Pasta with Chicken, Spinach and Mushrooms in a Lemon Cream Sauce

This is an easy and delicious weeknight dinner or great for a large group. You can leave the chicken out and make it a vegetarian dish and it is still delicious.  I use linguine pasta, but you can use any long pasta.  This dish goes great with a Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Savignon Blanc or Rose. Cheers!

Serves 4-6

1 Lb. long pasta

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 

2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts, diced into bite sized chunks

1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper

8 ounces sliced mushrooms 

2 cups fresh spinach leaves

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Optional-1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes


Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.

Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a large sauté pan on medium high heat.  Add chicken to the pan and season with salt and pepper.  Sauté chicken 5-7 minutes or until chicken has browned and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet to a plate.

Add to the pan the remaining tablespoon of oil, garlic and mushrooms and sauté for 3-4 minutes.

Add cream and lemon juice to the pan with the mushrooms.  Stir to combine. 

Put chicken and drained pasta into the pan with the sauce. Add spinach and red pepper flakes.

Cover for 2-3 minutes for spinach to wilt.   Mix pasta well making sure spinach is well distributed.  Adjust seasoning if needed.  Sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese and serve.  


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Pasta with Shrimp and Spinach in a Creamy Lemon Sauce

Serves 4 1 lb. dried pasta of choice 2 tablespoons olive oil 5 cloves minced garlic 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved 1/3 cup lemon juice 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream 1/2  teaspoon each salt and pepper 1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well. Heat olive oil in a large saute pan on medium heat. Add garlic and tomatoes and saute for 2-3 minutes.  Add lemon juice and cream to the pan. Cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle salt and pepper into the sauce. Add shrimp and cook for 3-4 minutes. Turn shrimp over and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add drained pasta and spinach to the saute pan with shrimp.  Mix to coat pasta with sauce.  Cook until the spinach wilts and sauce has thickened. This will take 2-3 minutes.  Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve immediately.   
Read more

Easy Salmon Salad

 8 oz. cooked salmon, flaked 2 cups cucumber, sliced into half moons 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved 3/4 cups red onions, chopped 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped 4 cups mixed greens, chopped 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped Dressing: 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper In a large salad bowl, add salmon, cucumber, tomatoes, red onions and avocado.  Mix gently to combine. In a mason jar, add lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper and shake to combine. Place a cup of the mixed greens on 4 plates.  Top with salmon mixture.  Drizzle dressing over the top.  Serve chilled.
Read more

Roasted Butternut Squash Tacos with Smoky Black Bean Slaw

Image
  8 corn taco sized tortillas I medium butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1 inch cubes (approximately 2 lbs.) OR  2 12 oz. bags of pre sliced butternut squash 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil ½  tbsp ground cumin  1 tbsp chili powder ¼ tsp each salt and pepper Slaw: 2 cups of shredded mixed purple and green cabbage 1 15 oz. can of black beans, drained and rinsed 3 green onion, chopped 2 tbsp fresh lime juice 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil ¼ tsp ground cumin Salt and pepper to taste Garnishes: Guacamole, chopped cilantro, crumbled cotija cheese Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with foil.  In a small mixing bowl, add chopped butternut squash, extra virgin olive oil, cumin, chili pepper, salt and pepper. Mix well to coat the squash pieces. Lay the squash pieces onto the baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until tender and caramelized. While the butternut squash is roasting, toss together the cabbage, black beans, green onion...
Read more