Creamy Rigatoni Florentine

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Servings: 8
Yield: 8 servings

Description

Creamy rigatoni fiorentini (rigatoni Florentine) is an easy weeknight pasta dish with chicken, spinach, and mushrooms in a basil-infused tomato sauce.

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package rigatoni pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds boneless chicken, cubed
1/4 cup sliced fresh mushrooms, or more to taste
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (26 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1 pint half-and-half
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, or to taste
1 (10 ounce) package fresh spinach, chopped
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon shredded Parmesan cheese, or more to taste
8 leaves fresh basil, or to taste

Directions

1 Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook rigatoni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender but firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain.
2 While the pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté until no longer pink in the center, about 10 minutes; transfer to a plate.
3 Add mushrooms to the skillet and sauté until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic; sauté until fragrant and golden, 1 to 2 minutes.
4 Stir spaghetti sauce, half-and-half, and Italian seasoning into the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, 10 to 15 minutes.
5 Return cooked chicken to the skillet, then add spinach. Cook until spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes.
6 Add cooked pasta and mozzarella cheese to the chicken and sauce; stir until melted. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.