Creamy Chicken Bacon Penne (Print Version)

Rich pasta dish with tender chicken, crispy bacon, and creamy garlic-Parmesan sauce. Perfect weeknight comfort meal.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne pasta

→ Meats

02 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 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

→ 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 ½ 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, about 5-7 minutes. Remove and set aside.
04 - In the same skillet, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
05 - Pour in the heavy cream, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. 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.
07 - Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and parsley if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one skillet after you boil the pasta, so cleanup is ridiculously easy for such a rich dish.
  • The bacon fat left in the pan adds a smoky depth that store-bought sauce could never replicate.
  • It tastes like something from an expensive Italian restaurant but comes together in under an hour on a weeknight.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully with a splash of cream or pasta water to loosen the sauce.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water; the starch helps the sauce cling to the penne and prevents it from being too thick or separating.
  • Let the Parmesan melt off the heat or on very low heat to prevent it from clumping or becoming grainy.
  • Cook the chicken in a single layer without overcrowding the pan, or it will steam instead of getting that golden sear.
03 -
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh from a block and let it come to room temperature before stirring it in so it melts smoothly without clumping.
  • If you want deeper flavor, deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine after cooking the garlic, then let it reduce before adding the cream.
  • Use kitchen shears to snip the bacon directly into the pan; it's faster than chopping and you don't dirty a cutting board.
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