1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
If the chicken breasts are thick, use a sharp knife to butterfly them (cut them in half lengthwise). Sprinkle both sides with the seasoning blend.
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
Heat a large skillet with deep sides (12-inches or larger) over low-medium heat, and add the olive oil and chicken. Cook the chicken for 3-5 minutes on each side. It’s finished when the juices run clear, it's no longer pink, and the internal temperature reaches 165°F on an instant read thermometer.
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
Remove the chicken from the pan and allow to rest on a plate. After the chicken rests for 5 minutes, dice it into bite-sized pieces.
To Make the Pasta and Sauce
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta until it's al dente. Before draining, reserve ½ cup of the starchy pasta water to use later. Drain the pasta and set aside.
8 ounces short pasta
In the same pan used to cook the chicken, melt the butter then add the onions and cook until softened. To the onions, add the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and red pepper flakes if using. Cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ cup white onion, 2 medium garlic cloves, 4 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Pour in the chicken broth and milk and bring to a simmer. Add the cubed cream cheese and whisk continuously until the cream cheese melts. At this point, the sauce will thicken quite a bit. Don't walk away from it while it's on the hot burner or it could scorch.
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, 1 cup whole milk, 8 ounces block-style cream cheese
Sprinkle in the parmesan cheese, and continue whisking until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth. Add the spinach and stir just until wilted and reduced in volume.
5 ounces baby spinach, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Combine the cooked noodles and chicken with the sauce. Add small splashes of reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed. Otherwise, discard the pasta water.
½ cup reserved pasta water
Serve with extra parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, and fresh basil.