Jalapeno Chicken and Bacon Pasta Casserole

 This is a great potluck casserole is full of flavour and has a bit of zip!

• 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 500 grams / 18 ounces uncooked rotini pasta (about 8 cups cooked)
• 1/2 pound bacon, diced 
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 average sized boneless chicken breasts, sliced thin 
• 1 8 ounce / 250 gram package cream cheese
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 jalapenos (half cut in rings and half minced)
• 5 cups mexican blend cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.  Arrange tomatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.  Bake for 30 minutes until the moisture has evaporated and tomatoes are beginning to brown. 
2. In a large saucepan, cook pasta in boiling salted water until just tender.  Don't overcook.  Drain and rinse with cold water and set aside.
3. In a large dutch oven, fry bacon until crisp.  Use a slotted spoon to remove bacon. Set aside. Reserve drippings.
4. In the same pan, fry onion in 1 tablespoon bacon drippings until onion is lightly browned.  Remove from pan and set aside.
5. Add pieces chicken to the skillet (don't crowd the pan or they won't brown) at a time adding a bit of bacon drippings as necessary to brown the chicken on both sides.  Continue with all pieces of chicken until they are all browned. Set aside.
6. In the same skillet, over medium heat stir together cream cheese, broth and cream until smooth.  Add 4 cups of cheese and stir to melt. 
7. Add the pasta, half the roasted tomatoes, sauce, chicken,  about 2/3 of the bacon, minced jalapeno.  
8. Leave in the dutch oven or transfer to a greased casserole dish. 
9. Sprinkled with remaining cheese, tomato, bacon, jalapeno slices.  
10. Reduce oven temperature to 350 and bake uncovered 45 minutes. 

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