Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Just before draining, reserve about 250ml (a large mugful) of the starchy cooking water. Drain the pasta in a colander.

Sear the Chicken: While the pasta is cooking, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large, deep frying pan or sauté pan over a medium-high heat. Season the diced chicken with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the hot pan in a single layer (work in batches if needed) and cook for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Sauté the Aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil to the same pan. Add the chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and dried oregano and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Build the Sauce Base: Stir in the sun-dried tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes, allowing it to toast slightly and deepen in colour. This step really intensifies the tomato flavour.

Deglaze and Simmer: Pour in the chicken stock to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon – this is pure flavour! Let it bubble for a minute before stirring in the double cream. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and let it cook for 3-4 minutes, until it has thickened slightly. What works best for me is keeping the heat low to prevent the cream from splitting.

Combine Everything: Return the cooked chicken to the pan. Add the halved cherry tomatoes and the fresh spinach. Stir gently until the spinach has wilted completely, which should only take a minute or two.

Finish the Dish: Add the drained pasta to the pan with the sauce. Pour in about 100ml of the reserved pasta water and stir everything together vigorously. The starch in the water will help the sauce emulsify and cling to the pasta beautifully. Add more pasta water, a tablespoon at a time, if the sauce seems too thick.

Add Cheese and Basil: Turn off the heat. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and the torn fresh basil leaves. Season with a final pinch of salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately, with extra Parmesan cheese on top.