Put the pasta on to cook as per the packet instructions. Once cooked drain the pasta but keep a cupful of the pasta water.
350 g pasta
Add the oil to the pan over a medium heat and stir fry the diced chicken for 5 - 8 minutes until cooked. Remove from the pan and set to one side.
1 tablespoon olive oil, 400 g diced chicken
Add the butter to the pan and when it is bubbling, add the sliced mushrooms. Spread them out and fry for 2 -3 minutes turning occasionally. Try not to move them around too much
25 g butter, 300 g mushrooms
Add the leek and garlic and fry for a further 2 -3 minutes.
500 g leek or 1 large leek, 1 clove garlic
Pour in the white wine and let it reduce for 1 minute. Add the stock and stir
60 ml dry white wine, 125 ml chicken stock
Pour in the cream and stir until the sauce has thickened
300 ml single cream
Stir in the spinach leaves until wilted. This will take about 1 minute
100 g spinach
Stir in the parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper
60 g parmesan cheese, 1 dash black pepper
Stir in the cooked chicken and pasta until covered by the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a little of the pasta water to loosen it.
Serve with the fresh parsley sprinkled over the top
4 tablespoon fresh parsley
Notes
Pasta. Use any pasta or noodle shapes or even long pasta such as tagliatelle, spaghetti or linguine. Once you've cooked your pasta, keep back a cup of the pasta water to loosen the sauce if necessary at the end.Mushrooms. Any type of mushrooms will work in this dish. When preparing the mushrooms, just wipe the tops clean. Dont soak them in water or this will alter their texture. You don't need to peel them. Slice them length ways and include the stem.White Wine. Make sure the white wine is dry and not sweet. If you prefer not to use wine, you can just leave it out. Increase the amount of chicken stock by the amount of white wine to make sure there is enough liquid.Cream. I've used single cream in this recipe but you could also use a heavier cream if you like. Parmesan Cheese. Adding parmesan cheese to the sauce helps to thicken it and also brings great flavour. Try to avoid pre-grated cheeses as they won't melt as well and can make the sauce lumpy.Seasoning. Parmesan cheese is quite salty so taste the sauce before adding extra salt. You might like to seson with black pepper.StorageDue to the cream, the dish won't freeze well. It can be stored in the fridge for 3 - 4 days.ReheatingIt is best to reheat anything with a creamy sauce on the hob or stove top. Add a little milk to loosen the sauce and reheat over a medium heat whilst stirring.