Creamy Chicken Bacon Penne (Printable)

Tender chicken and smoky bacon in a garlic-Parmesan cream sauce tossed with penne. A rich and 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 & Aromatics

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

→ 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 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 your 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 Hints:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, but you'll be sitting down to eat in 40 minutes.
  • The bacon fat adds a smoky depth that store-bought sauces can never replicate.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully with a splash of cream or milk.
  • You probably have most of these ingredients already, no specialty store run required.
02 -
  • Reserve pasta water before draining, its starch loosens the sauce without making it greasy like extra cream would.
  • Don't let the cream boil hard or it might break and turn grainy, a gentle simmer is all you need.
  • Slice the chicken thin and even, uneven pieces cook at different rates and you'll end up with some dry and some undercooked.
03 -
  • Warm your serving bowls in a low oven for a few minutes, it keeps the pasta hot longer at the table.
  • Grate extra Parmesan and keep it at the table, people always want more.
  • If your sauce breaks, whisk in a tablespoon of cold butter off the heat, it'll pull everything back together.
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