Creamy Chicken and Spinach Ragu from the Slow Cooker - photo 1
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Creamy Chicken and Spinach Ragu from the Slow Cooker

Pikantne Main Dishes Italian Cuisine Pasta and Risotto 280 min Easy 16 wyświetleń ~46.44 PLN - (0)
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Description

This dish is the essence of comfort food that practically makes itself. Imagine incredibly tender, fork-tender pieces of chicken, enveloped in a velvety, creamy tomato sauce with a hint of sweetness from mascarpone cheese. The whole dish is enriched with fresh spinach, adding color and lightness, while the pasta cooked directly in the sauce absorbs all its flavor, becoming an inseparable part of the meal. The dish is inspired by Italian cuisine but has been adapted to a modern, busy lifestyle thanks to the use of a slow cooker. Served with a generous portion of parmesan, it becomes a wholesome, filling lunch, perfect for cooler days or when you need a culinary hug. Its visual appeal features a beautiful, warm, orange-red color of the sauce contrasting with the green of the spinach.

Ingredients (15)

Servings:
4
  • Chicken breast 600 g
  • Onion 1.3 szt.
  • Garlic 4 ząbki
  • Tomato passata 700 g
  • Chicken broth 500 ml
  • Serek mascarpone 250 g
  • Fresh spinach 200 g
  • Penne pasta 300 g
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Salt 0.2 szczypt
  • Ground black pepper 2 szczypty
  • Dried oregano 2 łyżeczki
  • Sweet paprika powder 1.5 łyżeczki
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Chili flakes 1 szczypta
  • Grated Parmesan cheese 50 g
  • Fresh basil 0.5 pęczek
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~46.44 PLN (11.61 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Preparation of the Sauce Base

1

Start by preparing the vegetables. Peel the onion from the outer, dry layers, cut it in half, and place the flat side on the cutting board. Dice it finely by making vertical cuts first, followed by horizontal cuts. Peel the garlic cloves, trim the hard end, and finely chop them with a knife or press them through a garlic press.

Ingredients: Onion, Garlic
Use a sharp chef's knife and a stable cutting board – this is the foundation of safety in the kitchen. Finely chopping the onion will cause it to almost completely dissolve in the sauce, giving it a uniform consistency.
2

Prepare the chicken breasts. Pat them dry with paper towels – this will help the spices adhere better. In a small bowl, mix together salt, freshly ground black pepper, sweet paprika, and dried oregano. Rub this mixture thoroughly onto the chicken breasts on all sides.

Ingredients: Chicken breast, Salt, Ground black pepper, Sweet paprika powder, Dried oregano
Do not skip drying the meat. Excess water would cause the spices to wash off, and the meat would boil instead of absorbing flavor. Be generous with the spices, as the chicken will be the main carrier of flavor for the entire sauce.
3

Place the prepared chicken breasts at the bottom of the slow cooker. Evenly distribute the diced onion and chopped garlic over the meat. Pour the tomato passata and chicken broth over everything. Gently stir the liquids with a spoon, trying not to move the meat. If you like spicier flavors, now is the time to add the optional chili flakes.

Ingredients: Chicken breast, Onion, Garlic, Tomato passata, Chicken broth, Chili flakes
Make sure your slow cooker has a capacity of at least 4-5 liters to accommodate all the ingredients. Layering the ingredients (meat on the bottom) ensures even cooking.

Cooking in a Slow Cooker

4

Close the slow cooker lid. Set the device to 'LOW' and cook for 4 to 5 hours, or on 'HIGH' for 2 to 3 hours. After this time, the chicken should be extremely tender and fall apart with a light touch of a fork.

Cooking on a lower temperature for a longer time ('LOW') will give you even more tender and juicier meat. The key rule when using a slow cooker is to avoid lifting the lid during cooking, as heat escapes each time, significantly prolonging the entire process.

Finalizing the Dish

5

Carefully remove the cooked chicken breasts from the sauce and transfer them to a large plate or cutting board. Using two forks, shred the meat into smaller, fibrous pieces. The chicken will be so tender that this should not be a problem. Return all the shredded meat back to the sauce in the slow cooker and mix.

Ingredients: Chicken breast
Be careful, the meat and sauce will be very hot. Shredding with forks is the simplest and most effective method to achieve the perfect texture for the ragu. This way, the meat will blend perfectly with the sauce.
6

Add the whole mascarpone cheese to the hot sauce with shredded chicken. Stir gently until the cheese completely melts and the sauce takes on a beautiful, creamy orange color. Then, add fresh spinach in batches (e.g., one large handful at a time), stirring after each addition. The spinach will quickly wilt and reduce in volume.

Ingredients: Serek mascarpone, Fresh spinach
It's best to add the mascarpone when the slow cooker is on 'keep warm' mode or turned off. Too high a temperature could cause the cheese to curdle. Don't worry about the large amount of spinach – it will disappear into the sauce after a while.
7

Add dry penne pasta to the creamy sauce. Mix thoroughly, ensuring that all the pasta is submerged in the sauce. If the sauce seems too thick, you can add a little hot water or broth. Close the lid, set the slow cooker to 'HIGH' and cook for about 15-20 minutes. After this time, the pasta should be cooked 'al dente', meaning slightly firm.

Ingredients: Penne pasta
The cooking time for the pasta may vary depending on the slow cooker model and the type of pasta. After 15 minutes, check one piece of pasta to assess its firmness. The pasta will absorb some of the liquid, which will naturally thicken the sauce to the perfect consistency.
8

When the pasta is ready, turn off the slow cooker. Taste the sauce and season it with salt and pepper if needed. Leave the dish covered for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken further. Serve immediately, generously sprinkled with grated Parmesan and optionally topped with fresh basil leaves.

Ingredients: Salt, Ground black pepper, Grated Parmesan cheese, Fresh basil
The last 5 minutes of 'resting' is very important. It allows the pasta to absorb the last remnants of flavor and achieve perfect harmony with the sauce. Don't skimp on the parmesan – it adds a key, salty umami note.

Fun Fact

💡

The term 'ragu' comes from the French word 'ragoûter', meaning 'to revive the flavor'. Traditionally, it is a meat sauce cooked for hours over low heat. A slow cooker perfectly mimics this process, allowing for the extraction of depth of flavor without constant supervision.

Best for

Rodzinny obiad w tygodniu Komfortowe jedzenie na chłodne dni Danie na nieformalne spotkanie z przyjaciółmi

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the dish hot, in deep plates, generously sprinkled with freshly grated Parmesan and decorated with fresh basil leaves. It pairs perfectly with a simple arugula salad with vinaigrette and a glass of dry red wine, such as Chianti.

🥡 Storage

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Remember that the pasta will absorb more sauce over time. When reheating (in the microwave or on the stovetop), it's a good idea to add a little water, broth, or milk to restore the dish's original creamy consistency.

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