Wilted dark greens combined with a hearty portion of creamy garlicky pasta make this recipe a seriously satisfying weeknight supper. If you feel the creamy sauce is a little bit thick, add a little bit of the starchy pasta water to loosen up the consistency. The salty, starchy water not only adds flavor but helps the sauce cling to the rigatoni (this is a great trick that works for all pasta sauces). Buon appetito!
The quantities provided above are averages only.
Boxes and ingredients are packed in facilities that handles Peanut, Nuts, Sesame, Fish, Crustaceans, Milk, Egg, Mustard, Celery, Soya, Gluten and Sulphites. Due to the war in Ukraine, it has been necessary to substitute sunflower oil with rapeseed oil in some products without a label change. The FSA have advised that allergic reactions to rapeseed oil are rare.
1 unit(s)
Echalion Shallot
2 unit(s)
Garlic Clove
1 unit(s)
Courgette
(May contain Celery)
½ unit(s)
Lemon
180 grams
Rigatoni Pasta
(Contains Cereals containing gluten)
100 grams
Baby Spinach
10 grams
Vegetable Stock Paste
150 grams
Creme Fraiche
(Contains Milk)
40 grams
Grated Hard Italian Style Cheese
(Contains Milk, Egg)
260 grams
Diced British Chicken Breast
100 milliliter(s)
Reserved Pasta Water
Put a large saucepan of water with 0.5 tsp salt on to boil for the pasta.
Halve, peel and thinly slice the shallot. Peel and grate the garlic (or use a garlic press).
Trim the courgette. Use a peeler to peel long ribbons down the length of the courgette, stopping at the spongy centre.
Zest and halve the lemon.
Once boiling, add the rigatoni to the water and bring back to the boil. Cook until tender, 12 mins.
When ready, reserve some of the pasta water (see pantry for amount), then drain in a colander.
Pop the pasta back into the pan, drizzle with oil and stir through to stop it sticking together.
Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of oil in a large frying pan on medium heat. Once hot, add the courgette ribbons and season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened, 2-3 mins, then stir in the garlic and cook for 1 min more.
Add the spinach a handful at a time and cook until wilted and piping hot, 1-2 mins. Transfer everything to a large bowl and cover to keep warm.
Put your (now empty) frying pan back on medium heat with a drizzle of oil.
Once the oil is hot, add the diced chicken and shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4-5 mins. Stir in the veg stock paste and reserved pasta water, then simmer until reduced by half, 3-4 mins. IMPORTANT: Wash your hands and equipment after handling raw chicken and its packaging.
Mix in the creme fraiche and heat through until piping hot, then season with pepper.
Stir three quarters of the Italian style cheese through your creamy sauce.
Add the cooked pasta and half the cooked green veg and stir well to combine. Add a splash of water if it's a little too thick.
Add a pinch of lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice. Taste and add more lemon juice, salt and pepper if needed. IMPORTANT: The chicken is cooked when no longer pink in the middle.
Share the creamy chicken pasta between your bowls and top with the remaining cooked green veg.
Finish with a sprinkle of the remaining hard Italian style cheese.
Enjoy!
Step 4 MOD: If you've chosen to add chicken to your meal, add it to the pan before you add the shallot and season. Fry until browned all over, 5-6 mins, then add the shallot and continue as instructed. IMPORTANT: Wash your hands and equipment after handling raw chicken and its packaging. It’s cooked when no longer pink in the middle.