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

    By Julia | Updated: Mar 27, 2024 | Published: Feb 09, 2018 | 866 Comments

    2.9M shares
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    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
    4.73 from 916 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 Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American, Italian, Mediterranean
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories per serving 1149 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
    US Customary - Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    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
    1149
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    77
    g
    118
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    35
    g
    219
    %
    Trans Fat
     
    0.2
    g
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    9
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    28
    g
    Cholesterol
     
    225
    mg
    75
    %
    Sodium
     
    755
    mg
    33
    %
    Potassium
     
    1071
    mg
    31
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    65
    g
    22
    %
    Fiber
     
    5
    g
    21
    %
    Sugar
     
    9
    g
    10
    %
    Protein
     
    48
    g
    96
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    5361
    IU
    107
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    31
    mg
    38
    %
    Calcium
     
    438
    mg
    44
    %
    Iron
     
    4
    mg
    22
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Nutrition Disclaimer:

    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!
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      Recipe Rating




    1. Ranka

      April 04, 2025 at 8:50 am

      This is 2nd recipe of your that I tried and my picky family loved it!
      Thank you for wonderful recipes!

      Reply
      • Julia

        April 04, 2025 at 1:20 pm

        Hi Ranka! Thanks so much for trying my recipes and taking the time to let me know. You totally made my day! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Kate C.

      March 20, 2025 at 9:13 pm

      Family devoured every bite! Love this dish!

      Reply
    3. JoNell Norcini

      March 14, 2025 at 10:33 am

      I made this recipe exactly as presented. While it had all the necessary components, It fell flat for me. I think the garlic needs to be added and sautéed briefly before adding the cream. I also think it needs some basil or other herb to jazz it up. I would also hold the bacon out and just sprinkle it on top.

      Reply
    4. Jacqueline

      February 21, 2025 at 8:10 am

      Julia? 1200 calories a serving? Really? Are you sure that's not for the whole pot?

      Reply
      • Julia

        February 25, 2025 at 4:03 pm

        Yes, unfortunately, it is per 1 serving.

        Reply
    5. Jackie

      February 06, 2025 at 6:01 am

      Really good ! I made this last night and it was absolutely delicious. Everyone raved about it definitely will be making again.

      Reply
    6. Betty Esquivel

      January 12, 2025 at 9:00 pm

      I have made this recipe several times. My husband loves it and so do I!

      Reply
    7. Mary

      October 01, 2024 at 7:49 pm

      This is a great recipe and we love the results. My son-in-law requests it every time I cook for them.

      Reply
      • Julia

        October 04, 2024 at 1:08 am

        Hi Mary, I am so happy your family loves this recipe. Thank you for taking the time to leave a 5-star review - it means a lot to me! 🙂

        Reply
    8. Pam

      August 22, 2024 at 1:48 pm

      Absolutely delicious! Great directions, easy to make. Love, love this dish!

      Reply
      • Julia

        August 24, 2024 at 10:11 pm

        Thank you, Pam, for your great review! 🙂

        Reply
    9. Anne

      August 12, 2024 at 10:08 pm

      Followed exact recipe and it turned out so delicious! Didn’t have to change a thing. Will definitely make this again and again. Thank you Julia, for continuing to deliver great dishes.

      Reply
      • Julia

        August 12, 2024 at 11:46 pm

        Thank you, Anne, for such a wonderful review, I appreciate it! 🙂

        Reply
    10. Alonah

      August 05, 2024 at 10:15 am

      My brother shared this recipe with me when it first came out and it has been a staple in my home ever since! when I first started making it, I was addicted, I made it every week for at least 2 months straight. I added jalapeños to mine after the 3rd or 4th time making it to just give it a little extra kick. So worth it if you love spice!

      Reply
      • Julia

        August 05, 2024 at 3:34 pm

        Oh wow, Alonah, your comment really made my day! 🙂 So glad this recipe is a favorite!

        Reply
    11. Ruth Ann Hickman

      July 27, 2024 at 4:39 pm

      One of the best things I have ever made. At first I thought it was going to be too many steps- but worth the time and not as difficult as I thought it was.

      Reply
      • Julia

        August 04, 2024 at 6:53 pm

        Aww, thank you, Ruth Ann, for your wonderful comment. Glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    12. Heather

      July 13, 2024 at 2:55 am

      Because we rarely opt for a creamy sauce, I modified your recipe (which is ALWAYS a wonderful great base for us). I added a large garden zucchini (bite size), fresh mushrooms to the tomatoes, garlic, greens (did a mix of power greens and arugula because that's what I had) ~ after cooking the tenderloins with the spices (and then removed). We opted to layer our pasta bowls with the cooked penne, shredded parm, and the chicken/veggie mix and we LOVED it! My husband is on a sriracha kick -- he's been adding that to almost everything. We both LOVED this dish and loved we could modify. I'm on a wonderful Julia's Album "kick"!! Thank you so much ~~

      Reply
      • Julia

        July 23, 2024 at 3:56 am

        Oh wow, Heather, I love that you turned this recipe into something much healthier, using so many extra veggies! Thank you for sharing your ideas - I am sure others might want to try making this dish your way!

        Reply
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    Julia is the author of JuliasAlbum.com (a food blog focused on easy dinner recipes, pasta dishes, salads made with seasonal ingredients). In this photo, Julia is pictured wearing a yellow sweater against an Autumn background.

    Hi, I'm Julia!

    I am a full-time food blogger living in beautiful Colorado. I focus primarily on savory recipes (protein-based & fiber-rich main dishes, pasta, salads) using fresh & seasonal ingredients. A food blogger since 2012, I help home cooks create well-balanced and visually appealing dinners (many of which are 30-minute ONE-PAN meals). Find out more about me and my cooking philosophy. 

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