Creamy Chicken Bacon Ziti

This Creamy Chicken Bacon Ziti is big on flavor and is hands down one of the easiest pasta dishes to make in less than 20 minutes!

ALL THE RIGHT THINGS

There are some ingredients that, when they get together, you know it’s going to work. Chicken pasta with parmesan cream sauce is already a winning recipe- but when you add in the bacon, it’s game over! The whole family with be scraping their plates with this one!

Bacon lovers unite! You’ll also love Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Bake and Easy BLT Pasta Salad!

OTHER RECIPES TO SERVE WITH CREAMY CHICKEN BACON ZITI

• Easy Wedge Salad – I can eat a wedge salad with almost any meal, but it’s super convenient here since you’re already making bacon!
• Roasted Garlic & Cauliflower Soup – This healthy and flavorful soup makes a perfect starter for this rich and creamy pasta dinner.
• Ricotta Parmesan Garlic Bread – Garlic bread and pasta- it’s a no-brainer!

INGREDIENTS

Meat: You’ll need 6 ounces of chicken and 8 ounces of bacon for this meaty pasta recipe. Since the chicken has to be chopped into pieces, I always opt to use chicken breasts.

Pasta: You’ll need 1/2 pound, or 8 ounces, of ziti pasta.

Seasoning: The chicken is seasoned with paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Sauce: This simple sauce mixes heavy cream, chicken broth, and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Garnish: You can and should garnish this pasta with freshly chopped basil, extra freshly grated parmesan, and bacon pieces.

HOW TO MAKE CREAMY CHICKEN BACON ZITI

STEP ONE: Start by cooking the ziti pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to the package directions subtracting 1 minute of cook time. Drain the pasta and set it aside. Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook it until it is almost golden. If you want, at this time, you can remove a portion of the cooked bacon pieces and set them aside for garnish.

STEP TWO: Add the bite-sized chicken pieces to the skillet and cook until they begin to turn white. At this point, season the chicken with paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Once seasoned, continue to cook the chicken until all pieces have cooked through.

STEP THREE: Add the heavy cream, chicken broth, and grated parmesan cheese to create the sauce. Bring it to a simmer.

STEP FOUR: Add the cooked ziti and bacon to the skillet. Stir Creamy Chicken Bacon Ziti on the stove for 2 minutes until the sauce reduces and begins to thicken. Serve warm pasta immediately, garnished with fresh chopped basil, parmesan, and reserved bacon bits as desired.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

• Be sure to buy real, fresh parmesan and grate it yourself for the best, creamiest sauce outcome.
• If, when cooking the bacon, you have a lot of excess fat, feel free to drain some out, but don’t completely empty the skillet.
• You can swap the chicken breasts for thighs if you like. I usually grab whatever is on sale, or I have an excess in my freezer.

HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT CREAMY CHICKEN BACON ZITI

If you have any leftovers, simply store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Leftover Creamy Chicken Bacon Ziti will keep for up to 3 days. The key to successfully reviving a cream-based pasta is to add a little milk or cream and reheat it slowly. I prefer to reheat it on the stovetop, but the microwave works too. If you use the microwave, use a lower setting and be sure to stir the pasta a couple of times while reheating it.

VARIATIONS ON CREAMY CHICKEN BACON ZITI

This pasta dish is super simple and has a minimal ingredient list, which is one of the things I love most about it! Its simplicity also makes it an excellent recipe to use as a base and experiment with other add-ins! I’ve added fresh spinach and cherry tomatoes to this recipe on more than one occasion and it’s amazing! You can even abandon the chicken entirely and opt for Italian sausage. If you want a kid, sprinkle in some red pepper flakes. You’re guaranteed a delicious meal if you don’t cut out the bacon!

OTHER CHICKEN PASTA RECIPES

• Cajun Chicken Pasta in Sun-Dried Tomato Alfredo Sauce
• Crock Pot Lemon Italian Chicken with Capers
• Cheesy Instant Pot Chicken Pasta
• Chicken Parmesan Baked Ziti
• One Pan Chicken Stroganoff
• Chicken Tetrazzini

*This post was originally posted on 11/25/2017.