Ingredients

• water
• salt
• 250 g rigatoni
• 40 ml sun-dried tomato oil (3 tbsps)
• 400 g chicken thighs (diced)
• 2 g cayenne pepper ((⅔ tsp))
• 3 g paprika ((1 tsp))
• 2 g garlic powder ((⅔ tsp))
• 4 g onion powder ((1⅓ tsp))
• 1 g black pepper ((⅓ tsp))
• 1 g Italian seasoning (1 tsp)
• 25 ml olive oil
• 30 g unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• 60 g yellow onion (½ onion (finely chopped))
• 30 g tomato paste
• 40 g sun-dried tomato paste
• 100 ml pasta water (see step 2)
• 1 chicken stock cube
• 250 ml heavy cream
• 75 g Parmesan cheese
• 100 g sun-dried tomatoes
• 100 g fresh spinach

Instructions

1. Prepare all ingredients in advance.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add salt and then the rigatoni. Cook the pasta for 11–14 minutes. Carefully scoop out 100 ml of the pasta water and set it aside. Drain the rest of the pasta.

3. Heat the sun-dried tomato oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the chicken, cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook for 6–7 minutes.

4. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

5. In the same pan, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and chopped onion and sauté for 3–4 minutes.

6. Mix the pasta water with the chicken stock cube until fully dissolved. Set aside.

7. Add the tomato paste and sun-dried tomato paste to the pan and cook briefly. Pour in the stock mixture and stir well.

8. Add the cream and let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened.

9. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach. Mix well until the spinach has wilted.

10. Add the pasta and chicken to the sauce and mix together. Let it simmer for another 2 minutes over low heat.