Chicken Bacon Pasta Spinach (Print Format)
Creamy chicken and bacon pasta tossed with spinach and tomatoes in a garlic Parmesan sauce—easy weeknight comfort.
# Ingredients:
→ Main Ingredients
01 -
2 tablespoons olive oil
02 -
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts or tenderloins
03 -
1 teaspoon paprika
04 -
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (thyme, oregano, basil combined)
05 -
Salt to taste
06 -
1.5 cups heavy cream
07 -
½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
08 -
5 medium tomatoes, chopped into large cubes
09 -
3 cups fresh spinach or 1 cup cooked spinach
10 -
5 garlic cloves, minced
11 -
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
12 -
6 bacon strips, cooked, fat drained, chopped
13 -
10 oz penne pasta (use gluten-free brown rice penne for gluten-free version)
14 -
½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded (for serving)
# Steps:
01 -
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 4 minutes on one side. Sprinkle paprika, Italian seasoning, and salt onto the uncooked side. Flip the chicken and cook for 3 more minutes. Reduce heat to low-medium, cover, and cook until no longer pink in the center. Remove chicken and keep warm.
02 -
In the same skillet, add heavy cream and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add shredded Parmesan cheese. Reduce to simmer and stir until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes creamy, about 1 to 3 minutes.
03 -
To the skillet with the creamy sauce, add chopped tomatoes, fresh spinach, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir over medium heat until the spinach begins to wilt. Add one-third of the cooked chicken (sliced) and half of the bacon. Mix well and remove from heat.
04 -
While preparing the sauce, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions, typically 10 to 15 minutes. Drain the pasta.
05 -
Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Reheat on low heat, mixing well. Before serving, top with the remaining bacon and chicken (sliced and reheated).
06 -
When serving, sprinkle ½ cup of shredded Parmesan cheese over the pasta.
# Tips:
01 -
For a gluten-free version, substitute regular penne with gluten-free brown rice penne.