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Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta

By:Nagi
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This Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta is one for all those days when nothing but a creamy pasta will do. It’s unapologetically indulgent, and loaded with all the essential food groups – cream, parmesan, chicken and BACON. Very little prep, on the table in 20 minutes!

Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta - for all those days when nothing but a creamy pasta will do. www.recipetineats.com

Luxuriously rich Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta

I’ve been crowned the Queen of Creamy-Without-Cream*, but today I’m dethroning myself temporarily just so I can share this Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta with you without an inkling of guilt.

We’ve made it to the end of the year, and the month of December is about indulgences. I’ve been very sensible in the past and shared real Alfredo recipes, made the real proper Italian way. That recipe uses just 1/2 cup of cream for 250g / 0.5 lb of pasta.

This recipe uses 3/4 cup of cream for 180g / 6 oz of pasta. I was very honest with you right from the outset….this is indulgent!

* I have been known in the past for self proclaimed titles (such as Roast Queen). However, on this particular occasion, it was in fact the editor of Super Food Ideas magazine who pointed out my fetish for creamy-without-cream. I feel that provides some level of authority for this title!

Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta - for all those days when nothing but a creamy pasta will do. www.recipetineats.com

I actually photographed and filmed the recipe video about a month ago. I’ve been waiting for the right time to share it. I feel like making it to the end of the year, relatively unscathed, warrants some form of celebration.

After all, it is the month for excessive food indulgences, right? The month where even when we’re absolutely determined to eat healthy, there are treats at every turn enticing us. Office occasions, food gifts, gatherings with families and friends.

This is just one more enticement to add to that list. ?

Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta - for all those days when nothing but a creamy pasta will do. www.recipetineats.com

All that creamy sauce. All. That. CREAMY. SAUCE!!!

I do feel a bit guilty sharing such an indulgent treat with you. So I promise you, I have a big healthy fix coming up soon. Maybe even this Wednesday!

In the meantime, just think back to all you have achieved in 2016. Even if you didn’t make a dent in your list, ignore the fails and focus on the successes. Give yourself a pat on the back, a praise.

Then treat yourself to THIS Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta! 😉 – Nagi xx

More ways to get your creamy pasta fix!

Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta - for all those days when nothing but a creamy pasta will do. www.recipetineats.com

WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT

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Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta - for all those days when nothing but a creamy pasta will do. recipetineats.com

Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 20 mins
Dinner, Pasta
4.91 from 44 votes
Servings2
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Recipe video above. For all those days when nothing but a creamy pasta will do! This one is loaded with all the essential food groups - chicken, bacon, cream and parmesan. It's saucier and richer than the classic Alfredo.

Ingredients

  • 6 oz / 180 g fettuccine or other pasta
  • 5 -7 oz / 150 - 200 g bacon , chopped
  • 6 oz / 180 g chicken breast , cut in half horizontally
  • 1 tbsp (30 g) butter
  • 2 garlic cloves , minced
  • 1/2 small onion , finely chopped (brown, white or yellow)
  • 3/4 cup (185ml) heavy cream / thickened cream
  • 3/4 cup (185ml) pasta cooking water (Note 1)
  • 1/2 cup FRESH grated parmesan (or 1/4 cup store bought grated) (Note 2)

To Serve

  • Fresh parsley
  • Parmesan

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook for time per packet MINUS 2 minutes (finishes cooking in Sauce).
  • SCOOP OUT a mugful of pasta cooking water, then drain.
  • Meanwhile, cook bacon until golden, drain on paper towels.
  • Season chicken on both sides, cook in bacon fat, 2 minutes each side.
  • Wipe pan - optional, to keep sauce pretty and white, and for a buttery clean tasting sauce rather than very bacony (Note 3).
  • Over medium heat, melt butter. Add garlic and onion, cook for 3 - 4 minutes until onion is light golden and soft.
  • Add cream, about 3/4 cup pasta water and parmesan. Stir, then simmer for 2 minutes until it reduces slightly - you don’t need to be exact here. Season with salt & pepper.
  • Add pasta and toss gently in the sauce for about 1 1/2 minutes. The sauce will thicken and coat the pasta, do this step until you get the sauce consistency you want. If your sauce gets too thick, add a splash of pasta water.
  • Toss through bacon and chicken.
  • Serve immediately, garnished with parmesan and parsley!

