Mascarpone Pasta with Chicken, Bacon and Spinach

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Description

I was looking for a new way to use mascarpone cheese and had the other ingredients on hand. Turned out to be really delicious and pretty to serve as well! I look forward to serving it to guests.

Ingredients

  • 6 slices bacon
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup minced onion
  • 3 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cubed
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoons drained and chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
  • 2 tablespoons prepared pesto sauce
  • ½ pound fresh spinach
  • 1 (8 ounce) container mascarpone cheese
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, or more to taste
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • ½ cup milk
  • ¼ teaspoon white pepper
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 (16 ounce) package farfalle (bow tie) pasta
  • 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste

Instructions

  1. Place the bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat
  2. turning occasionally
  3. until evenly browned
  4. about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on paper towels. Crumble bacon when cooled.
  5. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir crumbled bacon and onion in the hot oil until onion is translucent
  6. about 5 minutes. Stir chicken into mixture and season with garlic powder
  7. salt
  8. and black pepper. Cook and stir until chicken is no longer pink inside and lightly browned outside
  9. about 10 minutes.
  10. Stir sun-dried tomatoes and pesto in a large skillet over medium heat until pesto gives off a little oil
  11. about 2 minutes; stir in spinach and cook until wilted
  12. stirring constantly.
  13. Mix mascarpone cheese
  14. 2 cloves of garlic
  15. Dijon mustard
  16. lemon juice
  17. milk
  18. and white pepper in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until smooth and bubbling
  19. stirring constantly
  20. about 5 minutes; stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese until cheese has melted
  21. 2 to 3 more minutes. Pour sauce over chicken and bacon mixture.
  22. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook bow-tie pasta at a boil
  23. stirring occasionally
  24. until cooked through yet firm to the bite
  25. about 12 minutes; drain. Gently fold pasta into chicken mixture and transfer to a serving bowl. Top with spinach mixture and sprinkle with 1 more tablespoon Parmesan cheese
  26. or to taste.

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 40 mins

Total Time: 1 hr

Servings: 8

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