• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Julia's Album
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Salads
  • Chicken
  • Pasta
  • Seafood
  • Side Dishes
  • Recipe Index
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Salads
    • Chicken
    • Pasta
    • Seafood
    • Side Dishes
    • Recipe Index
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Chicken and Bacon Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes in Garlic Cream Sauce

    Published: Feb 09, 2018 / 668 Comments

    2.9M shares
    • Facebook49.9K
    Recipe Video Print

    Chicken and Bacon Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes in Garlic Cream Sauce -  an Italian-inspired dish with lots of vegetables!  Sliced chicken breast and bacon are tossed with veggies and penne pasta in a delicious, creamy, homemade Alfredo sauce made with Parmesan cheese.

    chicken bacon pasta with spinach tomatoes on a white plate

    Craving an easy-to-make comfort food that a whole family will love?  Then, make this chicken and bacon pasta! Cream sauce absorbs the wonderful flavors from the ingredients in the recipe, and with every single bite, you get all the goodness and all the flavors!  This is one of the best chicken pasta recipes you'll ever try!

    Cooking Tips:

    • Use thinly-sliced skinless, boneless chicken breasts or chicken tenderloin meat.  Either cut of meat will work.
    • Use shredded Parmesan cheese. Do not use grated Parmesan cheese, use the shredded kind. What I usually do is buy a block of Parmesan cheese and shred it myself.  Freshly shredding the cheese results in the best sauce texture. You can, however, use store-bought pre-shredded Parmesan cheese.  Just do not use the grated kind.
    • You can use cooked spinach, frozen spinach, or fresh spinach. All will work.
    • Make this chicken pasta gluten-free. All you need to do is use gluten-free brown-rice penne pasta instead of regular penne. You can also use gluten-free quinoa pasta or lentil pasta.

    chicken bacon pasta with tomatoes, spinach in a stainless steel pan

    What is half-and-half?

    • You can use either heavy cream or half-and-half in this recipe.
    • Half-and-half is the US milk product that combines ½ whole milk + ½ heavy cream or whipping cream to form a lighter cream (unlike heavy cream).
    • Substitute ½ cup of milk + ½ cup of heavy cream for 1 cup of half-and-half.
    • If you live in the UK, half and half would be the equivalent of single cream. Alternatively, you can mix half double cream and half regular milk (if you live in the UK).

    Chicken and Bacon Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes in Garlic Cream Sauce in a white bowl

    How to cook pasta al dente

    • To cook pasta al dente (which literally means "to the tooth" or firm to bite), cook pasta about 2 minutes less than indicated on the package instructions.

    Do you rinse pasta?

    • If using gluten-free pasta, rinse it with cold water after cooking to prevent it from getting mushy.
    • If using regular, wheat pasta, do not rinse it with cold water. Rinsing pasta with cold water removes the starch which helps absorb the sauce.

    How to store and reheat leftover chicken pasta:

    • You can store this chicken pasta refrigerated in an air-tight container for up to 4 days.
    • Reheat the pasta gently on the stovetop on medium-low heat, without simmering.
    • Or microwave for 1 minute, checking for doneness every 30 seconds. Make sure the sauce does not overheat and separate.
    • Keep in mind that reheating the cream sauce on high heat will cause the cream to separate.
    • I do not recommend freezing this dish. If you freeze it, the creamy sauce might not have the same texture when you reheat it. It might separate.

    Chicken and Bacon Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes in Garlic Cream Sauce on a white plate

    Let's be honest.  Chicken pasta recipes can get boring and repetitive.   Not in this recipe! Here, you sear the chicken (with spices), then mix it with vegetables, bacon, and coat it in garlic cream sauce. So good!   This chicken and bacon pasta recipe is so easy to make and uses such basic ingredients, that you can easily make it on a regular busy weeknight!

    Deliciously creamy homemade alfredo sauce perfectly combines all the flavors in this chicken and bacon pasta: garlic, spinach, tomatoes, and lots of spices!  So tasty, you might want to double the recipe!

    How to make chicken pasta

    1) In a large skillet, on high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil until hot. Add skinless, boneless chicken breasts (or tenderloins) and cook on one side on medium-high heat for about 4 minutes.

    2) While the chicken cooks sprinkle the uncooked sides of the chicken with paprika and Italian seasoning.

    3) Flip the chicken over, and cook on the other side for 3 minutes on medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low-medium, flip the chicken over again and cook, covered, for several more minutes until no longer pink in the center. Remove the chicken from the pan and keep the chicken warm.

    cooked chicken in a stainless steel pan

    4) To the same pan (but without chicken), add heavy cream and bring to boil. Add shredded Parmesan cheese. Reduce to simmer (low-medium heat) and stir, while simmering, until the cheese melts and the sauce is creamy, for about 1 or 3 minutes.

