Paprika Smothered Chicken in Spinach, Arugula, and Asparagus Cream Sauce Over Banza Gemelli (Chickpea Noodles)

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Here is another delicious chicken dish recipe where boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs are basted and covered with smokey paprika spice and S&P, fried, and then marinated and smothered in a rich cream sauce of spinach, arugula, and asparagus—my Paprika Smothered Chicken in Spinach, Arugula, and Asparagus Cream Sauce Over Banza Gemelli (made from Chickpea Noodles).

In this brief post, the instructional photos below will help guide you into a shortcut of steps on making this rich and hearty chicken dish. Nevertheless, be sure to see or print out the complete recipe directly below for more detailed and in-depth instructions. So, please enjoy as much as me and my family did. 😉

RECIPE SHORTCUTS

Paprika basted chicken breasts.
Sauteed garlic, shallots, and Spanish olives.
Chicken broth and cream added to make cream sauce.
Add in chicken, spinach and arugula combo, asparagus, and chickpea noodles.
Rich and tasty smoked Paprika Chicken smothered in a veggie cream sauce over chickpea noodles.
Enjoy with a fork and spoon as well as crusty bread to sop up the cream sauce.

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Paprika Chicken Smothered in Spinach, Arugula, Asparagus Cream Sauce over Banza Gemelli (or Chickpea Noodles)

Smokey paprika chicken smothered in a rich and totally delicious flavorful cream sauce with veggies such as spinach, arugula and asparagus over top of Banza Gemelli or chickpea noodles.

Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword banza gemelli, chicken dish, chickpea noodles, paprika chicken, spinach and arugula cream sauce, spinach cream sauce
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 6 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts or Thighs
  • 2 tsp Smoked Paprika 1 teaspoon per side
  • 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt Divided between both sides.
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper Divided between both sides.
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 tbsp Butter, unsalted
  • 6 cloves Garlic, grated I used sweet, pickled garlic in this recipe. However, non pickled will work.
  • 3 tbsp Shallots, sliced
  • 4 oz Spanish Olives, sliced
  • 1 cup Chicken Broth
  • 1-1/2 cups Heavy Cream
  • 4 cups Fresh Spinach and Arugula Combo Note: Or use 2 cups spinach and 2 cups arugula if packaged separately. Mine was a combo package from Sprouts who combined the two together.
  • 2 cups Asparagus, chopped
  • 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
  • 1-3/4 cups Banza Gemelli (Chickpea Noodles)

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet, heat up olive oil and butter.

  2. Season chicken breasts or thighs with paprika, salt and pepper.

  3. Fry and cook chicken until browned on both sides, generally about 4 minutes on each side.

  4. In the meantime, grate or mince 6 sweet pickled or regular garlic cloves and slice 1 shallot. Also, chop the asparagus into pieces after cutting off and discarding the tough ends of the vegetable.

  5. Remove the browned chicken from the skillet and set aside on paper towels. Then add the shallots, garlic, and olives into the pan, adding more oil or butter if needed, and sauté veggies for 2-3 minutes or until the garlic becomes fragrant.

  6. Add to the pan, the broth and heavy cream and cook for several minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly—making sure to stir periodically.

  7. Next, add in the spinach, arugula, asparagus, and banza noodles.

  8. Cook for an additional 10 minutes, to allow the asparagus to become tender and the noodles al dente (i.e. still with some chew or bite to them). Garnish with chopped parsley and then simply get ready to serve and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Whenever possible, use organic ingredients.

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