Creamy Chicken Bacon Penne (Printer-friendly)

Tender chicken and smoky bacon in a silky garlic-Parmesan cream sauce, tossed with penne for a satisfying Italian-American classic.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne pasta

→ Meats

02 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 14 oz), thinly sliced
03 - 5 oz bacon, chopped

→ Dairy

04 - 1 cup heavy cream
05 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 small onion, finely diced
09 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish

→ Pantry & Seasonings

10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
11 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the penne according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook until crispy, about 5-6 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat from the pan.
03 - Season the chicken slices with salt and pepper. Add the olive oil to the skillet, then add the chicken. Sauté until golden and cooked through, approximately 5-7 minutes. Remove and set aside.
04 - In the same skillet, melt the butter. Add the diced onion and cook until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
05 - Pour in the heavy cream, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Bring to a gentle simmer, then stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted and the sauce thickens. If needed, add reserved pasta water a little at a time to achieve desired sauce consistency.
06 - Return the cooked chicken and bacon to the skillet. Stir in the chopped parsley. Add the drained penne and toss everything together to coat evenly with the sauce.
07 - Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like restaurant quality comfort food but comes together in under an hour on a weeknight.
  • The bacon fat adds a smoky depth that makes the cream sauce taste richer than it has any right to be.
  • Everything cooks in one skillet after the pasta is done, so cleanup is mercifully simple.
  • It reheats beautifully the next day, which means leftovers never go to waste.
02 -
  • Don't drain all the bacon fat, that single tablespoon left behind is pure flavor and helps the chicken brown beautifully.
  • Slice the chicken thin and evenly so it cooks at the same rate, thick pieces will dry out before the thin ones are done.
  • Add the Parmesan off the heat or on low, high heat can make it clump and turn grainy instead of melting smoothly.
  • Reserve that pasta water before you drain, it's the secret to loosening a thick sauce without making it watery.
03 -
  • Use a skillet that's large enough to toss the pasta without crowding, or the sauce won't coat evenly.
  • Grate your own Parmesan from a block, the pre shredded kind has anti caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the pasta, it should be slightly over seasoned because the pasta will dilute it.
  • If the sauce breaks or looks oily, whisk in a tablespoon of pasta water off the heat to bring it back together.
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