Chicken with spinach and noodles

Ingredients

• 1chicken breast, cut into strips
• 1 tspgarlic powder
• 1 tspoyster sauce
• A splashsoy sauce
• 1 bunchspinach
• 1 handfulcherry tomatoes
• 200 gevaporated milk or coconut milk
• 1onion
• 1/2red pepper
• 2small hot chillies
• 250 gfresh tagliatelle
• To tastesalt
• A splash, plus a little extraolive oil
• To tastegrated Parmesan

Instructions

1. 1

   Marinate the chicken

   Cut the chicken into strips. Mix with 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp oyster sauce and a splash of soy sauce, then leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. You can also leave it overnight.

2. 2

   Brown the chicken

   Heat a splash of olive oil in a pot. When it is hot, fry the chicken until golden, then transfer it to a plate.

3. 3

   Cook the vegetables

   Add a little more oil to the same pot. Add the pepper cut into strips and the onion thinly sliced, season with salt and add the chillies.

4. 4

   Finish the sauce

   Once the vegetables are sautéed, return the chicken to the pot and add the evaporated milk, cherry tomatoes and salt. When the mixture comes to the boil, add the washed spinach, season with salt, cover and cook for a few minutes until the spinach is cooked. Cook the tagliatelle, add it to the pot and mix; leave it to rest so the pasta can absorb the sauce.

5. 5

   Serve the noodles

   Serve with grated Parmesan and chopped parsley sprinkled over the top.

What is chicken with spinach and noodles?

This is a simple home-style dish of chicken and fresh pasta served with leafy greens and a creamy sauce. Its description places it in the tradition of everyday Spanish home cooking, where a handful of familiar ingredients are brought together with care.

Here, the combination of seasoned chicken, spinach and cherry tomatoes gives the noodles plenty of savoury flavour and colour. The pasta rests in the sauce before serving, helping the flavours come together.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 520 calories, 37g protein, 58g carbs, 16g fat.

The noodles provide most of the carbohydrates, while the chicken contributes much of the protein. Olive oil, evaporated milk or coconut milk, and Parmesan supply much of the fat; serve with extra vegetables or salad to balance the plate.

Seasoning the chicken

Marinade: garlic powder, oyster sauce and soy sauce season the chicken before it reaches the pan. Give it at least 30 minutes in the fridge, or leave it overnight as suggested.

Building the base

Onion and pepper: slice the onion thinly and cut the pepper into strips so they cook in the same pot as the chicken. Add the chillies with the vegetables; the recipe does not specify whether to leave them whole or chop them.

Browning: cook the chicken until golden, then set it aside while the vegetables are sautéed. Returning it to the pot later keeps the cooking in stages, rather than leaving it in the pan throughout.

Getting the sauce right

Milk choice: evaporated milk gives the sauce a creamy base, while coconut milk is the listed alternative. Either works with the chicken, tomatoes and spinach.

Spinach: add it once the sauce is boiling, then cover the pot and cook for a few minutes, until the leaves have cooked down. Wash the spinach before adding it.

Cooking the noodles

Fresh tagliatelle: cook it separately, then add it to the pot and mix it through the sauce. The recipe gives no exact cooking time, so follow the packet directions and check the pasta for doneness.

Resting: leave the combined dish to stand briefly so the noodles can take up some of the sauce. This is the final step before serving.

Serving ideas

Parmesan: finish each serving with grated cheese and chopped parsley, as directed. Add the cheese at the table if you want everyone to choose their own amount.

On the side: serve with a simple green salad or another vegetable if you would like a fresher contrast to the creamy noodles.

Recipe notes & tips

• Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes, or prepare it the night before.
• Have the vegetables sliced and spinach washed before you start cooking.
• Let the chicken brown before removing it from the pot.
• Add the spinach after the sauce reaches the boil, as directed.
• Cook the fresh pasta according to its packet instructions.
• Let the finished noodles rest briefly so they can absorb the sauce.

Variations

• Choose coconut milk: use it instead of evaporated milk for the listed alternative.
• Adjust the heat: use fewer chillies for a milder dish.
• Add more greens: increase the spinach for a vegetable-forward version.
• Finish with Parmesan: add it at the table so diners can choose how much to use.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the marinade: give the chicken at least 30 minutes in the fridge for the seasoning to take hold.
• Crowding the browning stage: fry the chicken in batches if it will not sit comfortably in the pot.
• Adding spinach too early: wait until the sauce boils, then cover and cook it for a few minutes.
• Overcooking fresh pasta: use the packet timing and check it before mixing it into the sauce.
• Serving straight away: allow a brief rest so the noodles can absorb some of the sauce.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and use within 2 days. Reheat gently in a pot or microwave until piping hot; add a small splash of water or milk if the sauce has thickened.

Frequently asked questions