Chicken Florentine with Bow Ties

Chicken Florentine with Bow Ties

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Chicken Florentine with Bow Ties is a yummy recipe to make for your family when you’re craving something creamy and delicious. A perfect weeknight dinner with a little pizzazz!

Serving Chicken Florentine for an Easy Weeknight Dinner

(Post modified on 8/11/23.)

I have never been a very big fan of spinach, although I really like it in fresh salads. I blame it on my grade school years when our teachers made us eat everything on our plates, including the soggy mound of spinach served to us. Thank goodness for vinegar!

However, in the last year or two, I have pushed myself to try new things–which includes cooking with spinach (and Kale). I have to admit that I really like what this leafy green vegetable brings to a dish. Not only does it add a nice pop of fresh color to your main dishes, sides, or even breakfast casseroles, it also offers extra flavor and nutrients. Win. Win. And win.

Fresh Baby Spinach

In the culinary world, a la Florentine means to prepare a dish in the style of the Italian region of Florence. Or in simpler terms, it means you feature spinach in the dish, such as Eggs Florentine, Sole Florentine, Quiche Florentine, or even Florentine Pizza. Oddly enough, such cuisine is not considered Italian, but rather originated in France.

 

More Pasta Recipe to Enjoy

 

Ingredients Needed for Chicken Florentine with Bow Ties

(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)

  • skinless, boneless chicken breast (cut into 1″ pieces)
  • seasoned salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • bow tie pasta
  • butter
  • yellow onion
  • button mushrooms
  • garlic
  • cream cheese (room temperature)
  • half and half cream
  • dry white wine
  • mozzarella cheese
  • fresh parmesan cheese
  • dried or fresh basil
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • fresh baby spinach

 

Instructions for This Recipe

Ingredients for this Recipe

Gather all your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.

 

Prepare Your Ingredients

Using a cutting board and sharp knife, slice chicken breast lengthwise into 1-inch pieces.

On a separate cutting board and with a clean knife, mince the yellow onion. Chop the button mushrooms. Mince the garlic.

Remove the stems from the fresh baby spinach and coarsely chop.

I failed to chop the baby spinach the first time I made this dish, and later wished that I had done so, as some of the pieces were a bit too large for my taste.

Also I recommend using fresh spinach over frozen, as frozen will somewhat change the texture of this dish. It only takes minutes for the spinach to wilt in the cream, so it makes perfect sense to use fresh. 

With a box grater, shred the mozzarella cheese. Grate fresh Parmesan cheese with a fine-edged zester.

Cook the Chicken and Pasta

Brown the Pieces of Chicken Breast

Heat a large skillet with extra virgin olive oil on medium high heat and cook the chicken in the hot oil. Sprinkle with seasoned salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook until nicely browned on all sides. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside to keep warm.

In a medium saucepan, cook the bow tie pasta as directed on package. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, and then drain the water from the pan. Drizzle the pasta with 1 tablespoon olive oil to keep it from clumping. Cover to keep warm.

Prepare the Chicken Florentine

On medium low heat, melt butter in skillet and saute prepared onions, mushrooms, and garlic until tender.

Adding Liquids to the Tender VegetablesLower heat to a simmer, and add in the softened cream cheese, half-and-half, and dry white wine. Stir until the cream cheese has melted into the cream.

If desired, you may substitute chicken broth for the white wine in equal amounts.

Add to this the shredded mozzarella cheese, grated Parmesan, and dried or fresh basil.

If you use fresh basil, you’ll need 1 tablespoon to substitute for the 1 teaspoon of dried. This is the standard substitution for all fresh to dried herbs. 

Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir until smooth and creamy.

Adding Chopped Spinach to the Cream

Once the sauce is smooth, add in the fresh chopped spinach. Continue simmering and stir until the spinach wilts, 2-3 minutes.

Adding Chicken and Bow Ties to the Creamed Mixture

To finish, stir in the browned chicken and prepared bow tie pasta, coating well with the sauce. If needed, add reserved pasta water by the tablespoon until you have the desired sauce consistency.

