Penne with Asparagus, Spinach, and Bacon

I used this recipe as a base making a few changes.  (I cut the recipe in half for 2 of us).  First, I grilled the asparagus and 1 chicken breast.  I sauteed the onion with red pepper flakes and minced garlic as we like a kick to our pasta!  I followed the rest of the recipe adding 1 tbsp of cornstarch to 1/4 cup broth stirring that in after the rest of the broth had simmered for 5 minutes. Then I simmered this mixture for a few minutes more.  I added the pasta, grilled asparagus, diced chicken, spinach, and cheese tossing well.  I only gave the recipe 3 stars as I made these changes.  The leftovers were great for lunch the next day!

It's a good, solid pasta recipe if you're looking for something sans the usual tomato or alfredo sauce. The leftovers aren't fantastic, and I also think you could cut back on the chicken stock without the recipe suffering. May add some garlic and olive oil next time.

I really liked this dish but for some reason the leftovers were disappointing. I cut the broth to 1 cup and kicked up the flavor with garlic and a little crushed red pepper.

I thought it was a bit bland, I would probably add garlic next time, maybe some toasted pine nuts. I only used 1 cup of chicken broth as well, and used regular, as that is what I had on hand.

It was delicious, but definitely doesnt need that much chicken stock. Other than that, really enjoyed it!

LOVE this recipe. So simple and quick. Perfect for the spring!

Pasta could use a little olive oil, salt. Otherwise, great combo of flavors. Added minced garlic after the onion - was very nice.

I thought this was really good! I did, however, make some changes. I increased the bacon to 8 slices and added garlic and pepperflakes; used just a splash of chicken broth - no need for more; and added more spinach, but instead of adding it to the saucepan (because it would overflow), I put it in my colander and poured the pot of hot penne pasta over it for an instant steam. I then added the spinach and pasta to the saucepan, and added sliced grilled chicken breasts. Very tasty! Would also be great without the meat.

I just made this recipe for my husband and I for dinner. It is delicious...I did make a few changes, however. First, I fried 4 pieces of bacon and poured out more than half of the grease. I sauteed the onions with 3 garlic cloves minced. Unlike some of the other readers, I used about 2 cups of broth because I added about 1 TBSP of flour to the onions once they were done and let the flour cook off. For more protein, I added 1 cup of roasted chicken. Then, I finished with the remainder of the recipe. Very tasty! I will definitely make this for a dinner party and serve with a salad and the garlic bread.

After reading other reviews about the amount of liquid, I made this with 1 cup of chicken stock, instead of 1 1/2. I also used whole wheat pasta, over white and added quartered cherry tomatoes (threw them in with asparagus during its last two minutes of cooking, just to heat). We thought it was pretty good and liked how the spinach wasn't overcooked, since it was just softened by steam. I made the full recipe, even though it was just two of us, and was a little disappointed to find the leftovers lacking. I would make it again, but be more conscious of serving size to avoid extras.

The amount of chicken broth called for is way too much! I used 2/3 cup, and to make up for the lacking flavor in the dish I added the juice of 1 lemon and its zest, and about 1/4 cup of dry white wine (just over 1 cup of liquid in all). A cornstarch slurry will take care of the soupiness, adding one tsp of cornstarch in combination with a small amount of water to smooth it out will do the trick. Be careful to not overcook the asparagus!

I used 2 sodium-free chicken bouillon and 1 cup of water instead of the chicken broth and it wasn't soupy at all. My boyfriend loved it, but I thought it was a little bland. We added a little pepper and extra parm and it was pretty good. Served it with steak and french bread. We will make it again.

I am just stepping into the world of healthy cooking and this was the first recipe I tried. I've only cooked indian food before so this dish tasted very bland. :( The one thing I did like was it had a very fresh taste - bad thing, it was very watery with the broth sitting at the bottom.

I read the reviews before I made this dish and took the suggestions of less chicken broth to heart. Because my husband and I are on Weight Watchers, I used whole wheat penne pasta. I also picked up a rotisserie chicken, cut up some of the breast and added it after I simmered the asparagus in the chicken broth. The chicken did soak up some of the broth. Everything else I did according to the recipe. My daughter and husband loved it!!! We'll definitely make it again.

I loved this recipe. Easy to make and I enjoyed the flavor. I doubled the bacon and sprinkled it on top with parmesan.

Very tasty and easy to make. Would make totally make it again. I substituted shredded parmesan with grated and did not use the low sodium chicken broth.

My husband and I liked this recipe and it was even better as leftovers (less soupy). I used regular (not low sodium) chicken broth but still found it needed extra salt. I also used 4 slices of bacon instead of two (but poured off lots of the bacon grease before sauteeing the onions). It was quick and easy and I'll definitely make it again. Next time, I'll use less broth.