Kid Friendly Dinners: Spring Chicken Pasta
A mild, creamy spring chicken pasta made with short pasta, bite-sized chicken, and finely chopped spinach blended into a light Parmesan sauce. Family-friendly, weeknight-fast, and great for leftovers.
Equipment
- Large pot
- Large Skillet
- Colander
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring spoons
Ingredients
For the pasta
- 12 oz short pasta penne, rotini, or shells
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water use as needed
For the chicken
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into small bite-sized cubes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp olive oil for cooking chicken
For the mild creamy sauce
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup milk whole milk for best texture
- 1 cup spinach very finely chopped
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
Optional
- red pepper flakes for adults only, to taste
- fresh parsley chopped, optional garnish
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salted boiling water until just al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
- Season chicken cubes with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fully cooked. Transfer chicken to a plate.
- In the same skillet, melt butter. Add onion and cook 3 to 4 minutes until soft. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Stir in chicken broth and milk. Bring to a gentle simmer. Add Parmesan and stir until melted and the sauce lightly thickens.
- Add finely chopped spinach and stir until wilted and blended into the sauce.
- Return chicken to the skillet. Add cooked pasta and toss to coat. Use reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
- Serve warm with extra Parmesan. Add red pepper flakes to adult portions only if desired.
Notes
For the most kid-friendly texture, keep chicken pieces small and avoid over-reducing the sauce. If the pasta thickens after sitting, reheat gently with a splash of milk or broth. Spinach should be chopped very fine so it blends into the sauce.