Bacon Chicken Pasta with Tomatoes & Spinach
Like an alfredo, but not.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 15 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1/2 Lb bacon (diced)
- 1 Lb boneless skinless chicken (cut into 1/2” chunks)
- 4 Tbsp salted butter
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 Lb cavatappi ((or whatever your favorite pasta shape is))
- 2 C heavy whipping cream
- 1 C whole milk
- 1 C cherry tomatoes
- 2 C baby spinach
- 1/2 C low-moisture mozzarella cheese (shredded)
- 1 C parmesan cheese (grated)
- 2 Tbsp Cajun seasoning (as needed)
- 1 Tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 Tsp seasoned salt (to taste)
- 1/2 Tsp black pepper (freshly cracked)
Instructions
- 1
Let’s start by crisping up that bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once it’s done, remove it from the pan, but leave that glorious bacon grease behind. It’s going to flavor everything! Chop or crumble the bacon once it’s cool enough to handle.
- 2
Now, grab that chicken and give it a good rubdown with Cajun seasoning -- and a bit of salt if you think it needs it. Toss it into the bacon-y pan, and if the grease is looking a little light, add some butter or oil. Sear the chicken, flipping it around until all sides are golden brown and cooked through—this should take about 7-10 minutes. Set it aside with the bacon.
- 3
Add the butter to the pan and let it melt down. Scrape up any flavorful bits left on the bottom with a wooden spoon. Toss in your minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
- 4
While the garlic is doing its thing, get your pasta boiling according to the package directions. Remember to salt your water—like, really salt it. Your pasta deserves it.
- 5
Once your garlic is fragrant, add the cherry tomatoes to the pan. Let them blister a bit, then toss in the spinach. Cover with a lid to help the spinach wilt down nicely.
- 6
Pour in the heavy cream and stir in the remaining seasonings. If you want more sauce, go ahead and add that cup of milk. Once it’s all mixed, start adding your mozzarella and parmesan. Keep stirring until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth. Lower the heat, cover the pan, and let it all simmer for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens up a bit.
- 7
By now, your pasta should be done. Drain it, but save a bit of that pasta water—just in case you want to loosen up the sauce later. Toss the cooked chicken, bacon, and pasta into the sauce. Stir everything together, adding some of the reserved pasta water if it’s feeling too thick. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.
- 8
Plate it up, finish with a crack of black pepper on top, and enjoy! Dassit!