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One Pan Chicken Spinach Alfredo – a quick and easy meal with pasta, chicken, spinach and alfredo sauce all cooked in one pan! Super easy and delicious!
If you have been here before you now I love creamy pasta and a quick and easy dinner. If I can get dinner on the table in about 20 minutes and not have much clean up, I call that a win!
And this chicken and spinach alfredo is just that! Total comfort food in a big bowl of pasta that is all cooked in one pan in just minutes. A weeknight win for sure!
One pan skillet meals are great for busy weeknights. You start by cooking the meat and then you add in the pasta, the liquid and seasonings. It all cooks together until the pasta is fully cooked and you are pretty much done. You don’t have to get a separate pot dirty cooking the pasta. And the pasta absorbs all the flavors as it cooks, so it is even more flavorful than you can imagine!
This One Pan Fettuccine Alfredo with Shrimp is version that is a great quick weeknight meal. But this chicken spinach alfredo uses short cut pasta, so it is a little easier to deal with in the pan. Plus there is lots of added fresh spinach. All that spinach makes you feel a little better indulging in it more often.
What’s In Chicken Spinach Alfredo
- Olive Oil
- Chicken (chicken breasts or thighs work)
- Chicken Broth
- Heavy Cream
- Short Cut Pasta (ziti, rotini, penne etc)
- Parmesan Cheese
- Fresh Spinach
- Garlic
- Garlic Salt and Pepper
How to Make Chicken Spinach Alfredo
- Start by heating a large skillet over medium high heat. Pour in the oil and once it is hot add the chicken pieces.
- Once the chicken is almost completely cooked, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until you can start to smell it.
- Next you add in the chicken broth, heavy cream and whatever cut of pasta you are using. Bring it to a simmer and cover for about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the pasta and then cover again and simmer until the pasta is fully cooked. About another 7-8 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Once everything is hot and creamy you are ready to serve!
Pasta Alfredo Pro Tips
- You can use whatever shape pasta you have. A shortcut pasta works best for this recipe as they tend to cook for similar times and use about the same amount of liquid. Penne, rotini, ziti, and bow tie pasta are some of my favorites
- This is best served immediately after it is cooked. You can reheat the leftovers, but the pasta will absorb some of the sauce as it cools and it will not be nearly as creamy the next day. It tends to be a bit grainy.
- You can use whatever kind of chicken you have. If you have leftover chicken it is great to throw in here, or rotisserie chicken if you are in a hurry. Even canned chicken will work if that is what you have.
- You can also mix up the protein with whatever you like. Shrimp, pork, bacon etc.
What Goes With Chicken Alfredo
- Olive Garden Breadsticks
- Easy Biscuits
- Sauteed Asparagus
- Cheesy Pull Apart Bread
- Your Favorite Side Salad
Unfortunately chicken alfredo is not something you can really make ahead of time or freezer for later. The sauce does not hold up that well to refrigerating. The leftovers will last in the fridge for a few days, but it won’t be quite the same rich and creamy consistency when you reheat them.
If you are looking for a new way to mix up dinner your family is going to love this. And you are going to love just how easy it is to make! A creamy pasta will win over picky kids any night of the week!
More Great Pasta Recipes
- Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Chicken Pot Pie Noodles
- One Pan Cheesy Sausage Pasta
- Creamy Mushroom Pasta
- Pesto Cavatappi
- One Pot Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
- Goulash
One Pan Chicken Spinach Alfredo
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- 3 cloves garlic cloves, minced
- 14 ounces chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 oz short pasta
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1 ½ cups grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the olive oil.
- Season chicken with the garlic salt and pepper.
- Once the oil is hot add the chicken to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes until browned.
- Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, until it is fragrant.
- Stir in chicken broth, heavy cream, and pasta. Bring to a simmer and cover for about 10 minutes.
- Stir in spinach, cover and cook until the pasta is done, about 5-7 more minutes.
- Remove pan from the heat and stir in Parmesan cheese.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This was a total Mom win! Perfect way to encourage my family to eat their veggies without any nagging needed. They all cleaned their plates. Thanks!
My son is going to love this recipe. I can’t wait to make this for dinner tonight! So excited!
Nothing makes me happier than a quick and fulfilling dinner on a busy weekday, thanks for this one!
I love sneaking veggies into pasta! My kids will definitely devour this!
One pot recipes are the best! Great for busy weeknights!
This was such a great dinner recipe! So creamy and delicious; the whole family loved it!
I can already tell me family is going to love this one, thanks for the recipe!