Serving Chicken Florentine in Mauviel Copper Skillet

This recipe will serve 4-6 people. Serve with a hard, crusty bread and a fresh salad or steamed vegetable like green beans, asparagus, or zucchini.

Wine Recommendation: Kendall-Jackson-Vitner’s Reserve Chardonnay.

View Main Dishes Here. Browse Chicken Recipes Here. See more Recipes with Spinach Here. 

 

Recipe for Chicken Florentine with Bow Ties

Chicken Florentine with Bow Ties

Here's an easy recipe to make for your family when you're craving something creamy. A perfect weeknight dinner with a little pizzazz!
5 from 3 votes
Print Rate Pin Recipe
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: French, Italian
Keyword: Bow Tie Pasta, Chicken Breast, Spinach
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients 
 

Cream Sauce

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup yellow onion minced
  • 1/4 cup button mushrooms chopped
  • 2 tablespoons garlic minced
  • 3 oz. cream cheese room temperature
  • 1 cup half-and-half cream
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 oz. fresh baby spinach stems removed, coarsely chopped

Instructions

  • Gather all your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.

Prepare Your Ingredients

  • Using a cutting board and sharp knife, slice chicken breast lengthwise into 1-inch pieces.
  • On a separate cutting board and with a clean knife, mince the yellow onion. Chop the button mushrooms. Mince the garlic.
  • Remove the stems for the fresh baby spinach and coarsely chop.
  • With a box grater, shred the mozzarella cheese. Grate fresh Parmesan cheese with a fine-edged zester.

Cook the Chicken and Pasta

  • In a large skillet, cook the chicken in hot olive oil. Sprinkle with seasoned salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook until nicely browned. Remove from skillet and set aside.
  • In a medium saucepan, cook the bow tie pasta as directed on package. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, and then drain the water from the pan. Drizzle the pasta with 1 tablespoon olive oil to keep it from clumping. Cover to keep warm.

Prepare the Chicken Florentine

  • On medium low heat, melt butter in skillet and saute prepared onions, mushrooms, and garlic until tender.
  • Lower heat to a simmer, and add in the softened cream cheese, half-and-half, and dry white wine. Stir until the cream cheese has melted into the cream. Add to this the shredded mozzarella cheese, grated Parmesan, and dried basil. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir until smooth and creamy.
  • Once the sauce is smooth, add in the fresh spinach. Continue simmering and stir until the spinach wilts, 2-3 minutes.
  • To finish, stir in the browned chicken and prepared bow tie pasta, coating well with the sauce. If needed, add reserved pasta water by the tablespoon until you have the desired sauce consistency. Serves 4-6.

Notes

*Unless otherwise indicated, all butter used on this recipe site is salted. 

Nutrition

Calories: 627kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 1048mg | Potassium: 603mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2550IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 301mg | Iron: 2mg
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6 thoughts on “Chicken Florentine with Bow Ties”

  • 5 stars
    Go lord, we must have gone to the same school and because I still to this day can hardly eat cooked spinach.The whole school smelled bad the day they served that stuff. However, your pasta dish sounds delish (I love the bowties) and the perfectly cooked spinach.

    • I’m sure it was a “national” school trend or food program that they followed back then! Just hold your nose, right? 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.

  • 5 stars
    I love food history and it’s interesting to know the origins of classic dishes. Many believe that Catherine de Medici, who was from Florence, took Italian foods/recipes and chefs with her to France when she married Henry II. She is said to have introduced the French to ice-cream, sorbets, eggnog, crepes, forks and underwear!! As well as spinach, of course! This pasta dish looks delicious I love creamy sauces and bow-tie pasta!

    • Thanks for stopping by, Jacqueline! I enjoy learning the history behind a recipe as well, and was very interested in the links to Catherine de Medici.

  • 5 stars
    I have not made this yet, but looking at the ingredients, I know it’s going to be great. I love all the ingredients. listed. Thank you. I will be making this very soon.

    • Hi Mary, Thank you for stopping by. I hope you will enjoy this dish as much as we do. I love this flavor combination, plus it’s an easy dish to make, especially for a weeknight.

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