I love trying out new recipes as much as the next at home chef, but nothing beats a classic in my house. Sometimes, all I want is a big plate of pasta at the end of a long day. I love this Creamy Italian Penne recipe that I have.

It has a little bit of everything: lots of noodles, seasoned chicken, crunchy bacon, and a big load of creamy cheese sauce. Nothing screams “comfort food” quite like this pasta dish.

The recipe is adaptable too – if there’s an ingredient you don’t like, simply switch it out for something you would prefer instead.

 

Ingredients:

5 slices bacon

1 pound chicken breasts (2 each), sliced

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 ­½ teaspoons Italian seasoning

1 ­½ teaspoons smoked paprika

½ teaspoon red chili flakes

5 ounces baby spinach

4 to ­5 small tomatoes, diced

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 ­½ cups heavy cream

2 cups Parmesan, shredded

12 ounces penne, cooked al dente

 

Instructions:

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove, drain on a paper towel and chop. Drain grease from the pan and reserve.

Add 2­ to 3 tablespoons of the bacon grease back to the pan. In batches, so as not to crowd the pan, add the sliced chicken and season with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, paprika and chili flakes. When the chicken is cooked and no longer pink, remove it from the pan and set aside. Continue cooking in batches until all the chicken is cooked and set aside.

Add the spinach and tomatoes to the skillet and cook until the spinach is wilted. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.

Add the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Cook until thickened, then add the Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted and the sauce has thickened.

Add the cooked pasta, chicken and bacon back into the skillet. Stir to evenly mix.

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Quick Tip: Have the heavy cream at room temperature, so the fat doesn’t separate when added to the skillet.

Recipe and image courtesy of: Tip Hero