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This chicken bacon spinach pasta recipe is fast, easy, and makes an elevated weeknight meal. Crispy bacon and tender chicken take this creamy pasta to the next level!
Try my Creamy Bacon Chicken or Tomato Spinach White Wine Chicken next.
Why you’ll love it
Bacon, spinach, and chicken are a combo that just really works. One lovely reader commented that this chicken pasta is “out of this world good“! The chicken is so tender, and the savory flavors combine in the creamy sauce to make something special.
Here at S&L we adore pasta dishes that seem fancy but are made with simple, everyday ingredients, and this chicken and bacon pasta is no exception! It’s also on the table in just over half an hour. Top with a dusting of fresh parmesan, and dinner is so good.
What you’ll need
- Pasta – I like a longer variety like fettuccine or linguine, but use anything
- Bacon – it makes everything better! Cooking the chicken in bacon fat also adds awesome flavor.
- Chicken – we’re using chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
- Garlic powder – to infuse savory flavor right into the chicken
- Flour – keeps the chicken tender and helps to thicken the sauce
- Dijon mustard – one of my favorite ways to enhance flavor
- Lemon juice – to balance everything and add a touch of acidity
- Chicken broth – the base of the sauce
- Heavy cream – to add silkiness and more flavor
- Spinach – a pop of freshness
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- Use a pair of kitchen shears to quickly cut up the bacon.
- Store uncooked pasta in one of these airtight containers for freshness.
- Here is the cast iron skillet I use.
- Chicken is cooked when it’s 165F in the middle. Never under- or overcook chicken with an instant read thermometer.
How to make chicken spinach bacon pasta
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Boil the pasta. Meanwhile, fry the bacon in a skillet until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate, leaving behind a little bit of the fat in the pan. Coat the chicken in the garlic powder and flour. Cook until golden but not fully cooked through.
Transfer the chicken to a plate. Add the mustard, lemon, and broth to the skillet, scraping up the browned bits from the pan. Return the chicken and bacon, and pour in the cream. Cook the chicken through, and let the sauce thicken.
Stir in the spinach until it has wilted. Season generously with salt & pepper, and toss with the drained pasta. Serve with freshly grated parmesan on top if desired.
Substitutions and variations
- I don’t recommend substituting the cream for something lower fat. The sauce won’t thicken up properly, and it won’t taste as good.
- For a fancy touch, swap half the chicken broth with a dry white wine like pinot grigio.
- If you have some on-hand, sun-dried tomatoes would be a yummy addition to this dish.
What to serve with this pasta
- I like a light and refreshing salad. Try my Super Simple Parmesan Arugula Salad, or go all out with a Caesar salad and my popular 10-Minute Caesar Dressing.
- A slice of fresh bread or Cheesy Garlic Bread is also a good idea!
Leftovers and storage
- Store leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days. If you plan on having a lot left over, I suggest keeping the sauce separate and boiling up fresh pasta when you’re ready.
- Reheat slowly over a low heat until warmed through.
- I don’t recommend freezing this one.
If you made this chicken pasta with spinach and bacon, please leave a star rating and review below! I’d love to hear from you. Tag me on Instagram with your S&L creations.
Chicken Bacon Spinach Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked pasta
- 4 strips bacon cut into small pieces
- 2 medium chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Flour, for dredging
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 2 cups (packed) baby spinach
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese to taste
Instructions
- Boil a large, salted pot of water for the pasta. Cook it al dente according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, add the bacon to a skillet and fry it over medium-high heat until it's nice and crispy.
- When the bacon is almost done, sprinkle the chicken pieces with the garlic powder and coat them in flour.
- Take the bacon out of the skillet and transfer it to a paper towel lined plate. Leave about 1-2 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the pan.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the chicken to the pan and cook it for a few minutes until it's no longer pink on the outside (don't fully cook through). Transfer the chicken to a plate (the same plate as the bacon is fine).
- Add the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and chicken broth to the skillet. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and ensure the Dijon mustard has dissolved.
- Add the chicken, bacon, and cream to the skillet. Let it cook for around 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. The sauce will thicken a bit.
- Stir in the spinach and let it cook for a minute or two until it's wilted. Season with salt & pepper as needed. Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce. Serve with freshly grated parmesan.
Notes
- I used fettuccine. Any shape pasta will work.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.
This recipe was originally published on April 3, 2019. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!
Would using spinach linguine noodles work for this recipe?
Sure!
Gave recipe 4 stars because I added a couple things. I used 5 strips of bacon, can of mushrooms and red pepper flakes. It was too thing, so added flour. Need to think about this for the next time, because still a little thin. I used bowtie spinach pasta. I will definitely make this again with my tweeks and maybe less chicken broth. It was very good!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I think I added too much for the sauce and it’s not thickening, what should I do
Can you add a little more flour?
This sounds delish. I would love to try this but don’t want to go out just for the cream during this time. Would full fat vitamin D work or 2%? I have both of those at home.
Hi! I’ll be honest… unless you’re comfortable with thickening sauces (like adding a bit of extra flour/cornstarch) or reducing it without overcooking the chicken, I wouldn’t recommend it. I totally understand not wanting to go out, but I also don’t want you wasting ingredients either.
Good point. I went and got some today! 🙂 can’t wait to make this!
Enjoy!
This is delicious. I left out the chicken and slightly increased the bacon. I also added some red pepper flakes along with some garlic when sautéing the mustard in the bacon fat. Added the noodles to the sauce to cook and added grated parmesan along the way. Topped with toasted panko breadcrumbs with thyme and lemon zest. And, of course, more cheese.
Love your twist on this recipe, Brandon!!
Love this recipe! Made without chicken and more mushrooms! Yummy!
Great!! ♥️
I’ve made this like three times! Lol
Haha that’s what I like to hear!
Made this tonight for dinner – everyone loved it ! Thank you from happy house in the UK 👍
You’re very welcome, Gillian!! 🙂
Would this freeze well?
Hi! Hmmm I don’t think so. Pasta tends to get kinda mushy when you freeze it, and the cream sauce may separate (even if you froze them separately) and the spinach will be very wilted.
This looks insanely good! I’m all about the pasta lately and will be loving any pasta posts you do!
Thanks so much, Debs!
I am going to try this tonight. Tried the creamy lemon and fresh tomato salmon pasta, mid week it was delicious, even though I substituted fresh salmon for smoked salmon,it was just what I had in.
Hope you like it, Barbara! So glad you liked the other one. 🙂
I made this tonight using rotisserie chicken, and everyone loved it! Thank you for your blog! I always need new ideas and inspiration when it comes to dinner!
That’s awesome! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂 So happy you like the blog.