Creamy Chicken Bacon Penne (Printable Version)

Tender chicken and smoky bacon tossed in a silky garlic-Parmesan cream sauce with penne. A rich, satisfying Italian-American classic.

# What You'll 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 and Aromatics

07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 small onion, finely diced
09 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish

→ Pantry and Seasonings

10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
11 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the penne according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 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 evenly.
07 - Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one skillet after the pasta boils, so cleanup is mercifully quick even when you're exhausted.
  • The bacon fat becomes part of the sauce, adding a smoky depth you just can't get any other way.
  • It tastes like restaurant comfort food but costs a fraction of the price and takes less than an hour start to finish.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully with a splash of milk, making it perfect for meal prep or next day lunches.
02 -
  • Reserve that pasta water before you drain, I forgot once and had to thin my sauce with milk which worked but wasn't quite the same.
  • Don't add the Parmesan while the heat is too high or it will clump and separate, a gentle simmer is all you need.
  • Slice the chicken thin and evenly so every piece cooks at the same rate, uneven chunks mean some pieces are dry while others are undercooked.
03 -
  • Use a skillet that's big enough to toss the pasta comfortably, crowding it makes the sauce clumpy and uneven.
  • If you want to prep ahead, cook the chicken and bacon in advance and store them in the fridge, then you can make the sauce and toss everything together in under ten minutes.
  • Freshly cracked black pepper at the end adds a little bite that wakes up the whole dish, don't skip it.
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