This stovetop meal is comfort food at its best. A creamy, cheesy, garlic sauce combines with chicken, bacon, and penne pasta to deliver a full-flavored meal with little prep and cleanup.
Creamy Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 5 slices Bacon
- 1 pound Chicken Breasts (2 each), sliced
- 12 oz Penne Pasta cooked al dente
- 1 ½ cups Heavy Cream
- 5 oz Baby spinach
- 4-5 small Tomatoes
- 2 cups Parmesan shredded
- 5 cloves Garlic minced
- 2 ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Chili Flakes
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove, drain on a paper towel and chop. Drain grease from the pan and reserve.
- Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the bacon grease back to the pan. In batches, so as not to crowd the pan, add the sliced chicken and season with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, paprika and chili flakes. When the chicken is cooked and no longer pink, remove it from the pan and set aside. Continue cooking in batches until all the chicken is cooked and set aside.
- Add the spinach and tomatoes to the skillet and cook until the spinach is wilted. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Add the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Cook until thickened, then add the Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted and the sauce has thickened.
- Add the cooked pasta, chicken and bacon back into the skillet. Stir to evenly mix.
- Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes to allow the sauce to absorb and thicken.
- Serve with additional shredded Parmesan and chili flakes, if desired.
Recipe Video
Susan Shade
Nutritional value, esp protein!
Laura
How do you stop the cheese from clumping together? I’ve made this recipe several time and I can’t figure out why the cheese clumps together.
Lynda Hatcher
That looks like really good pasta and chicken. Really good ingredients! They all look so healthy!
Thank you!