    5) To the same pan with the creamy sauce, add chopped tomatoes, spinach, garlic, crushed red pepper. Stir in the sauce on medium heat just until the spinach starts to wilt and sinks into the sauce. Add ⅓ of the cooked chicken (sliced into small strips) and half the bacon (already cooked and drained of fat). Mix everything.

    vegetables (tomatoes, spinach), bacon, and chicken in a stainless steel pan

    cream and cheese added to the vegetables, bacon, and chicken in stainless steel pan

    creamy tomato sauce with spices, bacon, chicken, and Parmesan cheese in stainless steel pan

    6) In the meantime, bring a large pan of water to boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain.

    7)  Add cooked pasta to the skillet with the sauce.

    8) When ready to serve, top the pasta with the remaining half of bacon (already cooked and drained of fat) and the remaining ⅔ of the cooked chicken (sliced into thin strips).

    9) Sprinkle the pasta with finely shredded Parmesan cheese.

    Chicken and Bacon Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes in Garlic Cream Sauce in a stainless steel pan

    What to serve with the chicken pasta:

    A salad, of course!   I would serve a very simple and basic salad (that you don't even need a recipe for) with greens, such as simple spinach salad with parmesan and pine nuts or arugula salad with balsamic dressing.

    If you want a more sophisticated salad, I would serve this chicken pasta with a delicious cranberry spinach salad with cashews and goat cheese. I also highly recommend this amazing arugula salad with apples, cranberries, and pecans or tomato cucumber avocado salad with basil pesto.

    Chicken and Bacon Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes in Garlic Cream Sauce in a stainless steel pan

    Other Chicken Pasta Recipes:

    I love making chicken pasta recipes with a variety of ingredients, such as vegetables, bacon, or cream-based sauces.  Here are a few of my favorites:

    • Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken and Mozzarella
    • Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes
    • Chicken Zucchini Spaghetti with Tomatoes and Parmesan Cheese
    Chicken Pasta with Bacon, spinach, tomatoes
    4.79 from 474 votes

    Chicken and Bacon Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes in Garlic Cream Sauce

    Chicken pasta recipes can get boring.  Not this Italian-inspired recipe!  You'll fall in love with the flavors in this Chicken Pasta with Bacon, Spinach, and Tomatoes in Garlic Cream Sauce.  Easy weeknight dinner that the whole family will love!  Sliced chicken breast and bacon are tossed with veggies and penne pasta in a delicious, creamy, homemade alfredo sauce made with Parmesan cheese.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American, Italian, Mediterranean
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories per serving 1154 kcal
    Author: Julia

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 lb chicken (skinless, boneless chicken breasts or tenderloins)
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (thyme, oregano, basil - combined)
    • salt to taste
    • 1.5 cups heavy cream
    • ½ cup Parmesan cheese shredded
    • 5 tomatoes (medium, chopped in large cubes)
    • 3 cups fresh spinach or 1 cup cooked spinach
    • 5 garlic cloves minced
    • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes crushed
    • 6 bacon strips cooked, drained off fat, and chopped
    • 10 oz penne pasta (for gluten-free version, use gluten-free brown-rice penne)
    • ½ cup Parmesan cheese shredded, for serving

    Instructions 

    • Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet, on medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook on one side on medium-high heat for 4 minutes. While it cooks, sprinkle the uncooked sides of the chicken with paprika, Italian seasoning, and salt. Flip the chicken over, and cook on the other side for 3 more minutes on medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low-medium, flip chicken over again and cook, covered, for several minutes until no longer pink in the center. Remove chicken from the pan and keep chicken warm.
    • To the same pan (but without chicken), add heavy cream and bring to boil. Only after the heavy cream starts boiling, add shredded Parmesan cheese. Immediately reduce to simmer (low-medium heat) and stir, while simmering, until the cheese melts and the sauce is creamy, for about 1 or 3 minutes.
    • To the same pan with the creamy sauce, add chopped tomatoes, fresh spinach, garlic, crushed red pepper. Stir in the sauce on medium heat just until the spinach starts to wilt and sinks into the sauce. Add ⅓ of the cooked chicken (sliced into small strips) and half the bacon (already cooked and drained of fat). Mix everything. Remove from heat.
    • In the meantime bring a large pot of water to boil, add pasta, and cook according to instructions (usually 10 to 15 minutes). Drain the pasta.
    • Add cooked pasta to the skillet with the sauce and reheat on low heat. When ready to serve, top the pasta with the remaining half of bacon (cooked, drained of fat, chopped, gently reheated) and the remaining ⅔ of the cooked chicken (sliced into small strips, gently reheated). This is done for presentation purposes.
    • When serving, top the pasta with ½ cup of shredded Parmesan cheese.

