Chicken and Bacon Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes in Garlic Cream Sauce

Chicken and Bacon Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes in Garlic Cream Sauce

This one has potential, looks really good!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 500 grams chicken breasts
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 5 medium tomatoes, chopped into large cubes
  • 1 cup spinach, cooked
  • 5 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
  • 6 bacon strips, cooked, fat drained, and chopped
  • 1 1/3 cups half and half
  • 1 1/3 cups Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 1/4 cups Penne pasta, dry
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, to serve with

Instructions
 

  • In a large skillet, on high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil until hot. Add chicken and cook on one side on high 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 1 minute on high heat. Reduce heat to medium, flip chicken over again and cook, covered, for several minutes until no longer pink in the center. Remove chicken from the pan and keep chicken warm.
  • To the same pan (but without chicken), add chopped tomatoes, spinach, garlic, red pepper flakes, 1/3 of the chicken (sliced into small strips) and half the bacon. Mix everything.
  • Add half and half and bring to boil. Only after half and half starts boiling, add grated Parmesan cheese - immediately reduce to simmer and stir, while simmering, until the cheese melts and makes the sauce creamy, only about 1 minute (at most 2 minutes). Then, immediately remove from heat. Season with more red pepper flakes and 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 sauce. Add remaining half of bacon. Season with more salt if necessary. Slice the remaining 2/3 of chicken into thin strips. To serve, top the pasta with chicken strips and grated Parmesan cheese.

Notes

Chicken breast will cost about 50 Baht for 500 grams, cheese however, that is nearly 200 Baht for 125 grams (would need at least 125 grams, probably 200 to be on the safe side), shop around so you can find a better price. Based on these two prices, the total is 320 Baht, about $2.35 per person, but a good meal for a special occasion.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Denise Georgiades.
South Africa.

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