I can never resist a pasta that brings juicy chicken, crispy bacon, fresh spinach, tomatoes, and a silky garlic cream sauce together in one irresistible bowl. This one is rich, colorful, and packed with Italian-inspired flavor in every forkful.
I’m obsessed with this pasta because it hits every craving I have at once: rich, salty, fresh, and totally unapologetic. I love how chicken breasts soak up that silky sauce, while bacon brings the loud, crispy, savory bite I keep chasing with my fork.
But the best part is the balance. Big flavor, plenty of color, and zero boring bites.
I make this when I want dinner to feel a little restaurant-ish without acting fancy about it. And honestly, I always go back for seconds.
Maybe thirds. No shame, just a bowl of pasta that knows exactly what it’s doing.
Ingredients
- Penne catches the creamy sauce in every little tube, which is honestly the point.
- Chicken makes it filling without feeling too fancy or fussy.
- Bacon brings salty crunch, plus that cozy “just one more bite” thing.
- Olive oil helps the chicken brown up instead of just steaming.
- Butter adds richness and makes the garlic taste softer and sweeter.
- Garlic is the backbone here.
Don’t be shy with it.
- Tomatoes pop with juicy brightness and cut through the creamy sauce.
- Spinach sneaks in greens, so basically it counts as balanced.
- Heavy cream makes the sauce silky, cozy, and very weeknight-dinner worthy.
- Chicken broth keeps the sauce from feeling too heavy.
- Parmesan adds salty, nutty flavor and helps the sauce cling.
- Lemon juice wakes everything up so it doesn’t taste flat.
- Black pepper and red pepper flakes bring a little kick without taking over.
- Basil makes it feel fresh, like you tried harder than you did.
Ingredient Quantities
- 12 ounces penne pasta
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 5 ounces fresh baby spinach
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped, optional
How to Make this
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 12 ounces penne according to package directions until al dente; reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain and set aside.
2. While pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 6 chopped bacon slices; cook until crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes, then transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate and leave 1 tablespoon bacon fat in the skillet.
3. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet with the bacon fat and increase heat to medium-high; season 1 pound thinly sliced chicken breasts with 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and 1 teaspoon kosher salt, then sear the chicken until golden and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side; transfer chicken to a plate.
4. Reduce heat to medium, add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter to the skillet and melt; stir in 4 minced garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5. Add 1 pint halved cherry or grape tomatoes and cook until they begin to soften, about 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Pour in 1 1/2 cups heavy cream and 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth, scraping up browned bits; stir in 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes if using; simmer gently until sauce thickens slightly, about 3 to 5 minutes.
7. Stir in 5 ounces fresh baby spinach until wilted, then return cooked chicken and crisp bacon to the skillet.
8. Add the cooked penne to the sauce and toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time if needed to loosen the sauce and achieve desired consistency.
9. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed, then sprinkle with 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil if using and serve immediately.
Equipment Needed
1. Large pot for boiling pasta
2. Large skillet or sauté pan
3. Cutting board
4. Chef’s knife
5. Tongs or long-handled spoon for tossing pasta and sauce
6. Colander or pasta strainer
7. Measuring cups and spoons
8. Microplane or box grater for Parmesan
FAQ
Chicken And Bacon Pasta With Spinach And Tomatoes In Garlic Cream Sauce Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Penne pasta: rigatoni, fusilli, farfalle, or cavatappi (similar shape and sauce cling)
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts: boneless skinless thighs, shredded rotisserie chicken, sliced turkey breast, or firm tofu for a vegetarian option
- Bacon: pancetta, prosciutto, smoked turkey bacon, or sautéed cremini mushrooms for a meaty umami note
- Heavy cream: half and half plus 2 tablespoons melted butter, whole milk thickened with 1 tablespoon cornstarch, plain Greek yogurt thinned with milk, or full fat coconut milk for a dairy free swap
Pro Tips
1. Cook the pasta just shy of perfect al dente and save that starchy pasta water. A splash will marry the cream sauce to the penne and loosen it without watering down the flavor.
2. Get the skillet very hot before searing the chicken so you build a good crust quickly. That browning adds rich flavor to the sauce when you scrape up the fond.
3. Crisp the bacon well and drain it on paper towels. Fold it in at the end so it keeps its texture and provides a salty contrast to the creamy sauce.
4. Brighten and balance the dish with the lemon juice and fresh basil at the end. Add the lemon little by little and taste as you go so the acidity lifts the cream without overpowering it.
Chicken And Bacon Pasta With Spinach And Tomatoes In Garlic Cream Sauce Recipe
I can never resist a pasta that brings juicy chicken, crispy bacon, fresh spinach, tomatoes, and a silky garlic cream sauce together in one irresistible bowl. This one is rich, colorful, and packed with Italian-inspired flavor in every forkful.
4
servings
1100
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large pot for boiling pasta
2. Large skillet or sauté pan
3. Cutting board
4. Chef’s knife
5. Tongs or long-handled spoon for tossing pasta and sauce
6. Colander or pasta strainer
7. Measuring cups and spoons
8. Microplane or box grater for Parmesan
Ingredients
12 ounces penne pasta
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
6 slices bacon, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
5 ounces fresh baby spinach
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped, optional
Directions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 12 ounces penne according to package directions until al dente; reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain and set aside.
- While pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 6 chopped bacon slices; cook until crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes, then transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate and leave 1 tablespoon bacon fat in the skillet.
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet with the bacon fat and increase heat to medium-high; season 1 pound thinly sliced chicken breasts with 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and 1 teaspoon kosher salt, then sear the chicken until golden and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side; transfer chicken to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium, add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter to the skillet and melt; stir in 4 minced garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add 1 pint halved cherry or grape tomatoes and cook until they begin to soften, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Pour in 1 1/2 cups heavy cream and 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth, scraping up browned bits; stir in 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes if using; simmer gently until sauce thickens slightly, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in 5 ounces fresh baby spinach until wilted, then return cooked chicken and crisp bacon to the skillet.
- Add the cooked penne to the sauce and toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time if needed to loosen the sauce and achieve desired consistency.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed, then sprinkle with 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil if using and serve immediately.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 487g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 1100kcal
- Fat: 62.4g
- Saturated Fat: 31.7g
- Trans Fat: 0.4g
- Polyunsaturated: 4.5g
- Monounsaturated: 17.5g
- Cholesterol: 247mg
- Sodium: 1680mg
- Potassium: 1338mg
- Carbohydrates: 69g
- Fiber: 4.6g
- Sugar: 7.3g
- Protein: 63.1g
- Vitamin A: 1500IU
- Vitamin C: 25.8mg
- Calcium: 337mg
- Iron: 3mg
