Chicken Bacon Pasta
This Chicken Bacon Pasta is a quick, creamy dish with crispy bacon, tender chicken, and parmesan cheese. It's a delicious, satisfying meal that your whole family will love.
Servings 8
Calories 790kcal
Equipment
- Large stock pot
Ingredients
- 16 oz penne pasta or other short pasta
- 12 strips bacon chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cups boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 4 cloves fresh garlic minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup fresh Parmesan cheese grated
- fresh parsley optional garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to instructions on the package until al dente. Drain and set aside.16 oz penne pasta
- While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook the chopped bacon until crispy. Remove the cooked bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pan.12 strips bacon
- To the bacon fat, add the olive oil and add the cubed chicken. Season with salt and pepper and cook until browned, about 6-8 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.2 tablespoons olive oil, 4 cups boneless, skinless chicken breasts, , kosher salt, black pepper
- Add the fresh garlic to the same pan. Cook 1 minute until the garlic starts to become golden in color and fragrant.4 cloves fresh garlic
- Deglaze the pan with chicken stock, using a wooden spoon to get all the browned bits off the bottom of the pan - these are tiny flavor bombs!1 cup chicken broth
- Once the liquid is simmering, add the heavy cream. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens a little bit.2 cups heavy cream
- Return the chicken to the pan and add the pasta. Toss with the sauce, then add the cheese and bacon pieces. Taste for seasoning, and additional salt or pepper if desired.kosher salt, 1 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, black pepper
- Garnish with fresh parsley, if using, and serve hot.fresh parsley
Notes
Note, if you are using shredded chicken, skip the olive oil. After cooking the garlic in the bacon grease, make the sauce, and then toss the shredded chicken and pasta together into the sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 790kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 173mg | Sodium: 605mg | Potassium: 714mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 985IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 211mg | Iron: 2mg
