Creamy Rosemary Chicken Pasta

Cream is the ideal medium for rosemary: it rounds off the sharp edges. The sprigs steep in the simmering cream and come out before the pasta goes in.

Why the rosemary matters here. Chopped rosemary in a cream sauce reads as gritty and medicinal. Steeped whole and removed, it turns the sauce savory and woody in a way no dried herb can copy.

Home kitchen · 4 to 6 servings

• 3 sprigs Fresh rosemary, whole, plus 1 tsp chopped to finish
• 1 lb Fettuccine or tagliatelle
• 2 lb Chicken breast, seasoned and sliced
• 2 cups Heavy cream
• 8 oz Cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 6 cloves Garlic, minced
• 4 oz Baby spinach
• 1½ cups Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
• to taste Sea salt and black pepper

Herb quantities are given in loose cups, not weight — a cup should look like too much before you chop it.

Method

1. 1 Sear the seasoned chicken until golden and just cooked. Rest it whole and slice at the end.
2. 2 Brown the mushrooms hard in the same pan, then add the garlic for a minute.
3. 3 Pour in the cream, drop in the whole rosemary sprigs, and simmer gently 8 minutes. Taste, then remove the sprigs.
4. 4 Wilt in the spinach, add the pasta with a splash of its water, and toss with the cheese until glossy.
5. 5 Fold the sliced chicken through, plate, and finish with the teaspoon of chopped rosemary and shaved Parmigiano.