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

By Rander9576

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound chicken (chicken breast or tenders)sliced into small strips
• 2-3 TBS cajun seasoning
• 1/2 onion thinly sliced
• 1 red pepper seeded and sliced or chopped
• 1 green pepper seeded and sliced or chopped
• 3 medium tomatoes, chopped in large cubes
• 1 cup spinach
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
• 6 bacon strips, COOKED, DRAINED OF FAT, AND CHOPPED
• 1 and 1/3 cups half and half
• 1 and 1/3 cups Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 10 oz penne pasta
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, for serving

Preparation

Step 1

Cook pasta until al dente. rinse in cold water and set aside

Season chicken with cajun seasoning

In a large skillet, on high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil until hot. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink. Remove from pan.

To the same pan add peppers and onion. Cook until onion is translucent and peppers are beginning to soften.

Add chopped tomatoes, spinach, garlic, crushed red pepper,chicken and 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). Add pasta and stir until heated.
Remove from heat. Season with more crushed red pepper and salt, if needed.

Additional parmesan can be grated over top