Creamy Butternut-Sage and Chicken Penne
with Crispy Bacon
Mashed butternut squash is the backbone of tonight's creamy sage sauce, which mixes with penne, chicken and spinach for a meal that delivers on richness without feeling heavy. Pan-fried crispy bacon gives each bite a delicious salty crunch!
Ingredients: Chicken tenders • Butternut squash • Penne pasta (durum wheat semolina, niacin, ferrous sulphate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid) (wheat) • Bacon (pork, water, salt, sugar, sodium phosphates, sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrite, spices, smoke) • Spinach • Shallot • Cream cheese (milk ingredients, modified milk ingredients, salt, bacterial culture, lactic acid, carob bean gum, xanthan gum, potassium sorbate) (milk) • Parmesan cheese (modified milk ingredients, water, natural flavour, modified corn starch, calcium chloride, lipase, bacterial culture, microbial enzyme, microbial rennet, cheese (milk, bacterial culture, salt, microbial enzyme, annatto), natamycin, ultrafiltered milk and milk ingredients, salt, sodium phosphate, flavour, citric acid, sodium citrate, potassium sorbate, acetic acid, lactic acid, annatto, sorbic acid, anticaking blend (cellulose powder, potato starch, corn starch, dextrose, calcium sulfate, enzyme)) (milk) • Chicken broth concentrate (sugars (maltodextrin, sugar), chicken stock, chicken fat, chicken flavor (chicken broth, salt, flavoring, water, glutamic acid, chicken fat, chicken powder, xanthan gum, organic sunflower oil), salt, yeast extract, xanthan gum, natural flavor) • Sage • Chili flakes • Garlic.
The quantities provided above are averages only.
Produced in a facility that processes milk, sesame, eggs, fish, shellfish, crustaceans, mustard, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybean and sulphites.
Ingredients
100 g
Bacon Strips
170 g
Butternut Squash, cubes
2 unit(s)
Cream Cheese
(Contains Milk)
1 unit(s)
Chicken Broth Concentrate
1 unit(s)
Shallot
1 unit(s)
Garlic, cloves
7 g
Sage
56 g
Baby Spinach
¼ cup
Parmesan Cheese, shredded
(Contains Milk)
170 g
Penne
(Contains Wheat)
1 tsp
Chili Flakes
(May contain Sulphites, Tree nuts, Mustard, Soy, Milk, Sesame, Triticale, Wheat, Peanuts)
310 g
Chicken Breast Tenders
Not included in your delivery
0.13 tsp
Pepper*
¼ tsp
Salt*
1 tbsp
Unsalted Butter*
(Contains Milk)
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
- Add 10 cups water and 2 tsp salt to a large pot (use same for 4 ppl). Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Meanwhile, add squash, 1 tsp salt and enough water to cover (by approx. 1 inch) to a medium pot (use same for 4 ppl). Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-high. Cook uncovered until squash is fork-tender, 10-12 min.
- Drain and return squash to the same pot, off heat.
- Mash squash until smooth.
- Meanwhile, add penne to the boiling water. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 10-12 min.
- Reserve 3/4 cup (1 1/2 cups) pasta water, then drain and return penne to the same pot, off heat.
- Meanwhile, peel, then cut shallot into 1/4-inch pieces.
- Peel, then mince or grate garlic.
- Pick a few sage leaves from stems, then finely chop 1 tbsp (2 tbsp) leaves.
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add 1/2 tbsp (1 tbsp) oil, then chicken breast tenders. Sear until tenders are golden-brown and cooked through, 3-4 min per side.**
- Heat the same pan over medium heat.
- While the pan heats, cut bacon crosswise into 1/4-inch strips.
- When hot, add bacon to the dry pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy, 5-7 min.**
- Remove the pan from heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.
- Reserve bacon fat in the pan.
- When squash is almost done, reheat the pan with reserved bacon fat over medium.
- When hot, add shallots. Cook, stirring often, until slightly softened, 2-3 min.
- Add garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 sec.
- Add mashed squash, broth concentrate, cream cheese, reserved pasta water, 1 tbsp (2 tbsp) butter and 2 tsp sage. (NOTE: Reference sage guide.) Season with salt and pepper.
- Increase heat to medium-high. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly, until sauce is smooth.
- Add spinach, penne and Parmesan to the pan with sauce. Cook, stirring often, until spinach wilts and sauce thickens slightly, 2-3 min. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Divide penne between plates.
- Thinly slice chicken. Top plates with chicken.
- Sprinkle bacon and some chili flakes over top, if desired. (NOTE: Reference heat guide.)
If you've opted to add chicken breast tenders, pat dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add 1/2 tbsp (1 tbsp) oil, then chicken breast tenders. Sear until tenders are golden-brown and cooked through, 3-4 min per side.**
Thinly slice chicken. Top plates with chicken.
