Hi, friends! I LOVE to cook, hate to clean up, & am willing to eat leftovers! If you’re like me, this is a perfect dish. (Unless you have a family of 8 or more, in which case, there will be no leftovers!)

Jordan & I have really gotten into delivery meals (like HelloFresh), but sometimes I skip weeks & want to make some of our personal faves. This Chicken Bacon Pesto Pasta is loaded with fresh veggies & is super filling! It is fairly quick to throw together (now that Warner is in the picture, this is VERY important) and you can really add or remove anything that tickles your fancy.

Warner was with his MiMi & Grandpa when I made this, so I had Jordan whip me up one of his absolutely delicious Bloody Mary’s to sip on while I went to work! (I offered him a spot as a guest husband blogger to share this recipe, so be on the lookout in the future!)

Without further ado, here is the recipe:

Chicken Bacon Pesto Pasta

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

• 6 oz. Baby Spinach
• 1 lb. Farfalle/Bowtie Pasta
• 1.5 lb. Chicken Breasts/Tenders cut into bite sized pieces
• 4.5 oz. Fresh or Jarred Mushrooms
• 16 oz. Basil Pesto (I use store-bought but homemade is glorious, if you have time for that)
• 8 oz. Jar of Sundried Tomatoes
• 12 oz. Bacon
• Fresh Basil Leaves
• 2 Heads of Broccoli
• 1 White Onion
• Parmesan cheese
• 1 Lemon
• 2 Cloves of Garlic
• 2 TBSP Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions: Pictures Below

1. Bring water to boil for pasta.
2. Chop broccoli and onion& drain sundried tomatoes and mushrooms.
3. Cook bacon in large saucepan & set side on paper towel covered plate to soak up grease. Once it has cooled, chop into pieces.
4. Season chicken with salt & pepper and cook bite sized chicken pieces in leftover bacon grease in saucepan because AMERICA!!!!
5. Once water is boiling, cook pasta & drain once it is al dente. Stir in a little olive oil to keep from sticking together.
6. After chicken is cooked to temp, remove from pan and set aside.
7. Heat 2 TBSP of olive oil in saucepan on medium heat. Add garlic and onion and sauté until onion is translucent.
8. Add in mushrooms, broccoli, and sundried tomatoes and cook, stirring, until broccoli begins to soften up.
9. Add chicken, half of the cooked, chopped bacon, spinach, pasta, and pesto into pan and stir until spinach is wilted and everything is heated throughout.
10. Plate, top with parmesan, extra bacon, and fresh basil.
11. Serve with a slice of lemon & eat your heart out!