Get ready. Get set. Start drooling! This Chicken Stroganoff Recipe with Spinach over pasta takes a delicious classic and adds a healthy twist. BUT, I promise, it doesn’t lose an ounce of flavor! You still get that thick, creamy, savory, and earthy mushroom sauce with a touch of tangy brightness from the sour cream. Then you have meaty and hearty chicken strips that are seared for maximum flavor. Spinach is added for more texture, color, and healthy brightness.
Then, if all of this wasn’t enough!? I used the most amazing Banza Cavatappi Pasta, made from chickpeas. The hollow cavatappi curl hugs and holds the sauce in all the right places so each bite is saucy perfection!
Health-ifying a Classic
My Mom would make Beef Stroganoff for special occasions growing up. I adore it! Even as an adult, when I would go home to Chicago to visit, she would always have Beef Stroganoff for me. Mom’s always remember what we love :). But…I really wanted to make a healthier version of this classic beef dish so I could enjoy it more often with ingredients that I always have on hand. Here are the 4 changes I made to the recipe:
- Replaced beef with lean chicken breast
- Thickened the sauce first with a cornstarch slurry so that I could cut down on the sour cream added
- Added spinach for color, texture, vitamins, and nutrients
- Replaced regular egg noodles with a healthier and gluten free pasta option made from chickpeas!
Let talk about that last one. I wanted to find a gluten free pasta that could stand up to this delectable sauce and not turn to mush. Enter BANZA! Banza has a variety of pasta shapes and sizes all made with Chickpeas! That means they have more fiber, more protein, and less carbs than a regular pasta made from flour.
Here are some other easy recipes that you can use Banza pasta in!
- Broccoli Pesto Pasta
- Parmesan Chicken & Cherry Tomato Pasta
- Mexican Pasta Salad with Sun Dried Tomato Dressing
- Walnut Sauce Pasta with Ricotta and Spinach
Quick note! This post contains affiliate links, which means I earn a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you purchase from them. This commission is what helps me keep this blog afloat :). But, I also share these links because I have used the products, genuinely love them, and want you to know exactly what I used.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
No hightech gadgets for this one, just your best and largest non-stick skillet/frying pan! I use my absolute favorite 12″ Ceramic Pan, which is great because food really does slide right off with minimal oil and I don’t have to worry about food sticking and burning. It comes with a glass lid, which is perfect for watching your dinner cook!
Oh, I also like to cut my raw chicken with kitchen shears, but you can also just cut with a knife. And mincing garlic is made super easy with a Garlic Press.
PREP-AHEAD TO MAKE YOUR CHICKEN STROGANOFF RECIPE COOKING KIT
We are all extremely busy and making dinner during the week can be overwhelming. Here are the steps you prepare in the day(s) in advance and store in the fridge as your meal Kit… (See the recipe below for more details)
For this recipe, you could make the entire dish in advance and reheat. If you do this, I suggest keeping the pasta separate from the sauce through the reheating process as they will have different times and you don’t want to overcook the pasta.
But, if you’re just looking to get ahead on the ingredient prep, then start by prepping the chicken. Cut the chicken breast into strips. I like to do this with kitchen shears, but you can also just cut with a knife. Store sealed in fridge until ready to cook.
Slice the mushrooms. Mince the garlic. Store separately in fridge until ready to cook.
COOK YOUR CHICKEN STROGANOFF RECIPE
Start by cook the pasta. Be sure you don’t do this too early that it gets cold, but if you start to boil the water at the same time you start cooking the chicken, you will be good! Bring the water to a boil and then add the pasta. Stir the pasta so it doesn’t stick together. Bring back to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. There will be foam created from the chickpeas, but that’s normal. Strain the pasta and rinse with hot water, then add back to the pot and cover until ready to serve.
Note: Of course you can use any pasta you want! My Mom always made Stroganoff with Wide Egg Noodles.
Preheat a large skillet on high. Season the chicken strips with salt and pepper and add them to the skillet with a drizzle of olive oil. Separate the strips into a single layer to sear on one side, about 4-5 minutes. Then flip the strips over to sear on the other side, another 5 minutes or until all of the chicken is cooked and there is no more pink.
