Gather all the ingredients on your countertop before you start. Dice the chicken into bite-sized pieces, chop the garlic cloves, and measure out the spices.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the penne pasta and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes or as per package instructions. Drain the pasta and set aside, reserving a bit of the pasta cooking water.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces and sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook until the chicken pieces are golden brown and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.

In the same skillet, add the minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning.

Pour the chicken broth into the skillet, bringing it to a simmer and scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Reduce the heat to low, stir in the heavy cream, and mix until well combined.

Gradually add in the grated Parmesan cheese while stirring, allowing it to melt and create a creamy sauce.

Return the cooked chicken to the skillet, stirring well to coat it with the sauce.

Add baby spinach and allow it to wilt.

Add the drained penne pasta and gently toss everything together. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water to adjust the consistency.

Serve immediately, garnished with chopped fresh parsley.