Pasta with Bacon, Mushrooms, and Chicken

I have an obsession. It’s a relatively new obsession, but it’s been hitting me pretty hardcore. That obsession is … mushrooms. (Insert joke about psychedelic mushrooms here.)

But, seriously, in the past month or so, I’ve been all about the mushrooms. I can’t quite put my finger on it because I used to think they were pretty gross. But recently, the little Jonna in my head keeps saying, “bring on the ‘shrooms!” I love them on pizza and I really like them in Italian-inspired meals. And, I love them so much that I decided to make this:

This is Pasta with Bacon, Mushrooms, and Chicken. How freakin’ good does that look? And it tastes just as good as it looks, believe me.

 No, I did not take this picture. But, boy do I wish I had those photography skills! I’ll even accept the ability to make my food look like that when I cook it.

I took this recipe (and the picture) from The Pioneer Woman and adapted it a bit for me. I added the chicken part because I wanted it to be a strong standalone meal, and not just a hearty side. I kind of have this theory that, in order for pasta to be a meal, it needs a meat of some sort accompanying it.

At any rate, here’s what you’ll need to make this:

Paisley: Mmm, Good choice with the chicken, Mom. Well done.

Augie: Bacon?! This has bacon and chicken?! Bacon makes everything better. I’m so excited to lick your bowl when you’re done!

Hehehe. Okay, here are the ingredients, in list form:

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

2 Chicken Breasts

3 slices Thin Bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces

3 cloves Garlic, minced

 1 package (10 ounces) Mushrooms (I used baby Portobellos)

1 cup low-sodium Chicken Broth

1 cup Half-and-Half

¼ cup Heavy Whipping Cream

3 whole Green Onions, white and light green parts sliced

¼ cup Parsley, minced (I used the curly kind, because that’s all HEB had)

¼ cup Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated (and some extra)

Salt

Pepper

1 pound Pasta (I used Linguine, because I already had some) 

And here’s how you make this. It’s as easy as … pasta.

• Cook pasta according to package directions.
• While that’s going, you’ll want to grill up the chicken breasts. Wash them, then pat them dry, and then salt and pepper them. Now, ladies and gentlemen, here’s where I reveal my secret ingredient.

• Mrs. Dash. If you haven’t ever used this, you need to. It’s a wonderful seasoning blend that saves you the trouble of having to think when you season things. And, this particular kind (there are like nine different Mrs. Dash blends) is delicious and complements the rest of the pasta dish wonderfully. So hurry up and sprinkle your chicken with this, and grill it on up. Then, chop it up and save it for later.
• In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add bacon pieces and cook until light brown but not crisp. Remove bacon from pan and set aside. Do not clean pan.
• Add mushrooms and garlic to pan. Toss/stir around and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes; increase heat to high if needed to help mushrooms begin to turn golden brown.
• Pour in chicken broth. Stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any bits. Cook over medium-high heat for several minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by half.
• Reduce heat and pour in half and half and cream. Stir and allow to bubble and thicken for a couple of minutes. Add sliced green onions and parsley, then cook for one more minute. Finally, add Parmesan and stir, allowing cheese to melt and incorporate into the sauce. Turn off heat.
• Add cooked pasta to a large bowl. Add half the sauce from the pan. Toss with tongs.
• Add 1/2 cup hot pasta water at this point if the pasta mixture is too thick and gunky. Toss and add more water until it reaches the consistency you need.
• Serve pasta in individual bowls, topping each helping with the rest of the sauce and some of your grilled chicken. Sprinkle with extra parsley and extra Parmesan.

Enjoy! This recipe will serve four hungry folks.

(Blogger’s Note: The first image and much of the preparation instructions are from The Pioneer Woman. I love her, but she’s never heard of me. But, the woman cooks some dang good stuff.)