Brown the chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan or deep skillet over a medium-high flame. Add the chicken pieces in a single layer — you should hear a confident sizzle as they hit the pan. Let them cook without moving for 4 minutes until the underside turns a deep golden brown. Flip and cook for another 3 minutes. The chicken should be cooked through and give off a nutty, roasted smell.

Sweat the aromatics: Lower the heat to medium. Push the chicken to one side of the pan and add the sliced garlic and chopped onion. Stir them into the pan juices for 2 minutes until the onion turns translucent and the garlic becomes fragrant — that sweet, mellow scent is your cue.

Bloom the tomatoes and spices: Tip in the sun-dried tomatoes, dried oregano, and chilli flakes if using. Stir everything together for 1 minute. You'll notice the oil taking on a rich, rusty colour and the tomatoes releasing their concentrated sweetness.

Toast the pasta: Add the dried penne to the pan and stir well, coating every piece in the oily, tomato-flecked mixture. Let it toast for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta edges look slightly opaque and the pan smells wonderfully toasty.

Add the liquid: Pour in the chicken stock and bring it to a gentle boil. You'll see bubbles breaking the surface and the liquid turning a pale, golden brown. Reduce the heat to a steady simmer, cover the pan, and cook for 12 minutes, stirring halfway through to prevent the pasta from sticking.

Create the creamy sauce: Uncover the pan and check the pasta — it should be al dente and most of the stock should be absorbed. Pour in the double cream and stir gently. The sauce will look thin at first, but it will thicken as it simmers. Cook uncovered for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.

Melt in the cheese and greens: Sprinkle the grated parmesan over the top and add the handful of baby spinach. Stir everything together for 2 minutes. Watch the spinach wilt into dark green ribbons and the cheese melt into the sauce, turning it a pale, glossy ivory. The smell at this stage is simply irresistible — creamy, savoury, and faintly sweet from the tomatoes.

Rest and serve: Remove the pan from the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes. This rest allows the sauce to settle and cling perfectly to every piece of pasta. Scatter over the fresh basil leaves and serve straight from the pan.