Chicken Bacon Pasta
40 min
|
easy
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
This chicken bacon pasta is a craveable weeknight win, with crispy bacon drippings, garlic, and butter building a silky Parmesan sauce that hugs every strand of spaghetti.
It eats like a lighter, punchier Alfredo with a splash of chicken broth, perfect for busy nights, date nights, or feeding hungry people who do not do bland.
Ingredients (4 servings)
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Ingredients for Chicken Bacon Pasta
- 1 lb spaghetti spaghetti 16 oz
- 6 slices of bacon, chopped bacon 6.67 oz
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter unsalted butter 1 oz
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast 1.33 lb
- 1 tsp salt salt
- ½ tsp black pepper black peppercorns (for black pepper)
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning Italian seasoning 0.02 oz
- 4 cloves of fresh garlic, minced garlic 0.36 head (for fresh garlic)
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese grated Parmesan cheese 2.86 oz
- ½ cup chicken broth chicken broth 4 fl oz
How to Make Chicken Bacon Pasta
-
Boil and prep
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt it until it tastes like the ocean.
Cook the spaghetti to al dente, about 1 minute shy of the package time.
Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water in a glass measuring cup, then drain the pasta.
-
Render the bacon
Add the chopped bacon to a large cold skillet and set over medium heat.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and the bacon is deeply crisp, 7 to 9 minutes.
Transfer bacon to a paper towel and leave about 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the skillet, discarding the rest.
-
Season and sear the chicken
Pat the chicken dry and season with the salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning.
Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the bacon fat and heat over medium high until foaming.
Sear the chicken in a single layer without crowding until golden and just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes, working in batches if needed.
Transfer the chicken to a plate and keep the fond in the pan.
-
Bloom garlic and deglaze
Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter.
Add the minced garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds, keeping it pale.
Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up the browned bits, then simmer until slightly reduced, 2 to 3 minutes.
-
Emulsify the sauce with pasta water
Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet and toss to coat in the garlicky broth.
Stir in 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and simmer for 1 minute to start the emulsion.
Take the pan off the heat before adding the cheese to prevent clumping and greasiness.
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Finish with Parmesan, bacon, and chicken
Sprinkle in the Parmesan gradually while tossing vigorously until the sauce turns glossy and clings to the pasta.
Add more pasta water a splash at a time until it is saucy but not soupy.
Fold in the crispy bacon and the seared chicken, then taste and adjust seasoning.
-
Serve
Twirl into warm bowls and finish with extra Parmesan and black pepper if you like.
Serve immediately while the sauce is silky and hot.
Substitutions
- Swap bacon with pancetta
- Pancetta brings the same porky richness without smoke, and its thicker cubes render into meaty, crisp bites that hold beautifully in the sauce.
- Swap chicken breasts with boneless chicken thighs
- Thighs are juicier and more forgiving, giving you succulent pieces with deeper flavor even if you go a minute long on the heat.
- Swap Parmesan with Pecorino Romano
- Pecorino is saltier and sharper, delivering a punchier finish that pairs well with bacon, so ease up slightly on added salt.
Tips
- Salt your water like you mean it
- A strong brine seasons the pasta from within and lets you use that starchy water to build a flavorful, stable emulsion.
- Start bacon in a cold pan
- Cold start rendering pulls out fat slowly, giving you shatter-crisp pieces and clean flavorful fat for searing the chicken.
- Cheese goes in off heat
- Parmesan melts smoothly into a glossy sauce when the pan is off the flame, avoiding grainy clumps and split sauces.
- Use the right pan
- A wide skillet gives pasta room to toss, which helps the starch and fat emulsify instead of steaming into a gummy tangle.
- Rescue plan for leftovers
- Reheat gently with a splash of water or broth, stirring until the sauce loosens and turns shiny again without breaking.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 651 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 42 | g |
| Total Fat | 32 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 37 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- My cheese clumped and the sauce turned gritty, what happened?
- You likely added cheese over high heat or too fast, so take the pan off the burner, add cheese gradually, and loosen with warm pasta water while tossing.
- The sauce feels greasy, how do I fix it?
- Pour off excess bacon fat so only about 2 tablespoons remain, then add pasta water and whisk or toss hard to form an emulsion that binds the fat.
- Can I cook the chicken with the bacon to save time?
- Keep them separate to avoid crowding and steaming, so the bacon gets crisp and the chicken browns properly for better flavor.
- I do not have chicken broth, what can I use?
- Use pasta water with a small pinch of bouillon if you have it, or water plus an extra knob of butter and a touch more Parmesan for body and flavor.
- How do I know the chicken is done without drying it out?
- Cut pieces to uniform size and cook until just opaque with a golden edge, or check for 165 F in the thickest piece and pull immediately.
Serving Suggestions
Big bowl energy with a simple green salad and a crisp white wine sets this off, and a squeeze of lemon brightens the bacon and Parmesan like a spotlight.
Roasted cherry tomatoes or a handful of peas fold in sweet pops of color, and if you like heat, a pinch of red pepper flakes wakes it up without overpowering the sauce.
More pairings:
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