Creamy spinach, basil & chicken pasta
This recipe transforms leftover roast chicken and garlic into a vibrant, creamy pasta dish. Long pasta is tossed with a rich sauce made from sautéed onions, chili, white wine, tomato purée, spinach, lemon, and crème fraîche, finished with fresh basil. It's a flavorful and efficient way to repurpose ingredients into a comforting meal.
Equipment
- 1 Large Stockpot For cooking the pasta.
- 1 Large, deep skillet For preparing the sauce.
- 1 Chef's knife For chopping vegetables and herbs.
- 1 Cutting Board For safe and efficient ingredient preparation.
- 1 Colander For draining the cooked pasta.
Ingredients
Main
- 300 g long pasta we used mafaldine
- 2 tbsp leftover chicken fat from the roast chicken recipe, below
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 red chilli finely chopped, or 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 4 leftover roasted garlic cloves mashed
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 200 ml white wine
- 300 g spinach
- 200 g-300g leftover chicken shredded from the roast chicken recipe, below
- ½ lemon juiced
- small handful of basil leaves chopped into fine ribbons
- 200 g crème fraîche
Instructions
- Cook the long pasta according to package instructions until al dente, ensuring to reserve about a cup of the starchy pasta cooking water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the leftover chicken fat in a large, deep skillet or pot over medium heat.
- Add the finely chopped onion and chili (or chili flakes) to the skillet and sauté until the onion is softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
- Stir in the mashed roasted garlic cloves and tomato purée; cook for another 1-2 minutes, allowing the purée to deepen in color.
- Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and bring to a simmer, reducing slightly for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the fresh spinach to the skillet, stirring until it just wilts down, which should only take a minute or two.
- Fold in the shredded leftover chicken, lemon juice, and crème fraîche. Heat gently, ensuring the sauce doesn't boil vigorously.
- Add the drained pasta directly to the skillet with the sauce.
- Toss everything together until the pasta is well coated. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash or two of the reserved pasta water until it reaches your desired creamy consistency.
- Stir in the finely chopped basil ribbons just before serving.
Notes
To elevate this dish, consider deglazing the pan thoroughly after sautéing the aromatics to capture all the fond, which adds immense depth of flavor. If you don't have leftover chicken fat, a blend of butter and olive oil works well. Ensure spinach is added last and cooked just until wilted to maintain its vibrant color and delicate texture. For a restaurant-quality finish, use a good quality dry white wine and incorporate a little pasta cooking water to emulsify the sauce, creating a silky consistency that coats the pasta beautifully. A final grating of fresh Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese and a pinch of red pepper flakes would also enhance the overall profile.