12 ounces whole-wheat penne
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced yellow onion
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
12 cups loosely packed baby spinach
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper, plus more for garnish
3 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
Bring water to a boil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water; drain well. Wipe the pot clean.
Heat oil in the pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring often, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add spinach and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is bright green and wilted, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add half-and-half, Gruyère, cream cheese, mustard, lemon zest, lemon juice, crushed red pepper, black pepper and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring constantly, until the cheese is melted and the mixture is mostly smooth, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the pasta, chicken and parsley, adding the reserved cooking water, 2 tablespoons at a time, if needed, to keep the sauce loose and creamy. Cook until the pasta and chicken are coated and warmed through, about 1 minute. Divide among 8 bowls; garnish with additional parsley and black pepper, if desired.
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