Recipe Notes:

1. Just before you drain the pasta, scoop out a mugful of the pasta cooking water. This will be used for the sauce - the starch in the water reacts with the oil in the cream / butter and thickens the sauce.
2. Fresh grated parmesan is finer than store bought so it melts in the sauce. If you use store bought, ensure you use a finely grated one otherwise it won't melt properly so the sauce won't be silky smooth (flavour will still be delish though!)
3. I know it feels like a crime to throw out the bacon fat. I actually photographed and filmed this without wiping the pan and not using butter, but I really just felt the sauce tasted too bacony. Also it was brown instead of white. 🙂 So that's why I wipe the pan. You don't have to. You could skip the butter and use the bacon fat instead. But it will taste much more bacony, bordering on greasy rather than buttery creamy sauce (depending on how fatty the bacon is), and the colour will be light brown instead of white.
4. I'm providing the nutrition analysis reluctantly. I told you - this is indulgent. And worth it!!! 🙂
Nutrition is per serving. This takes into account 1 1/2 tbsp of fat that is discarded after cooking the bacon. 271 calories of the total 946 calories is attributable to the bacon. If you use ham instead of bacon (really yum!), it reduces to 790 calories per serving.
creamy-chicken-and-bacon-pasta-nutrition

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 318gCalories: 946kcal (47%)Carbohydrates: 54.4g (18%)Protein: 57.4g (115%)Fat: 54.6g (84%)Saturated Fat: 24.9g (156%)Cholesterol: 276mg (92%)Sodium: 1444mg (63%)Potassium: 745mg (21%)Sugar: 0.8g (1%)Vitamin A: 1000IU (20%)Vitamin C: 3.3mg (4%)Calcium: 320mg (32%)Iron: 4.1mg (23%)
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

LIFE OF DOZER

Just making sure we don’t forget he’s down there on the floor…..

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Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta - for all those days when nothing but a creamy pasta will do. www.recipetineats.com

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Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

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136 Comments

  1. Juds says

    Hi Nagi, this looks sooo delicious. I spent a year living in Australia and loved the type of thickened cream you guys have there. However, here in Germany we don’t get anything comparable:( Do I mix normal cream with some cornstarch instead to get the sauce as creamy and thick, apart from using pasta water?
    Thanks a lot or sharing all your wonderful inspirations!

    Reply

  3. Kylie Stott says

    10/10 very tasty easy dish
    Hubby said he wants it for dinner every night
    Thanks Nagi
    Always go to your site for all of my cooking xx

    Reply

  4. Kristi says

    5 stars
    I Made this tonight for the whole fam! I doubled the recipe. Everyone loved it. I left a bowl to the side without meat for my one vegetarian daughter. I added broccoli to the boiling pasta. My husband added chilli flakes to his. Huge hit. Thank you!

    Reply

  6. Barbara Horley says

    5 stars
    Everyone loved this today! I had to improvise as I didn’t have any cream, but I added milk with a little cornflour instead and I’m relieved to say it worked. So tasty, so quick, so easy. Thank you so much for the recipe, I will be looking for a tomato based pasta sauce recipe next! I have followed you on Instagram 🙂

    Reply

  7. Tyler says

    5 stars
    100% Best pasta I’ve made in months! My 3yo cleared the plate twice, husband stashed some away for lunch tomorrow. 10/10!

    Reply

  10. Laura says

    5 stars
    I never write ratings on websites, but this is my all time favourite pasta dish. I recommend it to everyone and it makes me so happy when I know I get to eat it for dinner and leftover lunches!

    Reply
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