• 1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• ½ cup Parmesan Cheese (freshly grated)
• 1 Cup Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
• 1 lemon, juiced and zested
• 4-5 oz Pancetta, finely diced
• 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
• 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
• 3 Garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 Cups Spinach
• 1 lb Rotini Pasta
• Salt & Pepper
• Olive Oil
• Basil, for garnish if desired
- In a skillet over medium heat, cook the pancetta until the fat is rendered and the pieces are crispy, then set aside. Pound the chicken breasts until they are about 1” thick and somewhat uniform in size. In a small bowl, stir together the Italian seasoning and smoked paprika. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper plus your seasoning mixture. In the same pan as the pancetta, cook the chicken breasts until fully cooked to 165 degrees. Set aside on a plate to rest.
- Boil a large pot of salted water. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1-2 cups of pasta water, and drain remaining water.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup Ricotta cheese, lemon juice and zest, parmesan cheese. Slowly, add 1 cup of the reserved pasta water and continue to whisk. Use additional pasta water if sauce is too thick.
- Lower the heat of your skillet to low. Add crushed garlic and cook until fragrant. Pour in your ricotta mixture and stir until all of the pan juices are well combined and the sauce thickens slightly. Add the cooked pasta, pancetta and spinach to the pan and stir. Finally, slice your cooked chicken into strips and add to pasta.
- Garnish with additional parmesan cheese and fresh basil if desired. Serve immediately.