Chicken Bacon Spinach Pasta

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I adore one-pot meals. Seriously, with three teenagers we go through so many dishes. This creamy one-pot chicken pasta filled with cheese, chicken, bacon, spinach and pasta deliciousness is so easy to make.

You need this in your life.

Before work (I work night shifts) or on my days off, I want a hearty meal that is easy and requires minimal cleanup. This recipe for chicken bacon spinach pasta fits the requirements.

Cheesy pasta packed with bacon and chicken with just enough spinach is a perfect weeknight meal that will get on the table in no time and leave your family asking for seconds. This is also a fantastic meal when trying to figure out what is a good recipe that uses spinach? We have all been there with too much spinach and no plans.

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If you are looking for another easy recipe with minimal cleanup, Sheet Pan Turkey Sausage and Vegetables is another quick and easy weeknight meal.

Let’s skip straight to the good stuff. Are you ready to learn how to fix this tasty chicken bacon spinach pasta?

Preparing The Easiest One Pot Chicken Bacon Spinach Pasta

First, cook the bacon in a large pot. I love my cast iron dutch oven.

Chop the bacon into small pieces prior to cooking.

I found that the bacon cooks much faster and evenly if you cut the bacon into bite-size pieces instead of cooking slices of bacon and then crumbling them up. Bacon is life.

Seriously.

So good.

Next, remove the bacon from the pot and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain the grease. Also, remove the remaining grease from the pan.

Then add in the chicken breasts that have been cut into bite-size pieces. Cook the chicken along with the minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Once the chicken is thoroughly cooked, about 10 minutes until no longer pink in the center, remove the chicken from the pot and set aside with the cooked bacon.

In the same large pot, add five cups of chicken broth and bring to a boil. Then add in the Penne noodles to the boiling broth.

While the noodles are cooking, add in thyme, rosemary, parsley, and black pepper. Cook approximately 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Do not overcook the pasta, al dente is perfect.

Then the magic happens. Penne pasta, heavy cream, and cheese come together for this beautiful and tasty pasta dish.

Freshly grated cheese is a must. Pre-grated cheese does not melt as well and does not give the super creamy texture as freshly grated cheese. I use a stand mixer with a grater attachment and it makes grating fresh cheese SO EASY.

Finally, the bacon, chicken, and spinach are added to finish off this one-pot wonder.

So good. This recipe for Chicken Bacon Spinach Pasta is a lifesaver on busy weeknights.

YUM!!

Really, what more could you ask for? Cheesy pasta and bacon are made for each other.

You need this in your life! Let me know if you try this recipe.

Yield: 8 servings

Chicken Bacon Spinach Pasta

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Creamy one pot chicken bacon spinach pasta is an incredibly simple meal. One pot of creamy chicken alfredo can easily transition from an easy weeknight meal to a special occasion dinner.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound bacon
• 1 pound chicken
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 16 ounces Penne noodles
• 1/2 teaspoon rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 10 oz fresh spinach

Instructions

1. First, chop one-half pound of bacon into approximately one-inch chunks.  Cook the bacon in a large pot, and occasionally stir until cooked thoroughly but not crisp.
2. Remove, the bacon from the pan and set aside on a separate plate.  Drain bacon grease from the pan except for approximately two tablespoons.
3. While the bacon is cooking, cut one pound chicken into 1 inch cubes.  Once the bacon and excess grease has been removed from the pan, add the chicken into the hot pan along with two cloves minced garlic, one teaspoon black pepper, and one-half teaspoon salt. Brown the chicken until thoroughly cooked and no longer pink in the center. Then remove the chicken from the pan and set aside with the cooked bacon.
4. Bring six cups chicken broth to a boil, add in sixteen ounces penne noodles, one-half teaspoon thyme, one-half teaspoon rosemary, one teaspoon parsley, and one-half teaspoon black pepper. Stir occasionally for approximately ten minutes or until al dente.
5. Stir in one cup heavy cream and simmer for two additional minutes.
6. Remove from heat and stir in one and one-half cups shredded Parmesan cheese. Once the cheese melts, add in one cup torn fresh spinach, bacon, and chicken. Stir well and let sit approximately three minutes or until spinach wilts.

Notes

Serve with additional Parmesan cheese as garnish.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

8
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 586 Total Fat: 35g Cholesterol: 131mg Carbohydrates: 28g Protein: 39g

All information and tools within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on swingshiftmom.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. The nutritional labels are a product of online calculators. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates.

Appliance and Gadgets Used

1. Cast Iron Dutch Oven – This large heavy pot that distributes heat evenly. My most used pot in my kitchen.
2.  Stand Mixer and Grater Attachment – I swear by grating your own cheese. There is no comparison in quality.  In this recipe, freshly grated parmesan is a must.

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