Spinach Chicken Creamy Pasta (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Sauce

01 - 240 ml chicken broth
02 - 240 ml half and half
03 - 1 teaspoon mustard powder
04 - 1 teaspoon soy sauce
05 - pinch of red pepper flakes
06 - 0.25 teaspoon garlic salt
07 - 0.5 teaspoon dried parsley
08 - 0.5 teaspoon onion powder
09 - 1 teaspoon hot sauce
10 - 0.5 teaspoon dried basil
11 - 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano

→ Chicken, Pasta, and Main Ingredients

12 - 450 g boneless, skinless chicken breast
13 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
14 - 120 ml dry white wine
15 - 1.5 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning
16 - 225 g Mezzi rigatoni pasta
17 - 75 g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
18 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
19 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
20 - 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
21 - 2 tablespoons soft cream cheese
22 - 3 tablespoons plain flour
23 - 3 cups baby spinach, tightly packed (about 115 g)

# Instructions:

01 - Mix together half and half, chicken broth, soy sauce, hot sauce, basil, oregano, mustard powder, onion powder, parsley, garlic salt, and pepper flakes in a large measuring cup. Put this aside for later.
02 - Slice chicken breasts into small cubes, pat them dry, and generously season with lemon pepper.
03 - Warm olive oil over medium-high heat in a big skillet. Place chicken in and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Take it out and set it aside.
04 - Fill a large pot with water and bring it to boiling. Salt it and stir in rigatoni. Cook until it's just firm to bite as the package suggests. Drain and keep ready.
05 - Pour white wine into the same pan used for the chicken, set to medium. Scrape the browned bits off the bottom with a spatula, letting it bubble for about 4 minutes until it reduces.
06 - Throw in the minced garlic and cook for about a minute. Add butter to melt, then sprinkle flour evenly. Stir it non-stop for 1–2 minutes until you can't smell raw flour anymore.
07 - Pour the sauce mixture in little by little, whisking as you go to keep it smooth. Let it boil briefly, then drop the heat to simmer.
08 - Turn the heat to low and mix in cream cheese, stirring until mostly blended. Gradually sprinkle Parmesan in and stir until smooth. Allow it to thicken while keeping the pan partially covered.
09 - Toss in spinach and cook it down for 2 minutes until softened. Mix in lemon juice, cooked pasta, and chicken. Gently fold everything together until heated through.
10 - Taste and tweak seasoning if needed. Serve warm with extra Parmesan sprinkled on top, if you'd like.

# Notes:

01 - Grating a block of Parmesan gives the smoothest, richest melt.
02 - Choose Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, or Sauvignon Blanc for the wine. If avoiding alcohol, use broth instead.
03 - Philadelphia-style cream cheese melts beautifully into creamy sauces.
04 - Pre-shredded cheese might not melt as smoothly as fresh.
05 - Store leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
06 - Short pastas like penne or ziti work just as well as rigatoni in this dish.

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