I made this pasta dish on a whim using ingredients I already had in the fridge. This recipe is easily adaptable with other vegetables and pasta. I used three kinds of cheeses in this recipe and it was wonderful! The cream cheese adds a slight tanginess. I also added a couple of diced hot peppers for an extra kick. This is a quick and easy recipe but make sure you find the biggest skillet you have, because this makes a lot of food!
Creamy Chicken, Spinach, Mushroom Skillet Pasta
Ingredients:
1 box penne pasta
2 chicken breasts, seasoned to your liking
2 tb oil, separated
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups spinach
2 tb butter
2 tb flour
4 cups button mushrooms, thinly sliced
4 cups milk
4 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup Mozzarella cheese
salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
- Boil pasta to desired tenderness. While pasta is cooking, heat pan over medium heat and add 1 tb of oil. Season the chicken breasts and cook for 8-10 minutes or until cooked through. Let chicken rest for 5 minutes, then cut into bite sized pieces.
- In a large skillet, add 1 tb of oil and minced garlic. Sauté garlic, spinach, and mushrooms until spinach is wilted and mushrooms have softened. Transfer vegetables into a bowl and set aside.
- In the same skillet over medium heat, add butter and flour and whisk until combined for 1 minute. Add milk and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Add in Parmesan, Mozzarella, and cream cheese. Whisk until cheese has melted and sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add cooked pasta, spinach, mushrooms, and chicken into the skillet and mix until combined and heated through. Yields 6 servings.