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Boursin Cheese Pasta with Chicken

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Boursin cheese, pasta
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces dried Cavatappi/Cellentani (corkscrew) pasta
  • 2 tbsps olive oil
  • 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into small bites
  • Salt and pepper, for seasoning 
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 (5.2 oz) package Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs cheese
  • 8 ounces cherry tomatoes 
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish 
  • 1 cup baby spinach
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, optional

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. For al dente pasta, follow the instructions on the package. Drain the pasta but keep about ½ cup of pasta water set aside.
  • While the pasta is cooking, season the chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Brown the chicken for 2-3 minutes per side. Put the chicken on a plate and loosely tent with foil.
  • Using the same skillet, add the remaining olive oil and garlic and stir for about 30 seconds. Pour in the chicken broth and lower the heat, bringing the broth to a low simmer.
  • Add the Boursin cheese and cherry tomatoes. Break up the cheese and mix until it melts into the broth, creating a sauce. Mix in the Parmesan cheese.
  • Add the spinach, pasta and chicken back into the skillet. Gently toss everything until it’s coated in the sauce and the spinach wilts. Add some pasta water to loosen the sauce up, if necessary.
  • Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Serve the pasta into bowls and  sprinkle with extra Parmesan cheese.

Notes

  • You can use any type of pasta for this dish that you prefer. We like Cavatappi/Cellentani (corkscrew pasta) because the spiral holds the sauce well. Penne, rigatoni or bowtie are all good options.
  • If you want a really creamy sauce, you can add a second package of Boursin cheese. You may need a little extra chicken broth, but this will be really saucy and good.
  • It’s really easy to overcook the chicken because the pieces are small, so they cook fast. The best way to do it is just add them to the skillet, with space to breathe and leave them be until they get some color, then flip and do the same.
  • You can add mushrooms, cut asparagus or broccoli to add more fiber. Any combination of veggies will be great.
  • Make sure you are breaking up and whisking the Boursin cheese into the chicken broth. It can burn if you just plop it in and leave it to melt. You want to whisk until smooth so it’s not lumpy.
  • If your pan has a lot of browning from the chicken, do not wash it out. This will give the dish more flavor. Just scrape it and whisk it into the chicken broth.