Chicken bacon spinach penne is a creamy one-skillet pasta: golden pieces of chicken breast, crispy bacon, wilted spinach and burst cherry tomatoes tossed with penne in a garlicky Parmesan cream sauce. It takes 40 minutes and serves 4, and it tastes like something from your favorite Italian restaurant.
How to make it: Boil the penne until al dente. Brown the seasoned chicken to 165°F and set it aside, then crisp the bacon in the same pan. Sauté garlic in a little bacon fat, wilt the spinach, soften the tomatoes, then add the cream and broth. Melt in the Parmesan and butter, return the pasta, chicken and bacon and toss for a few minutes.
Why You’ll Love It
- Restaurant-style: creamy, cheesy and loaded with chicken and bacon.
- One skillet for the sauce: everything builds on the bacon drippings.
- 40 minutes: quick enough for a weeknight.
- Some greens: spinach and tomatoes brighten the rich sauce.
Ingredient Notes
Penne: 8 ounces. Rigatoni or farfalle also hold the sauce well.
Chicken: 2 boneless, skinless breasts cut into bite-sized pieces. Thighs work too.
Bacon: 6 slices, cooked crisp and crumbled. A little of the fat stays in the pan for flavor.
Spinach and tomatoes: 2 cups chopped fresh spinach and 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes.
Sauce: 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup chicken broth, 1 cup grated Parmesan, 2 tablespoons butter and 3 cloves of garlic.
Garnish: fresh basil or parsley, optional.
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Ingredients
- 8 ounces penne pasta
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 6 slices bacon
- 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil or parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)
How to Make Chicken Bacon Spinach Penne
1. Cook the pasta. Boil the penne pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente, about 10-12 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Cook the chicken. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the chicken pieces with salt and pepper for 6-8 minutes until golden-brown and they reach 165°F. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
3. Cook the bacon. In the same skillet, cook bacon slices until crispy. Drain some of the fat if necessary, leaving a small amount for flavor. Remove bacon, crumble, and set aside.
4. Wilt the spinach. Using the bacon fat, sauté minced garlic for 1 minute, then add chopped spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes until wilted.
5. Add the tomatoes. Add the cherry tomatoes to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened.
6. Make the sauce. Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth, bringing to a simmer. Add Parmesan cheese, stirring until melted and smooth, then stir in butter.
7. Toss. Add cooked pasta, chicken, and crumbled bacon to the skillet. Toss to coat everything in the sauce and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
8. Serve. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley, if desired. Serve hot and enjoy!
Tips for a Silky Cream Sauce
- Grate your own Parmesan. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking powders that make the sauce gritty.
- Keep it at a simmer. Boiling cream sauce can separate.
- Add cheese gradually. Stir in a handful at a time so it melts smoothly.
- Save pasta water. A splash loosens the sauce if it gets too thick.
- Don’t overcook the pasta. It finishes cooking in the sauce.
- Use just a little bacon fat. Too much makes the sauce greasy.
Fresh or Frozen Spinach?
Fresh baby spinach is easiest: it wilts in a couple of minutes and keeps its bright color. Frozen spinach works too. Thaw it and squeeze out as much water as you can, or it will thin the cream sauce. Use about half as much frozen spinach by volume, since it’s already cooked down.
Why Cook Everything in One Skillet?
Each step leaves flavor behind for the next. The chicken leaves browned bits on the bottom of the pan, the bacon adds smoky fat, and the garlic and spinach cook in that fat. When the cream and broth go in, they lift all of those browned bits into the sauce. It also means only one skillet and one pot to wash.
Variations
- Mushrooms: sauté sliced mushrooms with the garlic.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: swap them for the cherry tomatoes for a Tuscan twist.
- Heat: add red pepper flakes with the garlic.
- Lighter: use half-and-half and a little extra broth.
- Rotisserie chicken: skip step 2 and add shredded cooked chicken at the end.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and eat them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat on the stove over low heat with a splash of broth or milk, stirring, until hot to 165°F; cream sauces thicken as they sit.
What to Serve With It
Serve it with garlic bread, a green salad or roasted broccoli.
More creamy chicken pasta: slow cooker Amish bacon chicken pasta, chicken bacon ranch casserole with potatoes, baked chicken ricotta meatballs with spinach Alfredo sauce and chicken broccoli mac and cheese with bacon. For more chicken and spinach, try the chicken, spinach and mushroom skillet, or start with a spinach salad with warm bacon dressing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different pasta?
Yes. Rigatoni, farfalle, fettuccine or spaghetti all work.
Can I make it without heavy cream?
Half-and-half works, but the sauce will be thinner. Simmer it a bit longer.
Can I use frozen spinach?
Yes. Thaw it and squeeze it dry first.
How do I keep the sauce from separating?
Keep it at a gentle simmer and add the Parmesan gradually.
Can I make it ahead?
It’s best fresh. Reheat leftovers gently with a splash of broth.
How long do leftovers keep?
3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Final Notes
Brown the chicken, crisp the bacon and keep the cream sauce at a gentle simmer. If you add mushrooms or sun-dried tomatoes, tell me in the comments how it turned out.
Chicken Bacon Spinach Penne
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Ingredients
- 8 ounces penne pasta
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
- 6 slices bacon
- 2 cups fresh spinach chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- salt and black pepper to taste
- fresh basil or parsley chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Boil the penne pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente, about 10-12 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the chicken pieces with salt and pepper for 6-8 minutes until golden-brown and they reach 165°F. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- In the same skillet, cook bacon slices until crispy. Drain some of the fat if necessary, leaving a small amount for flavor. Remove bacon, crumble, and set aside.
- Using the bacon fat, sauté minced garlic for 1 minute, then add chopped spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes until wilted.
- Add the cherry tomatoes to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened.
- Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth, bringing to a simmer. Add Parmesan cheese, stirring until melted and smooth, then stir in butter.
- Add cooked pasta, chicken, and crumbled bacon to the skillet. Toss to coat everything in the sauce and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh basil or parsley, if desired. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
