Chicken Florentine Spaghetti

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken tenders cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup sliced button mushrooms (about 10)
• 1 cup no sodium chicken stock
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary, 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
• 2 quarters laughing cow light cheese or 1/4 cup light cream cheese
• 4 cups uncooked spinach
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp coarse sea salt or Kosher salt for the pasta water
• 500 grams whole wheat spaghetti

Directions

1. Saute the chicken tenders in a stainless steel or cast iron skillet treated with the extra virgin olive oil over medium high heat until the chicken is cooked through and beginning to go golden brown. Don't worry if the chicken sticks a bit or the pan begins to go brown - you want that because it adds flavour to the sauce!
2. Remove the chicken to a bowl and add the mushrooms to the same pan continuing to saute over medium heat until they soften and begin to lose their water. Sprinkle with the garlic powder and pepper. 
3. Add the chicken stock and bring to the boil getting all of the brown bits and flavour off the bottom of the pan.
4. Add the fresh herbs and lemon and let simmer uncovered for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
5. Remove the fresh herbs and stir in the laughing cow or cream cheese until incorporated into the sauce. 
6. Add the chicken back to the pan and toss in the spinach. Toss and cook until the spinach is wilted. Cover and remove from heat.
7. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Just as it begins to boil, add the salt and then add the whole wheat spaghetti.
8. Cook the spaghetti for exactly seven minutes. When the spaghetti has cooked 6 minutes, add a half cup of the salted pasta water to the pan of sauce and return the sauce to low heat. Stir in the parmesan cheese.
9. Drain the spaghetti after seven minutes and add it directly to the sauce tossing well to coat. Let the spaghetti rest in the sauce, tossing occasionally, for five minutes. Though this is not meant to be a thick cream sauce, this will thicken the sauce a bit and and will flavour the spaghetti.