Ingredients:

  • 5 lbs (680g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
  • 1/4 cup (30g) all-purpose flour
  • Kosher Salt & Black Pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp (30ml) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 medium Yellow Onion, finely diced
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) Dry White Wine (e.g., Pinot Grigio)
  • 1 1/2 cups (360ml) low sodium Chicken Broth
  • 1/2 cup (75g) sun-dried tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) Heavy Cream (35% fat)
  • 3 cups (90g) Fresh Spinach, roughly chopped
  • 12 oz (340g) Pappardelle Pasta
  • 1/4 cup (15g) Fresh Parsley, chopped (for garnish)
  • Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese (for serving)

Instructions:

  1. Pat the chicken thighs completely dry. Lightly dredge them in flour seasoned generously with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear chicken in batches until deeply golden brown on both sides (about 3–4 minutes per side). Remove chicken and set aside.
  3. Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion to the pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, scraping up any browned bits (fond). Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Pour in the white wine, scraping the bottom of the pot vigorously to lift all the flavour residue. Let it bubble and reduce by half (about 2 minutes).
  5. Return the seared chicken thighs to the pot. Add the chicken broth and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 40 minutes, or until the chicken is very tender.
  6. Remove the cooked chicken from the pot and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Stir in the heavy cream and chopped spinach. Simmer uncovered for 5–10 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  7. While the sauce finishes, cook the pappardelle according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
  8. Add the drained pasta directly into the sauce. Toss well, adding reserved pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce coats the pasta beautifully.
  9. Serve immediately, finished with a generous grating of fresh Parmesan and chopped fresh parsley.