Chicken Bacon Pasta

This Chicken Bacon Pasta is rich and comforting and the perfect dinner to take to a friend. It has chicken that is slow cooked before it’s added to a pasta with a creamy sauce, bacon, and peas.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 4 30

Total Time 4 50

Servings servings

Calories 386kcal

Author Deborah Harroun

Ingredients

6 chicken breast halves (4-5 lbs)
1 (12 oz) bottle Lawry’s Mesquite Marinade
1 pound small cut pasta
1 pound bacon diced
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 cups half and half
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 to 1 tablespoon pepper
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup frozen peas
parmesan cheese for topping

Instructions

Put the chicken breasts and the marinade in a slow cooker. Cook until chicken is done – about 3-4 hours on low. When cooked, cut the chicken into bite-sized chunks.
6 chicken breast halves, 1 (12 oz) bottle Lawry’s Mesquite Marinade
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and return to the pot.
1 pound small cut pasta
In a skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate. Discard all but about 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease.
1 pound bacon
Add the butter to the skillet with the remaining grease. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3/4 cup butter, 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
Stir in the half and half, heavy cream, pepper and parmesan cheese. Whisk until combined. Cook a couple of minutes to slightly thicken.
2 cups half and half, 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 to 1 tablespoon pepper, 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
To the pot with the pasta, add the cooked chicken, bacon, and frozen peas. Stir in the sauce.
1/2 cup frozen peas
Transfer the pasta to 2 9x13-inch baking dishes. (I like to make one now and freeze the other for later or give the other away.) Top with additional parmesan cheese, if desired.
parmesan cheese
Bake the pasta until warmed through and the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.

Notes

SUBSTITUTIONS: My original recipe called for all heavy cream, which makes a richer, creamier pasta. But I thought it was still great with part half and half to cut back on some of the calories and fat.

Any short cut pasta will work, as well.

Want to use cooked, shredded or cubed chicken? Just skip cooking the chicken in the slow cooker, and add your cooked chicken into the recipe instead.

The marinade can be replaced with any favorite marinade. We just really love this one with this recipe!

FREEZE: This makes a lot, so I always divide into 2 and cook one now and keep one in the freezer for later. Cover tightly with foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator and cook, covered, for 10-15 minutes. Then remove the foil and cook an additional 5 minutes.

STORE: Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. You can reheat in the oven (covered with foil) or you can reheat individual portions in the microwave.

Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should be used as a general guide.

Nutrition