Chicken Spinach Fettuccine

This is an adapted recipe.  It was originally a Betty Crocker, but I've changed it slightly and added a couple of things.  It is really creamy and amazingly good!

Plus, as far as Alfredo type pastas go, this one is actually fairly good for you.  The only fat comes from the bacon, the low-fat cream cheese, and the Romano cheese - and there's only a little bit of all three.  Not too bad - and the taste is amazing.


Ingredients:

16 oz uncooked fettuccine
8 slices bacon - cut into small pieces
1 large or 2 small chicken breasts - cut into thin strips
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup water
2 oz neufatel cheese (low-fat cream cheese)
1 cup chicken broth
3 Tb flour
3/4 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
3/4 cup fat free half-and-half
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
9 oz frozen spinach - thawed and drained


Fill a large large pot with water and get it going on the stove.  This is for your fettuccine, however, it will take a little while for this to come to a boil so get it started right at the beginning.

In a large non-stick skillet cook your 8 slices of bacon.  When they are crispy - but not burnt - remove them from the skillet and place them on a paper towel covered plate.  Drain the grease from the skillet.

Place the chicken strips in the non-stick skillet and cook until no longer pink.  This only takes a few minutes.  You've removed the bacon grease, but there is still enough that the chicken will cook nicely.

When the chicken is done, reduce heat to medium or medium high and add the garlic.   Cook (stirring constantly) for 30 seconds.  Add the water and cream cheese, stirring with a whisk until smooth.

In a small bowl, stir chicken broth and flour together with a whisk.   Pour into the skillet and continue to cook and stir for two more minutes.  The mixture will thicken up.  

Your big pot of water should be boiling sometime soon.  Make sure and add those noodles once the water starts boiling.  They are going to take at least 12 minutes to cook - I usually leave them in for 13 or 14 minutes.

Reduce skillet heat to low and add Romano cheese.  This is what really gives it that rich flavor, so maker sure you include it.  Stir until cheese is melted.

Add half-and-half, salt, and pepper.  Stir to combine.  Now add the thawed and drained spinach.

As a side note, some people like to boil the spinach and then drain it.  I find this a little more cumbersome, so I generally leave the spinach out until it has mostly thawed.  Then I place it in a colander and run hot water over it.  After it has completely thawed, I place it in a cheesecloth (or a few paper towels) and gently squeeze out the extra water.  You want the spinach nice and dry.

Stir in the spinach and add a handful of the bacon bits.  Stir again to combine.

After the noodles are done, drain them and then combine with the spinach sauce.  Finish it off my sprinkling the rest of the bacon on the top of the noodles.

So good!

Enjoy!