Florentine Chicken Pasta family favorite

On Oct 9, 2018

Florentine Chicken Pasta family favorite

Delicious Pesto Chicken Florentine is simple but full of flavor. Pesto and homemade Alfredo combine for a delicious combination! !

Pesto Chicken Florentine is made with macaroni, chicken, spinach, tomatoes and cheese and topped with a homemade Alfredo sauce and pesto! Add cheesy garlic bread, homemade Caesar salad, Zuppa Toscana soup for an Italian meal!

Florentine Chicken Pasta

What the heck is Chicken Florentine, you ask? Well, the culinary term “Florentine” or “à la Florentine” refers to recipes made in the style of the Italian city of Florence. Often, these Florentine-style recipes feature spinach sautéed in butter and served with a cheesy white sauce.

Our recipe does include sautéed spinach and a creamy white sauce, only we toss it in with the macaroni and add some pesto! Alfredo and pesto with garlic, sautéed chicken and spinach really takes this pasta to the next level!

Next time you’re craving a special pasta meal, try this Chicken Florentine! This is one the whole family will love.

Pesto Alfredo Sauce

This homemade Alfredo with a hint of pesto is the real star of the dish. The good news is, it’s super easy to make. This is how you do it:

garlic. Add the garlic to the pot and sauté for 1 minute.

broth. Add the chicken stock and let it bubble.

cream. Once it’s bubbling, add half of it, whipped cream, salt and pepper, and parmesan. Stir constantly until combined. Let the liquid heat and thicken for a few minutes.

pesto. Once your sauce is the consistency you want, you’ll add 2 tablespoons of pesto (we like to use our homemade basil pesto).

spaghetti. Add chicken/spinach mixture to pasta with pesto/alfredo sauce. Stir well and sprinkle Romano cheese on top. Serve.

Easy Chicken Florence FAQs

I would recommend Use fresh spinach. but if freezing It’s just what you have on hand, and it’s perfectly fine to use! Still use at least 2 cups of frozen spinach – it shrinks a ton as it cooks.

shop In an airtight container, refrigerate for 2-4 days.

If you feel ambitious and want to Add something extra to the pasta, There are a few different options here:

bacon – Cook a few slices of bacon (or use precooked bacon), then cut into small pieces. Add pasta at the same time as chicken/spinach mixture, or sprinkle over individual servings.
fresh tomatoes – Top single serving with fresh diced tomatoes.
fresh basil – Sprinkle fresh basil over individual items before serving.
mushroom – Add 8 oz. Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan and sauté along with the spinach. Follow the rest of the recipe in the same way.
sun-dried tomatoes – If you’re using sun-dried tomatoes, add ½ cup to the skillet along with the spinach and saute. If you have sun-dried tomatoes loaded with oil, just drain the oil and add ½ cup while mixing the sautéed mixture with the pasta.

If you love pesto like I do, you can add a little more than 2 tablespoons to the sauce.we decide we want Add extra pesto next time! Trust me, there will be a next time with this recipe – the whole family loves it, even my kids love the red sauce pasta. 😉

Do you like the chicken Florentine flavor in this pasta? You might want to try the soup version!

For more delicious pasta dishes, be sure to try:

main course

Italian

Prep time 5 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total time 35 minutes

Serving Size 6

Calories 622 kcal

by Lil’ Luna

2 TB olive oil
2 teaspoons garlic
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts halved and cut into strips
2 c fresh spinach leaves
16 oz pkg dry macaroni
1 TB grated Romano cheese

Homemade Pesto Alfredo Sauce

1 cup chicken stock
1 c half half
1/2 c fresh cream
1 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic
2 TB pesto
salt and pepper to taste

In a large frying pan, sauté garlic in hot oil for 1 minute. Add chicken and cook 7 to 8 minutes per side. Once the chicken is cooked, add the spinach and fry for 3-4 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Rinse with cold water and drain.
To prepare the Alfredo sauce, add the garlic to another pot and sauté for 1 minute. Add broth and let bubble. Then add half, whipped cream, salt and pepper and Parmesan. Stir constantly until combined. Let the liquid heat and thicken for a few minutes. Once your sauce is the consistency you want, you can add 2 tablespoons of pesto; set aside.
Add chicken/spinach mixture to pasta with pesto/alfredo sauce. Stir well and sprinkle Romano cheese on top. Serve.

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