The cream sauce turns from thin to glossy the moment the Parmesan melts in, and that is when you know this Chicken Florentine Pasta is going to be good. It tastes like something you would order out, but it all happens in one skillet in about 30 minutes. Tender chicken and fresh baby spinach in a rich, garlicky Parmesan cream sauce make this the kind of creamy spinach pasta the whole family asks for again.
If you love a creamy skillet pasta night, you will also want to try my Cast Iron Philly Cheesesteak Pasta or my Alfredo Tortellini.
Quick Look at this Recipe
- ✅ Recipe Name: Chicken Florentine Pasta
- 🕒 Ready In: 30 minutes (15 prep, 15 cook)
- 👪 Serves: 5 people
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Penne, chicken breast, baby spinach, heavy cream, Parmesan, white wine
- 📖 Dietary Info: Contains alcohol (cooks off); GF option with potato starch
- ⭐ Why You’ll Love It: A restaurant-style creamy spinach pasta done in one cast iron skillet.
Summarize and Save the Recipe
Jump to:
- Quick Look at this Recipe
- Why You’ll Love This Chicken Florentine Pasta
- What Is Chicken Florentine
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Chicken Florentine Pasta
- Substitutions and Variations
- Expert Tips
- What to Serve With Chicken Florentine Pasta
- How to Store and Reheat
- Chicken Florentine Pasta FAQs
- More Delicious Recipes
- Get the Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Florentine Pasta
- One skillet, 30 minutes. The chicken sears and the sauce builds in the same cast iron pan, so cleanup stays small and the dinner stays weeknight-friendly.
- Restaurant-rich sauce. A real butter-and-flour roux plus a splash of white wine gives a thicker, glossier sauce than the lighter milk versions.
- Spinach-forward, no mushrooms. This is a clean, green Florentine that keeps the spotlight on tender chicken and fresh spinach.
- Cast iron does the heavy lifting. You get a hard sear for flavor, then steady, even heat while the sauce reduces.
- Plays well with a fresh side. The rich sauce loves a crisp, tangy counterpoint like my Simple Coleslaw.
What Is Chicken Florentine
Florentine is just the kitchen word for a dish served with spinach. The name usually gets traced back to Catherine de’ Medici of Florence, who is said to have carried her love of spinach with her to the French court. What matters at dinner is simpler than the history: pile that spinach into a creamy Parmesan sauce, spoon it over penne, and you have comfort food that feels a little fancy.
Cast iron is the right tool for the job. You get a hard sear on the chicken for real flavor, then the pan holds steady heat while the sauce reduces and thickens. If you love this kind of silky Parmesan sauce, my Easy Creamy Alfredo Sauce leans on the same butter-and-cream method.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here is what goes into this chicken Florentine pasta, plus a few notes. Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Penne pasta: the ridges and tube hold the thick sauce. Any short pasta works.
- Chicken breasts: halved lengthwise into thin cutlets so they cook fast and evenly.
- Salted butter and olive oil: the oil sears the chicken, the butter starts the roux.
- All-purpose flour: the thickener that gives the sauce its cling-to-the-pasta body.
- Dry white wine: deglazes the pan and adds brightness. The alcohol cooks off.
- Chicken broth and heavy cream: the body of the sauce.
- Baby spinach: stirred in at the end so it stays bright and just wilted.
- Parmesan: freshly grated melts smoother than pre-shredded.
How to Make Chicken Florentine Pasta
Here is a quick overview with step photos. The full recipe with exact measurements is in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Step 1: Season the chicken. Cut each breast in half lengthwise and season both sides with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Step 2: Sear the chicken. Cook in olive oil over medium heat, 3 to 5 minutes per side, until it hits 165 degrees F. Rest, then slice.
- Step 3: Build the roux. Cook butter and garlic 1 minute, then whisk in the flour and cook about 2 minutes until golden.
- Step 4: Make the sauce. Pour in the white wine and cook 1 minute, then whisk in the broth, heavy cream, and Parmesan.
- Step 5: Wilt the spinach. Stir in the baby spinach and cook until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper.
- Step 6: Toss it together. Add the cooked penne and sliced chicken, then toss everything to coat and serve.
