the meat and stir. Chicken pasta, bacon and spinach covered with alfredo sauce sounds pretty amazing!
- Use chopped kale in place of baby spinach.
- Add some extra fresh ground pepper from your spice grinder to the dish to give it a little more spice.
- Top the pasta with freshly grated parmesan cheese for a perfect finishing touch
If you have any other interesting ideas to make this recipe even better, send us an email or leave your secrets in the comments below! We would love to hear how you made this dish even tastier.
Adjust the Alfredo Sauce
Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to pasta sauce. Some think that in a pasta recipe, alfredo should be super thick to coat the pasta completely. Others feel the sauce should be a little thinner. Here is how to make the Newmans sauce that we use the perfect consistency for you.
How do you thicken Alfredo Sauce?
To thicken the sauce, simply add about 1/4 cup of cream cheese. This can be blended into the ground chicken after it has cooked. The cream cheese will melt and mix right into the sauce, making it nice and thick!
How do you make alfredo sauce thinner?
To make the sauce a little bit thinner, mix in about 1/4 cup of heavy cream. The heavy cream will keep the decadent texture of the sauce while making it a little thinner (and great for soaking up with some fresh bread!).
As you can see, this easy recipe is one that you can make quickly, cook any night of the week and give your family something that you feel good about serving. Full of lean protein, healthy spinach and lots of fresh garlic taste, we know that this chicken spinach alfredo recipe will be a total win! Enjoy!
Skinny Chicken Spinach Alfredo
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
With ground chicken and spinach blended in, this easy alfredo is healthy and delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground chicken
- 1 (16oz.) box Barilla Whole Grain Rotini (or gluten free pasta)
- 2 jars Newman’s All Natural Alfredo Sauce
- 1 (10 oz.) bag fresh baby spinach (chopped)
- 1 teaspoon ground red pepper
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- sea salt + black pepper
- fresh Parmesan cheese (optional topping)
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions then drain and set aside.Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground chicken and seasonings then cook for about 5-7 minutes or until browned.
- Add Alfredo sauce and spinach to skillet then turn to low heat. Add prepared pasta and mix everything together.Serve immediately.
Notes
Pro Tips:
- Taste the sauce after you have mixed everything together and then reach for your spice rack to adjust the seasonings to your liking. Be sure to add your favorite spices after you cook the dish as the heat can change the taste of the sauce drastically. So heat, add your spices and then enjoy!
- You may need to drizzle a little olive oil into the saute pan before cooking the ground chicken in order to prevent it from sticking. Just a tablespoon or two of oil will do!
- Try using shredded rotisserie chicken to save time and give the dish some extra flavor. Heat the cooked chicken in the saute pan for about 2 minutes then continue with the recipe as written (all you need to do it cut back on the cooking time for the chicken as the rotisserie chicken is already cooked!)
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