Ingredients
12ozshort pasta,dried, such as bowties, penne, gemelli, etc.
4chicken breast cutlets,(1 to 1½ lbs in total)
salt and black pepper
2tbspextra-virgin olive oil
1medium onion,(about 1 cup) chopped
3clovesgarlic,minced
½cupwhite wine,or stock
16ozfresh spinach,washed, long stems removed, chopped
¼cupheavy whipping cream
¼cuppesto,or more
Preparation
Bring a large pot of salted water (add enough salt so that the water tastes salty) to a boil.
Add the dried pasta and cook until al dente.
While preparing the pasta, cook the chicken.
Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan, and brown the chicken breasts on both sides over medium-high heat. (Don’t cook all the way through, just browned.)
Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Add the chopped onion to the pan and sauté 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While the onions cook, slice the chicken into strips.
Put any pieces that are cooked all the way through in 1 pile, and put the ones that still need a little cooking in another pile.
When the onions are just beginning to brown, add the garlic and cook for another 1 minute.
Add the white wine or stock and boil vigorously until the liquid is reduced by ½.
Add the spinach and the undercooked pieces of chicken to the pan.
Using tongs, turn them over to coat them with the juices in the pan.
Continue to cook, turning and stirring often for about 2 minutes, until the spinach is wilted and the chicken cooked through.
Turn off the heat and add some black pepper, the pile of cooked chicken pieces, and the pesto. Stir to combine.
Drain the pasta put it in a large bowl. Add the cream to the sauté pan and stir well to combine.
Add the contents of the pan to the bowl with the pasta and mix well.
Serve at once.
