Creamy Crack Chicken Pasta (Printable Version)
Tender chicken in rich creamy cheese sauce with crispy beef bacon and fresh herbs, tossed with penne pasta.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 2 large chicken breasts, diced
02 - 8 slices beef bacon, chopped
→ Pasta
03 - 12 oz penne or rigatoni pasta
→ Dairy & Cheese
04 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
05 - ½ cup heavy cream
06 - 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
07 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
→ Vegetables & Herbs
08 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
10 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
11 - 1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
→ Spices & Seasoning
12 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
13 - ½ tsp garlic powder
14 - ½ tsp onion powder
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Cook pasta according to package instructions in salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, add chopped beef bacon. Cook until crispy, about 5–6 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Pour off excess fat, leaving 1 tbsp in skillet.
03 - Season diced chicken with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
04 - In the same skillet, add butter and seasoned chicken. Sauté for 4–5 minutes until golden and cooked through. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
05 - Lower heat. Stir in cream cheese and heavy cream, whisking until smooth and melted. Add reserved pasta water as needed for silky consistency.
06 - Mix in cheddar cheese until fully melted and incorporated.
07 - Add cooked pasta to skillet, tossing to coat thoroughly. Stir in spring onions, half the crispy beef bacon, and half the fresh herbs. Divide onto plates and top with remaining beef bacon and herbs. Serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Its the kind of comfort food that makes everyone pause their conversation after the first bite
- Beef bacon adds this incredible smoky depth that regular bacon just cant match
- Each element works overtime from the seasoned chicken to that impossibly silky cheese sauce
02 -
- Never skip reserving that pasta water because the starch helps create the most impossibly silky sauce consistency
- Room temperature cream cheese will save you from a lumpy sauce disaster every single time
03 -
- Cook your beef bacon extra crispy because it will soften slightly once it hits that warm pasta
- Grate your own cheese from a block because pre shredded cheese has anti caking agents that prevent smooth melting