Description
Delightful Creamy Chicken Pasta brings Italian comfort to your dinner table with rich, velvety sauce and tender chicken. Perfectly balanced flavors and simple ingredients make this dish a quick weeknight favorite you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 2 chicken breasts
- 0.5 lb bacon
Pasta and Dairy:
- 12 oz fettuccine pasta
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 0.5 cup parmesan cheese
- 0.25 cup cream cheese
Seasonings and Aromatics:
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 0.25 cup fresh parsley
Instructions
- Dice chicken breasts into bite-sized cubes and slice bacon into thin strips.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook bacon until crispy and golden, about 5-6 minutes. Remove bacon and set aside, leaving drippings in the pan.
- In the same skillet, sauté chicken cubes until fully cooked and lightly browned, approximately 6-7 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper during cooking.
- Mince garlic cloves finely and add to the skillet, cooking for 30-45 seconds until fragrant without burning.
- Boil fettuccine in salted water according to package instructions until al dente, typically 8-10 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
- Reduce skillet heat to medium-low and pour in heavy cream, stirring to combine with chicken and garlic. Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes.
- Add cream cheese to the skillet, whisking until completely melted and sauce becomes smooth and creamy.
- Fold in parmesan cheese, stirring continuously to prevent clumping. If sauce seems thick, gradually add reserved pasta water.
- Drain pasta and immediately add to the creamy sauce, tossing to coat evenly. Incorporate crispy bacon pieces.
- Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and an extra sprinkle of parmesan cheese before serving hot.
Notes
- Slice chicken and bacon uniformly to ensure even cooking and consistent texture throughout the dish.
- Pat chicken dry before seasoning to help achieve a perfect golden-brown sear and prevent steaming.
- Use high-quality, freshly grated parmesan for richer, more authentic flavor that melts smoothly into the sauce.
- Adjust sauce consistency by adding reserved pasta water gradually, creating a silky, clingy coating for the noodles.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 700
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 42 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg