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One Pot Chicken Spinach Pasta is a simple, creamy weeknight dinner made in a single pot with minimal prep and almost no cleanup.
Tender chicken, pasta, spinach, and a rich tomato-cream sauce come together into a comforting meal that’s ready in under 30 minutes.
This is the kind of recipe you make when you want something warm and satisfying without standing over the stove or washing multiple pans. Everything cooks together, which means fewer dishes and more time to actually enjoy dinner.
Why You’ll Love This One Pot Chicken Spinach Pasta
- Made in one pot – no draining, no extra pans
- Ready in under 30 minutes
- Creamy but balanced, not heavy
- Family-friendly and great for leftovers
- Easy to customize with what you have on hand
This is a true weeknight staple – reliable, comforting, and practical.
A One-Pot Pasta That Actually Works
If you’ve ever been skeptical about one-pot pasta recipes, you’re not alone. It’s easy to assume the pasta won’t cook evenly or the sauce will turn watery.
This recipe proves otherwise.
Cooking the pasta directly with the chicken and liquid allows the starch to thicken the sauce naturally, while everything absorbs flavor as it cooks.
The result is a creamy, cohesive dish with perfectly cooked pasta and tender chicken – no shortcuts, just smart cooking.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe uses simple, easy-to-find ingredients:
- Short pasta (penne works best)
- Chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
- Water or a mix of water and chicken stock
- Marinara sauce
- Cream cheese (regular or reduced-fat)
- Fresh spinach
- Dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
- Grated Parmesan cheese
You likely already have most of these on hand.
How to Make One Pot Chicken Spinach Pasta
1. Cook the pasta and chicken
Add pasta, water (or water + stock), chicken, oregano, and a pinch of salt to a deep pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente and the chicken is fully cooked.
2. Add the sauce and creaminess
Lower the heat and stir in the marinara sauce and cream cheese. Mix well until the cream cheese melts and creates a smooth, creamy sauce.
3. Finish with spinach
Add the spinach and cook for 1–2 minutes, just until wilted. The heat of the pasta is enough — don’t overcook it.
4. Serve
Remove from heat, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, taste, and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately.
Tips for Success
- Use a wide pot so the pasta cooks evenly
- Stir often while cooking to prevent sticking
- Cut chicken into small, even pieces for quick cooking
- If the sauce thickens too much, add a splash of water or milk
We love eating pasta at home and cook it at least once a week. This 20-Minute Pasta Carbonara and this Balsamic Bacon Mushroom Pasta recipes are some of my favorite ones. How about fettuccine with homemade pasta sauce?
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes. Regular short pasta works well. You may need to add a little extra liquid and stir more frequently.
Absolutely. Boneless, skinless thighs stay very juicy and work perfectly here.
Pasta continues absorbing liquid as it rests. Add a small splash of water or milk and stir before serving.
Yes. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently with a bit of liquid to loosen the sauce.
One Pot Creamy Tomato Chicken Spinach Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 oz penne pasta
- 3 cups water, or 2 cups water + 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 lb chicken breast, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 jar marinara sauce, 12 oz
- 4 oz cream cheese
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes, optional
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a deep pot, combine pasta, water, chicken, oregano, and salt.
- Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until pasta is al dente and chicken is cooked through.
- Reduce heat and stir in marinara sauce, cream cheese, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Add spinach and cook 1–2 minutes until wilted.
- Remove from heat, top with Parmesan, adjust seasoning, and serve.
Notes
- Stir frequently to prevent sticking
- Add a splash of liquid if sauce thickens too much
- Great for leftovers and meal prep
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
One pot meals are our favorite! This pasta looks SO creamy and amazing, Mira! Perfect for busy weeknights!
Barilla definitely makes the best pasta! And this one pot wonder looks amazing, Mira!! So creamy-dreamy and packed with fabulous flavor! AND SO EASY! Seriously, if this isn’t winning at dinner, I don’t know what is! Pinned of course! Cheers! <3
Mira this is such a lovely hearty dish! So love how creamy this is – we are huge fans of Barilla too and cannot wait to try this!
I haven’t tried Barilla’s Pronto pasta yet — I need to because I make one pot pastas all the time! This sounds so delicious with the creamy tomato sauce!
This has got to be my idea of a perfect easy meal, Mira. Pasta with a creamy, cheesy tomato sauce – what could be more delicious? Mmmm!
Do you bring the water to a boil before adding pasta and chicken? How long does raw chicken and pasta need to cook?
I want to try this next week! ❤
Hi Suzzie, no, you do not need to bring water to a boil before you add the pasta. Chicken pieces need to be very small, so after the water boils, they need anywhere between 10 and 15 minutes to fully cook (you cook them with the pasta together). Hope you like it! Let me know if any questions!
What size jar is the pasta sauce?
It is a standard 24 oz pasta sauce. Thanks!
So easy, simple and delicious pasta dish!