Substitutions and Variations
This creamy spinach pasta takes well to swaps. A few that work:
- Pasta: bowtie or fusilli in place of penne.
- Oil: avocado or grapeseed oil instead of olive oil.
- Chicken: tenderloins or boneless, skinless thighs.
- Gluten-free: use ¼ cup potato starch in place of the flour, and skip the browning step.
- Broth: chicken stock or mushroom stock.
- Dairy-free: heavy coconut cream in place of the heavy cream.
- Spinach: a 10 oz bag of frozen spinach, fully thawed and well drained, in a pinch.
- Cheese: Romano or Asiago for the Parmesan.
- Add vegetables: diced bell peppers, mushrooms, peas, broccoli, or shredded carrots.
Expert Tips
- Cook then slice the chicken. Searing the cutlets whole and slicing after a short rest keeps them juicier than slicing raw and cooking the pieces.
- Cook the roux until golden. Two minutes of cooking the flour knocks out the raw taste and deepens the flavor.
- Adjust the thickness. Too thick, add a splash of broth. Too thin, simmer a little longer.
- Keep the sauce from breaking. Whisk briskly as the cream goes in, and only simmer, never boil. A hard boil is the most common reason a cream sauce splits.
What to Serve With Chicken Florentine Pasta
Serve it with a warm, crusty loaf of my Dutch Oven Bread or my Cheesy Pull Apart Bread to mop up the sauce. A crisp green salad keeps it light, and my Dutch Oven Cheesy Potatoes turn it into a full spread for company.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, microwave in 45 to 60 second intervals, stirring between, until heated through. A splash of broth or cream as you reheat loosens the sauce back up.
Chicken Florentine Pasta FAQs
Yes. Diced bell peppers, mushrooms, peas, broccoli, or shredded carrots all work well. Add firmer vegetables earlier so they soften, and tender ones near the end with the spinach.
Cook it first, then slice. You can slice it raw and cook the pieces, but searing the cutlets whole and slicing after a short rest keeps the chicken more tender and juicy.
Whisk quickly as you add the cream, or temper it first by warming it slightly before it goes in. Most importantly, only let the sauce simmer. A full boil is the usual cause of a broken, grainy cream sauce.
Yes. If it gets too thick, whisk in a splash of chicken broth to thin it. If it is thinner than you like, simmer it a little longer and it will tighten back up.
The wine simmers for about a minute after it goes in, and most of the alcohol cooks off as the sauce reduces. For an alcohol-free version, use extra chicken broth and a small squeeze of lemon for brightness.
Yes. Use your favorite gluten-free pasta and swap the all-purpose flour for ¼ cup of potato starch. With potato starch you do not need to brown it the way you would the flour.
More Delicious Recipes
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Get the Recipe
Chicken Florentine Pasta
Equipment
- Large pot
- Large cast iron skillet
- whisk
- Tongs
- Cutting board and knife
Ingredients
- 16 oz penne pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup salted butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 6 cups baby spinach
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Cook the penne to al dente according to the package directions, then drain and set aside.
- Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise and season both sides with the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook 3 to 5 minutes per side, until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Transfer to a cutting board and let it rest before slicing.
- Add the butter and garlic to the skillet and cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the flour and cook about 2 minutes, until golden.
- Slowly pour in the white wine and cook 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken broth, heavy cream, and Parmesan, then stir in the spinach. Cook until the sauce thickens, then season with salt and pepper.
- Add the pasta and sliced chicken and toss everything together to combine. Serve with bread and enjoy.
Notes
- Cook then slice. Sear the chicken whole and slice it after a short rest for juicier, more tender meat.
- Only simmer the sauce. A hard boil can cause a cream sauce to break, so keep it at a gentle simmer.
- Adjust the consistency. If the sauce gets too thick, whisk in a splash of broth. Too thin, simmer a little longer.
- Make it gluten-free. Swap the flour for ¼ cup potato starch and skip the browning step.
Nutrition
Dutch Oven Daddy is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
Edward says
What an awesome, creamy pasta dish! Loved it as much as my family did! Thank you!