I understand why people go carb-free to quickly drop weight. I’ve tried it before — it works. What I don’t understand is giving up carbs entirely if you don’t have a gluten allergy. I mean, life without pasta? Basically not worth living. (If you are actively gluten-intolerant, I apologize and hope you can find comfort in gluten-free substitutes!)
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And while red sauce is great (I know there are die hard marinara fans out there), I would almost always prefer a big dollop of mascarpone mixed in with my pasta. You get the same creaminess that you would from a roux-based sauce, without that heavy, clumpy feeling. That’s my problem with dishes like fettuccine alfredo or even something like biscuits and gravy. They’re so unbelievably heavy, you just feel weighed down after eating them.
If you even remotely agree, you’ve gotta give mascarpone a chance. This slightly sweet, melts-like-a-dream cheese is the answer to your creamy pasta prayers.
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I made this on a whim a couple weeks ago for my kids. The chicken was cut into smaller pieces, the spinach was finely chopped, and the pasta I used was toddler-sized, but otherwise, same recipe.
Fun fact: John and I couldn’t stop eating it.
Oh, come on! Surely all parents do this!
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You could make this a vegetarian main by removing the chicken and subbing in hearty mushrooms or other springs veggies. Asparagus, peas, leeks. Just keep the rosemary and mascarpone — they’re key.
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Creamy chicken pasta with spinach and rosemary, you are welcome here any time!
Ingredients
- 2-3 chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ cup flour
- Salt
- Pepper
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- 2 bags of fresh baby spinach
- 1 lb pasta
- ½ cup mascarpone cheese
- Parmesan cheese, optional
Instructions
- Toss chicken with flour, salt, and pepper in a medium mixing bowl. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Shake off excess flour, then add chicken to the pan and sauté until browned and cooked through on all sides, about 5-7 minutes.
- Remove chicken, then add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add chopped rosemary, spinach, season with salt and pepper, and cook until just wilted. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt, then add pasta. Cook until al dente, then drain. Return pasta to pot (or a large mixing bowl) then add chicken, spinach, and rosemary mixture. Toss with mascarpone cheese until thoroughly coated. Serve with freshly grated parmesan and black pepper.
P.S. If you're going to serve this a while after cooking, I like to add a fresh scoop of mascarpone after it's been re-heated.