Marry Me Chicken Pasta
The sauce comes together in the same skillet the chicken was seared in, so the browned bits and the sun-dried tomato oil both end up in the cream instead of going to waste. Cream and parmesan alone leave it thin enough to slide off the penne, so a cornstarch slurry goes in at the end of the simmer.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the penne until al dente according to the package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and season with the salt, pepper, garlic powder and half the paprika. Rub the chicken down with one-third of the olive oil, then heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken until browned and cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
In the same skillet, add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream, then stir in the parmesan, Italian seasoning, the remaining paprika and the red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
Stir the cornstarch into the cold water until no grains are left, then add it to the simmering sauce a little at a time, letting it come back to a simmer between additions, until the sauce thickly coats the back of a spoon. It has to be cold water — cornstarch dropped into hot liquid seizes into lumps before it can disperse. Stop while the sauce still moves in the pan; cornstarch keeps setting as it heats, and a sauce taken too far can't be loosened back.
Return the chicken to the skillet along with the drained pasta. Stir in the spinach, if using. Toss well, adding the reserved pasta water a splash at a time if the sauce is too thick.
Top with the basil and extra parmesan. Serve immediately.
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