Shelly's Recipe

SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE MACARONI AND CHEESE

Category: Pasta - Baked

8 oz. uncooked macaroni
10 bacon strips, cooked & crumbled
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into medium dice
3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons gluten-free all-purpose flour
2 cups milk (I used 2%)
4 ounces cream cheese (half a brick)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 cup frozen spinach, thawed
1/2 cup marinated artichokes, drained and chopped
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
Garnish - additional mozzarella or Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13 x 9 inch baking dish and set aside.

Cook penne according to the package directions; drain and set aside.

In a dutch oven over medium high heat, work in batches and add bacon in a single layer to the pan. Cook until crisp, remove from pan and transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Once all bacon is cooked, crumble into a large bowl and set aside.

In the same dutch oven over medium heat, use bacon renderings and add 1 tablespoon butter. Add chicken, sautéing until cooked through. Transfer cooked chicken to bowl with bacon and set aside.

In a dutch oven over medium heat, add remaining butter and melt in pot. Add flour and whisk until flour smell cooks off, about 1 minute. Gradually add milk, a 1/2 cup at a time to pot while continuing to whisk. Mixture will thicken.

Add cream cheese to dutch oven and whisk until melted through. Add mozzarella cheese, spinach, artichoke, and garlic powder. Stir with wooden spoon until fully incorporated and mozzarella cheese is melted through.

Add cooked chicken, bacon and macaroni. Stir to combine and coat the pasta.

Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish and bake in preheated oven uncovered for 30 minutes or until lightly browned on top.

To serve, garnish with additional shredded mozzarella or parmesan cheese. Serves 12