Chicken Florentine Alfredo

If there's a pasta dish I can rarely say no to, it's chicken alfredo. There's something about that creamy cheese sauce that is so irresistable! But to give the traditional chicken alfredo dish a little spin, I love adding spinach for some color and flavor. This Chicken Florentine Alfredo introduces chopped spinach to the pasta party with the same creamy, Parmesan sauce and where specks of spinach adds a delicious touch of color and flavor...

When I come home from a long day at work, getting dinner on the table is the first task I work on after getting through the door. Whatever I can do to make dinner easier is the main strategy. For this dish, I found preparing the chicken and cooking the pasta to an al dente beforehand saves me a bit of time. In assembling this dish, both the chicken and pasta warm up nicely when combined with the sauce that comes together pretty quickly on the stovetop. As for the pasta, my favorite gluten free pasta would have to be from RP Pasta. Their pasta is fresh and can be found in the refrigerated section and offer a few kinds - fettuccine, linguine, fusilli, lasagna sheets...

Chicken Florentine Alfredo
recipe adapted from Pioneer Woman

9 ounces, fettuccine pasta {GF RP Pasta}
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cups dry white wine (or low-sodium chicken broth)
1/2 cup half-and-half
10 ounces chopped frozen spinach
3 tablespoons heavy cream
low sodium chicken broth, as needed for thinning
3/4 cups parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, Minced

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook through by browning on both sides and done in the middle. Remove from the skillet, and set aside.

Add butter to the skillet with the minced garlic, stirring to avoid burning. Cook for 1 minute and add wine (or broth). Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer for a few minutes. 

Add frozen spinach, half-and-half, cream, and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk until all combined and allow liquid to thicken. If it gets too thick, add a little chicken broth.

Meanwhile, cut the chicken into thin strips., set aside.

Remove the sauce from heat and add Parmesan to the pan, followed by the pasta. Toss to coat and add the chicken.  Continue to toss and if it gets too thick, you can thin it out by adding a little chicken broth. Serve immediately.