You can’t go wrong with “marry me” recipes, and our Marry Me Chicken & Spinach Penne Skillet will have you saying “yes” to dinner. We took our classic creamy sun-dried tomato sauce, made with antioxidant-rich shallots and garlic, Italian seasoning and a kick of red pepper, and added in protein-packed chicken and fiber-rich whole-wheat pasta. Tender spinach leaves add color and heart-healthy folate to this delicious and crowd-pleasing meal. Top it off with salty Parmesan cheese and fresh, aromatic basil for a perfect dinner. Keep reading for our expert tips on adding more vegetables, ingredient substitutions and more.
Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen
These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!
- For easier preparation, consider using julienne-cut sun-dried tomatoes, and don’t forget to use the oil from the jar—it adds a lot of flavor to the chicken.
- If you’d like to include an extra vegetable, sliced mushrooms are a great option.
- You can substitute the chicken with bulk Italian sausage and replace the spinach with chopped kale or broccoli rabe.
- When it’s time to cook the spinach, add it to the simmering broth in batches. This will help prevent it from clumping in the final dish.
Nutrition Notes
- Chicken is a rich source of protein. The nutritional content of chicken breast versus chicken thighs varies slightly. Chicken thighs have more fat than breasts, but also have more iron per serving. Chicken breasts have twice the niacin of thighs and more magnesium. Both are healthy choices and the decision to use one or the other in this dish comes down to personal preference.
- Whole-wheat penne has more protein and fiber than conventional white pasta. This adds more nutritional value to this recipe, but also adds satiety. Increasing your fiber, even in small amounts, each day can benefit your gut health and support your microbiome.
- Spinach is always an excellent addition to pasta dishes and because it wilts, you can eat more of it. That helps concentrate the nutrition, especially the iron and folate, which are both important during pregnancy. Getting enough folate each day is also important for heart health.
