Fettuccine with Chicken, Goat Cheese & Spinach

By charlotteh371

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry white wine (like Sauvignon Blanc)
• 2 Tbs. minced shallots (from about 2 small)
• 5 oz. goat cheese, at room temperature, cut up or crumbled
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch crushed red chile flakes
• 1/2 lb. dried fettuccine
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 lb. total)
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 4 oz. fresh baby spinach (about 6 cups)
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil

Preparation

Step 1

In a medium saucepan, combine the white wine and shallots. Over high heat, reduce the liquid by half, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the goat cheese until the mixture is smooth, season with 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, and the red chile flakes, and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just cooked, 9 to 11 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, drain the pasta, and set aside.

Meanwhile, pound the chicken breasts with a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy skillet to flatten them to about 3/4 inch and season them with salt and pepper. Heat 1 Tbs. of the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sauté until browned and just cooked through, about 5 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the pan. Add the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil and the spinach and sauté until it’s wilted, about 2 minutes. Let the chicken cool for 2 minutes and then cut it diagonally into strips.



In a large bowl, combine the pasta with the goat cheese sauce; add the spinach and the chicken with its juices. If the pasta is dry, stir in some of the reserved pasta water until the sauce reaches the consistency you want. Season with salt and pepper and serve in warm bowls, topped with the basil.