In this recipe for Chicken Bacon Spinach Pasta, penne is combined with spinach and tomatoes in a rich Alfredo sauce. At your dinner table, everyone will love this meal that is of restaurant quality.
Chicken Bacon Spinach Pasta
"This tastes like a restaurant-quality dish!" When I first served my husband this chicken Alfredo pasta, he said these words to me for the first time. I will always remember it.
This Alfredo sauce is the best and has the most flavor because the chicken and bacon are cooked in the pan before making the sauce.
Ingredients
- Vegetable Oil
- Boneless, skinless chicken
- Italian Seasoning
- Salt/Pepper
- Bacon Strips
- Penne
- Alfredo Sauce
- Garlic
- Flour
- Parmesan Cheese
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Spinach
How to Make It
- The chicken is seasoned and cooked through after being seared in oil. Take out of the skillet.
- Cook the bacon in the skillet until crispy on both sides. Take out and place aside.
- Boiling water should be used to prepare the penne.
- 2 tablespoons of bacon grease should remain in the pan. Cook for one minute after adding the garlic.
- Mix the flour in for one minute.
- Add the half and half gradually.
- Add a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
- Add red pepper flakes, spinach, and tomatoes.
- Add the prepared penne.
- Bacon crumbles and chicken are added on top. Serve!
How to Make Extra Creamy Alfredo Sauce
- When making pasta, avoid mixing cold ingredients into warm pasta. This includes the milk, cheese, and/or half and half. If you adhere to this directive, the consistency will be extremely creamy.
- Purchase a block of Parmesan cheese of the highest caliber. Always shred your own cheese for better flavor and melting.
- Before incorporating the cheese into the warm (not hot!) base, allow it to reach room temperature.
- Instead of adding it all at once, gradually add the cheese.
Storage
Refrigerator
- Keep it in the refrigerator for up to three days in an airtight container.
Freezer
- Cream-based sauces don't reheat as well because the dairy's makeup causes a change in consistency. You can still freeze this, but keep in mind that it won't reheat exactly the same.
- For up to three months, keep in the freezer in an airtight container.
Chicken Bacon Spinach Pasta
This Chicken Bacon Spinach Pasta recipe has penne that's tossed in a creamy Alfredo sauce with tomatoes, spinach, and bacon! Your family will think this came from a restaurant!
Print
Pin
Rate
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 688kcal
Ingredients
- tablespoons vegetable oil
- boneless skinless chicken breast,, large in size
- teaspoon Italian seasoning, a combo of thyme, oregano, & basil
- Salt/Pepper, to taste
- bacon strips
- lb. penne pasta
Alfredo
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 + ⅓ Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- cups spinach, uncooked
Instructions
- Shred the Parmesan cheese and set it aside to allow it to get to room temperature.
- In a large cast-iron skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil on medium-high heat.
- Butterfly the chicken breast and cut the seam to create 2 thinner slices, each about an inch thick. Season each side generously with Italian seasoning and desired amounts of salt and pepper.
- Sear the chicken in the hot skillet on each side. Refrain from moving the chicken around as it sizzles, it will hinder the nice golden sear color. If the pan gets too hot, reduce the heat to medium. Each side will take 3-5 minutes. Once each side is a nice, golden brown and the middle is cooked, set the chicken aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium low and add the bacon to the same skillet. Low and slow is the best way to cook bacon.
- While the bacon cooks, prepare the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Once the bacon is cooked and crisp on each side, use tongs to remove it from the pan. Leave 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pan, and add the garlic. Cook for about 60 seconds.
- Increase the heat to medium and gradually add in the flour, whisking constantly
- Temper the half and half by heating it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Add the half and half to the skillet and increase the heat to medium-high, stirring constantly. Once it starts to lightly bubble, decrease the heat to low.
- Slowly sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese, stirring as you do so.
- Once well-combined, add the tomatoes, spinach, and red pepper flakes. Cook for a few minutes until the tomatoes have softened slightly. Use a silicone spatula to gently mix in the penne.
- Slice the chicken into strips and place it back in the pan, over the pasta. Sprinkle the top with bacon, and serve!
Nutrition
Calories: 688kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 27g | Fiber: 34g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2285IU | Vitamin C: 13.9mg | Calcium: 524mg | Iron: 2.4mg
Leave a Reply