Description
A comforting Italian pasta dish with tender chicken, crispy bacon, fresh spinach, and juicy tomatoes in a creamy sauce.
Ingredients
- 8 ouncespenne pasta
- 2 tablespoonsolive oil
- 1pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
- 6slices bacon, chopped
- 3cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cupcherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 cupsfresh spinach
- 1 cupheavy cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
Instructions
- Cookthe pasta: Begin by boiling a large pot of salted water. Add the penne pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Cookthe bacon: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crispy. Remove it from the skillet and let it drain on paper towels, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
- Sautéthe chicken: In the same skillet, add olive oil to the bacon fat. Once hot, add the diced chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook until browned and cooked through, roughly 6-8 minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside.
- Preparethe sauce: In the same skillet, add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Next, add the halved cherry tomatoes and spinach, cooking until the spinach wilts. Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a simmer.
- Combineingredients: Return the cooked chicken and bacon to the skillet, then add the drained pasta. Gently toss everything together until well combined. Simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Serve: Serve the pasta warm, garnished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top.
Notes
For a thicker sauce, let it reduce or add more heavy cream. Substitute with gluten-free pasta if needed.
- Prep Time:15 minutes
- Cook Time:30 minutes
- Category:Main Course
- Method:Baking
- Cuisine:Italian