Add water to the chicken and scrape up the brown bits from the bottom. Remove the chicken from the pan along with any juices.
To the same pan, add another drizzle of olive oil and then add the sliced mushrooms. Separate them into a single layer and season with salt and pepper. Let them sear on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip the mushrooms over to cook on the other side, about 4 minutes.
While the mushrooms are cooking, making the cornstarch slurry by mixing the cornstarch into the cold milk.
Then add the chicken broth and vegetable broth, scraping up any bits on the bottom. Stir in the minced garlic and bring up to a light simmer.
Add the slurry to the skillet and whisk to combine. Continue to stir as the sauce starts to thicken and the whisk leaves a trail in the pan.
Add back the chicken, cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Stir in the sour cream and then add the spinach. Stir and let the spinach start to wilt. (NOTE: if you want the spinach more cooked down, add it earlier, when you add the chicken)
At this point, you can mix in the pasta or serve the Stroganoff over the pasta. ENJOY! 😍 Carrie
Chicken Stroganoff Recipe with Spinach & Pasta
This Chicken Stroganoff Recipe with Spinach over pasta takes a delicious classic and adds a healthy twist. BUT, I promise, it doesn't lose an ounce of flavor! You still get that thick, creamy, savory, and earthy mushroom sauce with a touch of tangy brightness from the sour cream. Then you have meaty and hearty chicken strips that are seared for maximum flavor. Spinach is added for more texture, color, and healthy brightness. #stroganoff #chickendinners #chickenrecipes #chicken #healthydinners #familydinners #dinnerideas
Ingredients
- 16 oz chicken
- 1/2 cup water
- 8 oz pasta
- 10 oz Mushroom
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1 cup baby spinach
Instructions
Prep-Ahead Instructions
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Cut the chicken breast into strips. Store sealed in fridge until ready to cook.
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Slice the mushrooms. Mince the garlic. Store separately in fridge until ready to cook.
Cook
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Cook the pasta by adding 5-6 cups of water to a pot with a pinch of salt. Bring the water to a boil and then add the pasta. Stir the pasta so it doesn't stick together. Bring back to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. There will be foam created from the chickpeas, but that's normal. Strain the pasta and rinse, then add back to the pot until ready to serve.
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Preheat a large skillet on high. Season the chicken strips with salt and pepper.
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To the hot skillet, add a drizzle of olive oil and then the chicken strips. Separate the strips into a single layer to sear on one side, about 4-5 minutes. Then flip the strips over to sear on the other side, another 5 minutes or until all of the chicken is cooked and there is no more pink.
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Add a 1/2 cup of water to the chicken and scrape up the brown bits from the bottom. Remove the chicken from the pan along with any juices.
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To the same pan, add another drizzle of olive oil and then add the sliced mushrooms. Separate them into a single layer and season with salt and pepper. Let them sear on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip the mushrooms over to cook on the other side, about 4 minutes.
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While the mushrooms are cooking, making the cornstarch slurry by mixing the cornstarch into the cold milk.
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Then add the chicken broth and vegetable broth, scraping up any bits on the bottom. Stir in the minced garlic and bring up to a light simmer.
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Add the slurry to the skillet and whisk to combine. Continue to stir as the sauce starts to thicken and the whisk leaves a trail in the pan.
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Add back the chicken, cover and cook for 5 minutes.
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Stir in the sour cream and then add the spinach. Stir and let the spinach start to wilt. (NOTE: if you want the spinach more cooked down, add it earlier, when you add the chicken)
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At this point, you can mix in the pasta or serve the Stroganoff over the pasta. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- While I used Banza Gluten Free Pasta, you can certainly use any pasta or noodle you prefer! My Mom always made Stroganoff with Wide Egg Noodles.
- I used both chicken broth and vegetable broth in this recipe. Chicken for the flavor and vegetable broth because it has a darker color and helps to give this Chicken Stroganoff that familiar brown colored sauce. You can certainly use 2 cups of Chicken Broth.
- For the spinach, I like it bright green and barely wilted for lots of texture. However, if you want it cooked down more, then add it earlier when you add the chicken.
