Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta
on Apr 03, 2014, Updated Jul 15, 2024
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Chicken Bacon Pasta is creamy, delicious, and so easy to make! The crispy bacon, tender chicken, onions and bell peppers, pasta, and Alfredo sauce are all combined to create an easy and flavorful dish.
Sometimes all you need after a long day is a big bowl of warm, comforting pasta! This dish gives you exactly that and is so simple to throw together, making it perfect for a busy night. I love that this pasta only uses a few ingredients that all blend nicely for a well balanced meal.
The tender chicken is what makes this pasta so hearty and satisfying. The crowning jewel of this pasta is the Alfredo sauce that is creamy and indulgent! This dish is so easy and quick to prepare, you don’t want to miss out on it. Chicken bacon pasta is a meal that is highly requested in my home, and I’m sure it will be in yours too.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is easy to make for when you need a quick and delicious dinner.
- Each ingredient offers an amazing flavor that adds variety to the pasta.
- The creamy sauce gives the dish a wonderful depth and texture.
Recipe Ingredients
Bacon—Chopped.
Chicken—Cooked until tender and juicy.
Onion—Diced. To add a beautiful depth of flavor to your pasta.
Bell Peppers—Any color will work! Make sure to dice them.
Pasta—Cooked. We love to use Penne pasta but any kind will be just fine!
Alfredo Sauce—Feel free to use your favorite brand or homemade recipe.
Tomatoes—Chopped. To add a fresh and tangy flavor.
Parmesan—Adds a rich sharpness to your pasta.
Salt and Pepper—Added to taste.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Chicken Bacon Pasta
Step #1. In a large pan, fry the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan and allow it to cool. Save some of the bacon grease and discard the rest.
Step #2. Heat the same pan over heat and add some of the bacon fat. Cook the chicken until it is no longer pink in the middle. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Step #3. Add the rest of the bacon fat to the pan with the onions and bell pepper. Cook until the onion is soft and translucent.
Step #4. Dice the chicken and chop the cooked bacon into small bits.In a large bowl, combine the bacon, chicken, onion, peppers, pasta, alfredo sauce, and chopped tomatoes. Stir to combine and add the salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe FAQs
The Alfredo sauce in this recipe is what gives your pasta the creamy, rich taste that is almost irresistible! You can either make a homemade Alfredo sauce, or get a canned version from the store. Being able to use canned sauce makes it easy to throw this dish together on a busy night, so that is what I tend to lean towards. Bertolli Alfredo sauce is the kind I like to use but any brand will taste great!
It is important to note the bacon will continue to slightly cook after you remove it from the pan due to the heat. Because of this, you might need to take it out a little bit sooner than you think. Cook each side for about 4-5 minutes, until you can see there is no pinkish color, and the bacon looks evenly browned. You will notice the bacon starts to create a white foam on the edges, and that is a sign that it’s done. Be aware that thick cut bacon will typically take slightly longer to cook than thin cut, so cooking time will vary depending on what kind you use!
How to Serve and Store Chicken Bacon Pasta
This dish includes everything and is almost an all-in-one meal that you can serve for an easy lunch or dinner! You can also add some light sides to contrast the rich and filling pasta. Roasted vegetables such as brussel sprouts, cauliflower, or air fryer asparagus make for a nice side, or serve this dish with some garlic or easy French bread.
Chicken bacon pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat the leftover pasta in the microwave for 45 seconds at a time until it is warm. Add some more Alfredo sauce and stir everything together before serving for maximum flavor!
Expert Tips
- While you can dice the raw chicken before you cook it, I find it easier to dice the chicken after it’s been cooked and cooled for a few minutes.
- You can use leftover pasta for this dish, or cook the pasta as you are getting everything else prepared and ready.
- Since this recipe calls for a hefty amount of bacon, you can cook it in batches if necessary to ensure that it will come out crispy.
- You can always add extra vegetables right into the pasta for more flavor! We sometimes add broccoli, peas, or chopped carrots and cook it right along with the onion and peppers.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure your chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
More Pasta Recipes To Consider
Pasta Dishes
Baked Spaghetti
One Pot Meals
Sopitas
Pasta Dishes
Chicken Spaghetti
Pasta Dishes
Baked Mac and Cheese
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Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound bacon
- 1 pound chicken, cut into bite-size peices
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 or 2 bell peppers, diced
- 1 pound hot cooked pasta
- 1 jar Bertolli Alfredo sauce, 15-ounce
- 1 or 2 large tomatoes, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh grated Parmesan
Instructions
- In a large skillet fry the bacon until crisp (working in batches if needed). Remove the bacon from the pan and let it cool on paper towels to absorb the grease. Reserve 4 tablespoons of bacon fat. Discard the remaining bacon grease.
- Heat the same skillet over medium-high heat and add back 2 tablespoons of bacon fat. Add the chicken and cook until the chicken is done and no longer pink in the center. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Return the skillet back to the heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of bacon fat. Add the onions and bell pepper and cook until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- While all this is cooking you can be cooking your pasta.
- Chop the cooked bacon into small bits.
- In a large bowl combine the chopped bacon, chicken, cooked onions and peppers, cooked pasta, Alfredo sauce, and chopped tomatoes. Stir to combine and salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve right away with freshly grated Parmesan.
Do you heat the Alfredo sauce before combining, or is the pasta and other items sufficient to warm it?
The pasta is normally hot enough, especially if you are pulling a jar out of the pantry. If you are working with cold alfredo, you might want to warm it before adding it though.
I think I’d get baking stuff like flour, sugar, chocolate chips….stuff I love to have on hand, but hate when I have to go buy it. And similar to your choice, I’d probably have Ragu Garden Combination spaghetti sauce also…having your favorite pasta sauce on hand is such a time saver!
Four of my favorite foods: pasta, tomatoes, cheese and bacon! YUM!