This is a cross between a chicken BLT and club and I just love love love these flavors, they're so addicting.
This dish has spinach or you can change it to any greens you like, loads of bacon, chicken, vine ripe tomatoes and I love it topped with toasted breadcrumbs.
The recipe truly is adaptable to making it all vegetarian and even using healthy brown rice or quinoa instead of pasta, it's your recipe now so adapt away.
If you love bacon like we do you will also love our BLT Dip and Slow Cooker Bacon Cheeseburger Soup recipes and if you're a huge fan of pasta try my 15 Pasta Recipes.
Scroll down to get this easily printable recipe with step by step instructions.
Delicious Easy Pasta Recipes
We just love easy recipes like this one, with not many ingredients, and just bursting with fresh delicious flavors.
Pasta is a staple in our home and we always come up with creative ideas to change it up a little, this cream sauce is divine.
If you would like to change the recipe and adapt it with another kind of meat, even seafood or any kind of vegetables, with this pasta go for it!
Other Additions and Substitution Suggestions
- sauteed mushrooms
- broccoli florets steamed
- cooked escarole
- bell peppers or hot peppers
- raw arugula
- smoked salmon
- cooked pork tenderloin
- cooked steak
- cooked shrimp
- deli ham
- any leftover meats like rotisserie chicken or roasted chicken breast boneless
Pasta Suggestions
- rigatoni
- bowties
- mostaccioli
- fusilli
- seashells
Tools You Will Need
- pasta pot
- pasta bowl
- fry pan
- colander
- spoon
- bowl
- knife
- cutting board
- pasta dish
Tips
- cook any kind of pasta you like to package instructions and keep warm
- to save time use precooked bacon
- instead of half and half use pasta water, butter, and olive oil in its place
- use only vine ripe tomatoes for best results
- other greens can be substituted for spinach IE cooked escarole, kale, swiss chard, or raw arugula
- use any cooked meats you prefer chicken, steak, pork, or more bacon instead
- for a healthy vegetarian version just add the vegetables over quinoa or brown rice and use tofu instead of chicken or bacon
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More Recipes We Love
Wedding Soup
Butternut Squash Soup
Ham Cabbage and White Bean Soup
Yield: 4
Chicken Bacon Spinach Pasta
Prep time: 12 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 32 Min
This is a Chicken BLT Spinach pasta that reminds me a cross between and chicken club and a BLT only with pasta topped with toasted breadcrumbs.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound boneless chicken breast cubed
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon each chopped fresh parsley, basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 5 plum tomatoes cubed
- 1 cup fresh spinach leaves or frozen blotted dry ( our more I usually use an 8-ounce bag)
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 6 bacon strips cooked and crumbled or more
- 1 1/3 cups half and half or use pasta water
- 1 1/3 cups Pecorino Romano Cheese and more for serving on top
- 1/2 pound penne pasta
- salt and black pepper to taste
- Optional Garnish: buttered toasted breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Cook the penne to package instructions and keep warm adding a little olive oil to keep it from sticking. Set aside covered.
- In a large skillet heat, add the oil then add the chicken.
- Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with paprika and oregano.
- Remove chicken from the pan and keep chicken warm.
- Saute for around 5 minutes on each side or until pink is gone.
- Add the tomatoes, spinach, garlic, crushed red pepper, and half the crumbled cooked bacon.
- Stir this all evenly.
- Stir in the half and half and bring to boil.
- Add the Pecorino Romano cheese and simmer for 1 minute.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the sauce.
- Stir in the rest of the bacon.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, red pepper flakes if you want a little heat.
- Add more cheese on top and garnish with buttered breadcrumbs if desired.
- For the Buttered Toasted Breadcrumbs:
- take 2 tablespoon butter and melt in a small fry pan add 1 cup Italian flavored breadcrumbs and toast them till brown and crispy.
Calories
741.51Fat (grams)
33.83Sat. Fat (grams)
14.62Carbs (grams)
46.63Fiber (grams)
4.52Net carbs
42.11Sugar (grams)
6.51Protein (grams)
60.98Sodium (milligrams)
948.84Cholesterol (grams)
169.29Pin for later
Try These Other Pasta Favorites
15 Easy One-Pan Meals
Bean Recipes
Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2013. It was edited and re-published in 2021.