Method

1. Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a deep, non-stick frying pan, over medium heat. Pan fry for 8-12mins, or until golden brown and cooked through.

2. Remove from the pan and set aside.

3. Add the butter to the frying pan over medium heat until it begins to foam, then add the garlic. After 30secs, add the sliced mushrooms, and cook in the butter for 3mins, or until the mushrooms are shiny and have softened.

4. While the chicken is resting and the mushrooms are cooking down, boil the pasta in salted water as per packet instructions (8-10mins). Reserve about 250ml of the starchy pasta water.

5. Add the cream, and nutmeg to the cooked mushrooms, and bring to a simmer for 3-4mins. Slice or shred the chicken and add into the creamy sauce.

6. Transfer the pasta along and the spinach to the frying pan. Slowly add your reserved pasta water until your desired sauce consistency is achieved (you may not need all of the pasta water). Sprinkle most of the parmesan, lemon zest, and juice, and use the tongs to toss it all together, adding a splash of the pasta water if it looks a little stiff. Season well with salt and pepper, then tip into bowls. Top with the remaining parmesan and a scattering of parsley.

Second Nature special tip

If you don’t like parsley, you can easily swap it out for tarragon. This is a great base recipe and you can swap the chicken for tuna, salmon, or vegetarian faux chicken, and swap the vegetables with whatever you have at home. Broccoli, peas, cubes of roasted squash, ribbons of courgette work well!