    Video

    Notes

    You can use either heavy cream or half-and-half.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Information
    Chicken and Bacon Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes in Garlic Cream Sauce
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    1154
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    78
    g
    120
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    35
    g
    219
    %
    Trans Fat
     
    1
    g
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    9
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    30
    g
    Cholesterol
     
    246
    mg
    82
    %
    Sodium
     
    765
    mg
    33
    %
    Potassium
     
    1053
    mg
    30
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    65
    g
    22
    %
    Fiber
     
    5
    g
    21
    %
    Sugar
     
    6
    g
    7
    %
    Protein
     
    48
    g
    96
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    5361
    IU
    107
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    31
    mg
    38
    %
    Calcium
     
    437
    mg
    44
    %
    Iron
     
    4
    mg
    22
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Keyword bacon pasta, chicken pasta, creamy pasta
    Tried this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment and provide a Star Rating below - I love your feedback and try to respond to every comment!
    « Prosciutto Pasta with Peas and Parmesan Cheese
    Pan Fried Pork Chops with Honey Lime Glaze »
    2.9M shares
    • Facebook49.9K

    Please share your comment and Star Rating in the comments section below.

    I appreciate your feedback!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. victoria

      May 12, 2022 at 7:21 pm

      i made this last night but i didn't use cream i used milk and flour to thicken.....oh my goodness it was delicious. I didn't use pasta i ate it like a stew and it was tasty and filling. V

      Reply
    2. Blair Scheepers

      May 05, 2022 at 11:18 am

      This is a new staple in our dinner menu. Simply delicious. I could eat it every day.

      Reply
      • Julia

        May 06, 2022 at 4:44 pm

        I am happy you liked it! Thanks for taking the time to comment!

        Reply
    3. Dan

      April 21, 2022 at 9:28 pm

      Yummy, restaurant quality meal! I cooked the bacon first then drained off most of the bacon grease and then started cooking then chicken to keep it flavorful. The sauce was heavenly!

      Reply
      • Julia

        April 24, 2022 at 6:56 pm

        Dan, thank you for such a wonderful, positive comment! What a great idea to cook bacon first, drain most of the fat, and then cook the chicken in a small amount of bacon fat - love this!

        Reply
    4. Jo

      March 27, 2022 at 1:34 pm

      I'm sure I've already commented, but this deserves another. I have used this recipe for the last three years, and it's one of our favorites. Very easy to make and yet packed with flavor.

      Reply
      • Julia

        March 29, 2022 at 5:56 pm

        Thank you so much for such a generous and positive comment - I really appreciate it!! 🙂

        Reply
        • Khill

          April 12, 2022 at 8:27 pm

          This recipe is so great!!!

          Reply
          • Julia

            April 24, 2022 at 7:55 pm

            Thanks!

            Reply
    5. Kate Hopkins

      March 13, 2022 at 5:41 pm

      I love this recipe! It is a family favorite. I just noticed, however, that the recipe has been changed. In the prior version, the spinach, tomato and garlic were sautéed in the pan until the spinach wilted prior to adding the heavy cream. Why the change?

      Reply
      • Julia

        March 21, 2022 at 10:55 pm

        Yes, I have changed the recipe as I believe this version is more streamlined. Did you think the previous version was better - let me know.

        Reply
      • Vicki Varela

        March 22, 2022 at 3:33 pm

        Can I reheat in oven?

        Reply
        • Julia

          March 29, 2022 at 6:17 pm

          Yes, you can reheat this in the oven on low heat (in an oven-proof dish) and watch carefully so that the sauce doesn't overheat and doesn't start separating.

          Reply
    6. Kate Hopkins

      March 13, 2022 at 5:38 pm

      I love this recipe and have been making it for awhile, but it has changed. In the prior version, the spinach, tomato and garlic were sautéed in the pan until the spinach wilted prior to adding the heavy cream. Why the change?

      Reply
      • Julia

        March 21, 2022 at 10:55 pm

        Yes, I have changed the recipe as I believe this version is more streamlined. Did you think the previous version was better? - let me know.

        Reply
    7. Brooke

      March 05, 2022 at 9:50 pm

      It was fantastic! I used rotel instead of tomatoes!

      Reply
      • Julia

        March 22, 2022 at 12:15 am

        Thank you so much for your comment! 🙂 Rotel tomatoes will work well!

        Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Julia! / Welcome to my recipe blog where I share easy-to-make weeknight dinners and other recipes using simple ingredients!

    The recipes presented on this site are everyday, familiar foods, cooked from scratch.

    More about me →

    Popular Autumn Recipes

    • Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Pecans, and Cranberries
    • Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta with Sausage and Spinach
    • Butternut Squash and Spinach Salad with Pecans, Cranberries, Pomegranate
    • Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna
    • Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Cinnamon Butternut Squash with Pecans and Cranberries
    • Garlic and Bacon Green Beans

    JOIN ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Privacy and Disclosure

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions

    About

    • About
    • Featured On
    • Contact Me

    Connect on Social Media

    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    • Instagram

    Copyright © 2021 JuliasAlbum.com

    Site Design: Foodie Pro Theme by Feast Design Co.