Spinach and Artichoke Chicken Pasta with Bacon and Tomatoes

Spinach and Artichoke Chicken Pasta with Bacon and Tomatoes in Asiago Cream Sauce – yummy pasta with lots of veggies! If you love artichokes – this is the recipe for you!

The vegetables are smothered in such a delicious Asiago cream sauce (and crumbled bacon) that even non-veggie lovers will love this spinach and artichoke chicken pasta!

Asiago cheese and bacon provide a ton of flavor to this chicken pasta.  Make sure to season your sauce with enough salt (I recommend 1/4 teaspoon of regular salt in this recipe) and a small amount of crushed red pepper flakes.

Here is how easy it is to make this Spinach and Artichoke Chicken Pasta with Bacon and Tomatoes.

Start by cooking sliced chicken, sprinkled with paprika and Italian seasoning, on medium heat in 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet for 4-5 minutes on both sides until the chicken is completely cooked through. I used thinly sliced boneless and skinless chicken thighs – they are very flavorful! Remove the chicken from the pan.

To the same pan (but without chicken), add fresh uncooked baby spinach, chopped tomatoes, artichoke hearts from the can (drained REALLY WELL and roughly chopped), 1/3 of the cooked chicken, crushed red pepper flakes, minced garlic, and half the bacon (already cooked and drained of fat). Mix everything.

Add half and half and bring to boil.  Because spinach has so much volume before it wilts, this is what your pan will look like with all the half and half and the vegetables before they wilt:

Reduce the heat to simmer, and keep stirring until spinach starts to wilt (don’t let it wilt too much and overcook).  Now you’re finally seeing the cream sauce and not just the spinach as in the previous picture.

As spinach starts to wilt and reduces considerably in volume, add grated Asiago cheese, and keep stirring on medium simmer until the cheese melts and makes the sauce creamy, only about 1 minute (at most 2 minutes). Then, immediately remove from heat. Season the Asiago cheese cream sauce with salt – I use 1/4 teaspoon of regular salt and that’s usually perfect. You might want to use more salt if needed.

In the mean time bring a large pot of water to boil, add pasta and cook it according to instructions. Drain the pasta, rinse with cold water and drain again. Add pasta to the skillet with the Asiago cheese cream sauce and the vegetables, stir to coat well, and reheat. To serve, add the remaining half of bacon (cooked and drained of fat) and the remaining 2/3 of sliced chicken (warmed) on top of pasta either right in the skillet or in the serving plates.

Top with grated Asiago cheese and serve this Spinach and Artichoke Chicken Pasta with Bacon and Tomatoes in Asiago Cream Sauce to your family and friends and yourself!

4.75 from 4 votes

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Spinach and Artichoke Chicken Pasta with Bacon and Tomatoes

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

40 mins

 

Spinach and Artichoke Chicken Pasta with Bacon and Tomatoes in Asiago Cream Sauce - yummy pasta with lots of veggies! If you love artichokes - this is the recipe for you!

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 847 kcal

Author: Julia

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 pound chicken thighs , boneless, skinless, sliced
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (thyme, oregano, basil - combined)
• 3 oz baby spinach fresh, uncooked
• 4 Roma tomatoes chopped in large cubes
• 15 oz artichoke hearts , from the can, drained REALLY WELL, and chopped (not too fine)
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (maximum 1/2 teaspoon)
• 5 garlic cloves , minced
• 6 bacon strips , COOKED, DRAINED OF FAT, AND CHOPPED
• 1 1/3 cups half and half
• 2/3 cup Asiago cheese , shredded
• 1/4 teaspoon salt or more
• 8 oz penne pasta (for gluten-free version, use gluten-free brown-rice penne)
• 1/3 cup Asiago cheese , shredded, for serving

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil until hot on medium heat. Add sliced chicken (I used thinly sliced boneless and skinless chicken thighs - they are very flavorful!), and cook sliced chicken on one side on medium heat for 1 minute. While it cooks, sprinkle the uncooked sides of the chicken with paprika and Italian seasoning. Flip the chicken over, and cook on the other side for 2-4 more minutes on medium heat, until the chicken is completely cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan.
2. To the same pan (but without chicken), add fresh uncooked baby spinach, chopped tomatoes, artichoke hearts (drained really well and roughly chopped), 1/3 of the cooked chicken, crushed red pepper flakes, minced garlic, and half the bacon (already cooked and drained of fat). Mix everything.
3. Add half and half and bring to boil. Immediately reduce to simmer, and keep stirring until spinach starts to wilt (don't let it wilt too much and overcook). As spinach starts to wilt and reduces considerably in volume, add grated Asiago cheese, and keep stirring on medium simmer until the cheese melts and makes the sauce creamy, only about 1 minute (at most 2 minutes). Then, immediately remove from heat. Season the sauce with salt - I use 1/4 teaspoon of regular salt and that's usually perfect. You might want to use more salt if needed.
4. In the mean time bring a large pot of water to boil, add pasta and cook it according to instructions. Drain the pasta, rinse with cold water and drain again.
5. Add pasta to the skillet with the sauce, stir to coat well, and reheat. To serve, add the remaining half of bacon (cooked and drained of fat) and the remaining 2/3 of sliced chicken (warmed) on top of pasta either right in the skillet or in the serving plates. Top with grated Asiago cheese.

Recipe Notes

What is HALF AND HALF ?  To make 1 cup of half and half combine 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup heavy creamy (or heavy whipping cream)

Nutrition Facts

Spinach and Artichoke Chicken Pasta with Bacon and Tomatoes

Amount Per Serving

Calories 847 Calories from Fat 468

% Daily Value*

Fat 52g80%

Saturated Fat 18g113%

Cholesterol 124mg41%

Sodium 1271mg55%

Potassium 720mg21%

Carbohydrates 57g19%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 34g68%

Vitamin A 4380IU88%

Vitamin C 38.7mg47%

Calcium 460mg46%

Iron 3.4mg19%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.