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!
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!
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. 😈
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!
Baked Mac and Cheese – and try the Shrimp version!
Browse all pasta recipes
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Watch and weep that you can’t reach through the screen…
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Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta
Ingredients
- 6 oz / 180 g fettuccine or other long strand pasta
- 3/4 cup pasta cooking water , scoop out just before draining
- 5 -7 oz / 150 – 200 g bacon , chopped
- 6 oz / 180g chicken breast , cut in half horizontally (1 large)
- 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper , for seasoning chicken
Creamy pasta sauce
- 1 tbsp (15 g) unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves , finely minced
- 1/2 small onion , finely chopped (brown, white or yellow)
- 3/4 cup heavy cream / thickened cream (or any full fat cream)
- 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper , for sauce
- 1/2 cup finely shredded parmesan (or 1/4 cup store bought grated) (Note 2)
To Serve
- Fresh parsley
- Parmesan
Instructions
ABBREVIATED RECIPE
- Cook pasta per packet minus 2 minutes, reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining. Cook bacon, then chicken, sauté garlic and onion, simmer with cream, 3/4 cup pasta water, parmesan, salt and pepper. Toss with pasta 1 1/2 minutes, TASTE to check for salt. Serve with parmesan.
FULL RECIPE
- Cook pasta – Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook for time per packet MINUS 2 minutes (finishes cooking in Sauce).
- RESERVE water (important!) – SCOOP OUT 1 cup (250ml) of pasta cooking water, then drain.
- Cook bacon – Meanwhile, heat the oil in a non-stick pan and cook bacon until golden. Remove and drain on paper towels, reserve bacon fat in pan.
- Cook chicken – Season chicken on both sides with the salt and pepper. Cook in the bacon fat for 2 minutes on each side. Remove, then cut into thick slices when cool enough to handle (do this while sauce is simmering).
- Wipe pan (optional) using paper towels to keep sauce pretty and white, and for a buttery clean tasting sauce rather than very bacon-y (Note 3).
- Sauté onion – Over medium heat using the same pan, melt the butter. Add garlic and onion, cook for 3 – 4 minutes until onion is light golden and soft.
- Make sauce – Add cream, about 3/4 cup pasta water, parmesan, salt and pepper. Stir, then simmer for 2 minutes until it reduces slightly – the sauce will still be a too thin, don't worry, it thickens in the next step.
- Add pasta and toss gently in the sauce for about 1 1/2 minutes, still on the stove. The sauce will thicken and coat the pasta rather than pooling in the pan. Do this step until you get the sauce consistency you want. If your sauce gets too thick, add a splash of pasta water.
- Toss and taste – Toss through bacon and chicken. Taste and add more salt if needed (depends on bacon saltiness).
- Serve – Serve immediately, garnished with parmesan and parsley!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Just making sure we don’t forget he’s down there on the floor…..
The first time, I made as exactly described in the recipe and it was fantastic!
The second time, I used a tub of marscapone cheese instead of cream, and grilled chicken thighs instead of pan cooking breasts. (Used what I had in hand.)
Not going to lie, it was even better. Nagi is a national treasure.
Soo good! I don’t like creamy pasta but my partner requested it and it was sooo good!! Thank you 🙏
Thank you for the recipe! I’ve tried this at home and it was delicious! My husband said it was restaurant quality! I’d like to make it for my son’s birthday party at school. How do I do it so the pasta doesn’t get mushy or the sauce doesn’t clump or dry out? I was thinking of bringing the pasta and sauce (still hot) separately and mix at school. Will that work even if the pasta is room temp? Thank you!
Best way to keep pasta from turning mushy is to rinse it in cold water after boiling it! It stops the cooking process. Once cooled you can add it to your sauce mixture heat and serve
Hot damn this was good. I used speck instead of bacon and added some English spinach towards the end for green hints. Would make agaian and again. So good.
This is a favourite in my house- Particularly husband and teenage boys! I have tried- and failed- for years, to cook a great white sauce chicken pasta dish (Alfredo/carbonara etc) and I don’t consider myself a terrible cook!- but this dish is really so delicious and balanced. Tips- really makes a big difference if you use fettuccini/thick pasta and cook it aldente!! Also, as there are a couple of moving parts, prepare/chop your ingredients before hand. Makes it easy!
Thanks Nagy, definitely a keeper x
Made this. Was quick, simple and delish. But deglazed pan with white wine, added more garlic, and some baby spinach.
We are a dairy free house so substituted heavy cream with Flora dairy free cream. Cooked onion and garlic in bacon fat as no butter can be used due to allergies. Sauce was still cream coloured. Yummo
Made this. Was quick, simple and delish. But deglazed pan with white wine, added more garlic, and some baby spinach.
We are a dairy free house so substituted heavy cream with Flora dairy free cream. Yummo
Yes, deglazing the pan was definitely necessary and so was the glass of Chardonnay to accompany the bowl of pasta…
Am I able to cut the chicken pieces instead and then cook them? Can I cook the peices with the cream? and also would using single cream be ok?
Perfection! Thankyou again Nagi for this scrumptious pasta recipe. I followed your instructions and had it made in about 20-30 mins (gave me time to sip on a glass of wine!). We love the creamy sauce & yummy chicken. It’s already been requested to replace our regular carbonara! Huge hit in our household.
This was yummy but I made a few changes. I used fresh fettucine, marinaded the chicken in onion & garlic powder and cayenne pepper and used chicken stock instead of the pasta water. The cream sauce took way longer than 2 minutes as well. Oh and I added some fresh spinach at the end. This was yum!
Your written recipe needs an instruction to slice the chicken. It’s shown in the video but not included in the recipe text. The recipe looks awesome though, looking forward to making it for my grandkids when they come at Christmas.
The chicken cooking time is a bit sus. The recipe states sear the chicken for 4 minutes, then later you return to the pan, toss it in the sauce, then serve.
When does the chicken cook through?? The cook time in the chicken is too short.
I just made this for dinner tonight. I LOVED it but agree with others about adding tomato, spinach and/or mushrooms. I think some fresh produce would lift the meal immensely. My kids are quite picky but they enjoyed this. I’m looking forward to eating the left overs tomorrow!! YUM!
Can you freeze leftovers
This is by far my favourite recipe of all time, whenever I get to choose, this is my go to! Having said that you have so many other winners to, many of your recipes are our family favourites and I always check your site first for inspiration
Amanda, l can see why this recipe is your favourite! We tried it tonight& it’s divine! We like it better than our usual carbonara!
I didn’t have all the ingredients (no chicken) but I used the recipe as a base. I had sliced pancetta and broccoli. I crisped the pancetta and steamed the broccoli over the pasta water. I also added chilli flakes to the sauce. It turned out really delicious.
So yummy thank you again Nagi
Great dish. I did mess the steps up. Didn’t let the sauce thicken, oops. But still really good for a fussy eater like me even the food master I made it for said it was good except for my runny sauce.
As suggested by others I added 2 x mushrooms I had, 6 x chopped dried tomatoes & fresh lemon thyme. Husband doesn’t like cream base but loved this. So easy & great. 🙂
This is lovely but takes significantly longer than 20 mins. Would make again