Need a quick and easy dinner but don’t want plain old spaghetti with meat sauce? This Easy Chicken with Pasta Dinner has your name all over it!
I have to tell you that I wasn’t planning to share this recipe with you. I thought I was making this on a night off from cooking for the blog. We had family pictures taken earlier in the day, which was fun but tiring, and I didn’t really feel like cooking. I did feel like eating though, which is what keeps me making tasty dinners every night even at my weariest. I scrounged through the kitchen looking for ingredients and inspiration, and I found some chicken that was about to expire and the handful of other ingredients used in this super easy chicken with pasta dinner. I was going to make Chicken Parmesan Casserole but then decided to make something even simpler. When I sat down to eat, I expected an OK meal, but I was surprised that I really loved this dinner! It tasted way better than something scrounged and was a pasta dinner recipe I’d serve to guests! Since I liked it so much and had enough leftovers to photograph, I decided to share it with instead of keeping it to myself. I hope you love it too!
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Easy Chicken with Pasta Dinner Recipe
This quick and easy dinner recipe will satisfy any pasta craving!
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- 10–12 ounces pasta
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 16 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning
- 10 ounces frozen spinach
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 28 ounces jar of your favorite pasta sauce
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
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Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions and drain.
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Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and Italian seasoning, and saute for about 5 minutes until chicken is almost done. Add frozen spinach and sprinkle it with salt. Reduce heat to medium and cover the pan with the lid until spinach is thawed, stirring occasionally. Cook a few minutes until spinach is heated through.
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Drain chicken and spinach, and return to pan. (I try to time this to drain the chicken before the pasta is done so I can use the same colander for the pasta.) Pour in pasta sauce and pepper flakes, cover, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Turn off heat, and stir cooked pasta into sauce mixture. Sprinkle cheese over the top, and cover. Allow to stand for 2-3 minutes until cheese melts before serving.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: Italian
Want more easy pasta dinners? Here you go!
Melanie | Melanie Makes says
Comforting pasta for the win! I always love it when it’s pasta night for dinner and this easy dish would be no exception!
Andi says
Thanks, Melanie! I think we might be having pasta tonight. Never get tired of it!
Kelley says
Literally two of my favorite words – easy and pasta. This looks great Andi!
Andi says
Me too, Kelley! Thank you!
Kristine @ Kristine's Kitchen says
Ha! The reason why I do all of the cooking and baking that I do is that I love eating, too! Quick and easy meals like this one are the best. Plus, it’s well balanced and healthy with the chicken and spinach!
Andi says
Thanks so much, Kristine. You can’t beat healthy dishes disguised as comfort food :)
Kacey @ The Cookie Writer says
Haha, I love when it is suppose to be a “relaxing day from the blog” and you cannot help but have to include the beauty in which you ate with others! Love easy pasta dishes! Now go and relax!
Andi says
I’m not sure I know how to relax anymore ;) Thank you, Kacey!
[email protected] Well Floured Kitchen says
That’s why I keep cooking too – because I always feel like eating :) Love how easy this is- And it looks delicious!
Andi says
Thanks so much, Sherri!
Jaren (Diary of a Recipe Collector) says
Love this kind of meal. I’ve been trying to cook with more spinach too, so this is perfect!
Andi says
I use a lot of spinach, at least for the grownups. My kids will eat it raw as salad but don’t always like it mixed in with cooked dishes. That’s the case with a lot of things though. They are not very adventurous!
Tonia from TheGunnySack says
Sometimes the meals thrown together at the last minute are the best! It does look delicious!
Andi says
Thanks so much, Tonia!