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Pasta Chicken

Spinach and Artichoke Chicken Pasta with Bacon and Tomatoes

Published: May 20, 2016 | 12 Comments

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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!

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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!

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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.

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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.

cooking chicken in the skillet

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 tomatoes, spinach, artichokes to the chicken in the skillet

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:

add cream to the skillet to make cream sauce

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.

cook vegetables in cream in the skillet until spinach wilts

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.

add Asiago cheese to the cream and the vegetables in the skillet

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.

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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!

5 from 1 vote
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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*
Total Fat 52g 80%
Saturated Fat 18g 90%
Cholesterol 124mg 41%
Sodium 1271mg 53%
Potassium 720mg 21%
Total Carbohydrates 57g 19%
Dietary Fiber 5g 20%
Sugars 4g
Protein 34g 68%
Vitamin A 87.6%
Vitamin C 46.9%
Calcium 46%
Iron 18.8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Filed Under: Artichokes, Asiago, Bacon, Cheese, Chicken, Dinner, Gluten Free, Pasta, Recipe, Spinach, Tomatoes, Vegetables Published: May 20, 2016 12 Comments

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Marie

    Apr 04, 2019 at 12:57 am

    I made this and oh man was it delicious! I used orecchiette pasta because I had it on hand and I used half smoked Gouda cheese. Highly recommend!

    Reply
    • Julia

      Jun 03, 2019 at 5:57 pm

      I am so happy you tried this recipe and enjoyed it! Thank you for taking the time to leave such a kind comment!

      Reply
  2. Janet

    Jun 30, 2018 at 7:37 am

    Any recommended adjustments if we did not add bacon?

    Reply
    • Julia

      Jul 01, 2018 at 3:57 pm

      No, no special adjustments. Just skip the bacon if you don’t want to use it and follow the recipe as is.

      Reply
  3. MaryG

    Mar 27, 2018 at 2:57 pm

    Why do people reply with “sounds delicious”, why not make it and then tell if it is delicious. “looks delicous, sounds delicious’, doesn’t help me. I already know that!

    Reply
    • Ginger

      Jun 30, 2018 at 9:15 pm

      Calm down

      Reply
  4. Sharon White

    Dec 07, 2017 at 10:36 pm

    I am definitely going to try this recipe–it looks so delicious and mouthwatering! also loved the detailed instructions. Thanks.

    Reply
  5. Sandy

    Jul 13, 2016 at 7:13 pm

    Trying one of the pasta dishes now, looks absolutely delicious!

    Reply
    • Julia

      Jul 15, 2016 at 11:48 am

      Enjoy!

      Reply
  6. Sandy

    Jul 09, 2016 at 1:22 am

    This looks delicious! I will definitely try this recipe

    Reply
    • Julia

      Jul 10, 2016 at 3:18 pm

      It tastes as good as it looks! 🙂

      Reply
  7. Maria

    May 23, 2016 at 10:36 am

    The spinach looks so good and delicious, thanks for sharing with us these pictures and detailed recipe.

    Reply

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