Chicken florentine pasta

Spinach season has arrived and my husband and I both love to eat our spinach! It's probably our favorite green. We get large bags of it at the farmers' market and eat it in lots of ways. I enjoy this time of year because so much produce is coming into season. It's a great change to have all these fresh vegetables after a long winter. This pasta dish is pretty simple to make and it's a great way to use up a lot of spinach. Our spinach was really juicy and fresh, so it was beginning to turn the cream sauce a touch green, but that's OK. That's a good sign, right? 

Be sure to wash your spinach very well as it tends to be sandy and gritty, which can easily ruin a dish. This recipe will feed about four to six people or make you some nice lunch leftovers for during the week (my favorite).

Chicken florentine pasta
about 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper
olive oil
1 lb. pasta of your choice
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1-1/2 cups dry white wine 
1-3/4 cups whole milk
6 cups (lightly packed) chopped fresh spinach leaves
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
about 1/2 cup diced tomatoes (I used grape tomatoes)

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Warm about a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet and cook the chicken until golden on both sides and cooked through. Set aside on a plate.

Cook the pasta until al dente in salted water. Drain. While the pasta cooks, make the sauce.

Using the same skillet, add another tablespoon of olive oil and the garlic. Sautee until fragrant and then stir in the flour. Cook, stirring often, for about 1-2 minutes. Add the oregano and wine. Whisk well to break up any flour lumps and let the wine come to a boil. Continue to cook, whisking often, until the wine reduces by about half and is thickened. 

Reduce the heat and slowly stir in the milk. Stir in the spinach. Stir and continue to cook over low heat, lightly whisking often, until the spinach is wilted and the sauce is thickened. Season with salt and pepper.

Slice the chicken across the grain into bite-sized pieces. Stir the chicken and Parmesan into the sauce. Gently stir in the cooked pasta. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more milk.

Serve topped with the tomatoes and extra Parmesan. 

What was I cooking one year ago?: roasted strawberry balsamic vinaigrette 
Two years ago?: banana and pineapple sage smoothie 
Three?: ricotta cheese