Best Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta

5 from 4 votes

This Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta is comfort food at its absolute best. Crispy bacon, juicy chicken, and a silky parmesan cream sauce come together to make a dinner that feels indulgent but is completely weeknight friendly. Finished with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon, it’s rich, savoury, and impossible to stop eating.

White plate with fettucine in a creamy sauce with bacon and chicken. Fork resting into pasta.

Hi! This is one of my go to comfort pasta dishes, it's simple, cozy, and always a crowd pleaser. I’ve used chicken breast here, but thighs work beautifully too and are actually what I usually prefer.

Most of the time I use dried pasta for a sauce like this, but if you feel like making your own, you’re in the right place. My Easy Homemade Pasta Dough recipe is foolproof, and some Homemade Pappardelle would be perfect with this sauce. Don’t stress about the pasta shape, anything works here.

Main ingredients:

Pasta - Use any pasta you like. I used fettuccine because it’s what I had in the cupboard, but honestly, any pasta shape will work beautifully.

Chicken - I’ve used chicken breast here, but thighs work just as well and have a little more flavor. Cook the chicken however you prefer whether it be pan-fried, grilled or baked.

Bacon - I like streaky bacon and cut it into small pieces before frying so it turns crispy and adds flavor to the sauce.

Cream - Use what is available to you. In the U.S. use a heavy or whipping cream and you can always thin down with extra pasta water. We use single or light cream where I live.

Parmesan - Always grate your own. Pre-grated Parmesan contains additives and won’t melt smoothly. For best results, grate it very finely using a microplane or the star side of a box grater.

Lemon - Fresh lemon juice brightens the sauce and balances the richness. Keep the heat low and whisk it in quickly so it doesn’t curdle.

Parsley - Finely chopped Italian (flat-leaf) parsley adds freshness and lovely colour to the finished dish.

Fettuccine in a creamy bacon sauce in a stainless steel fry pan.

How to make creamy chicken and bacon pasta

The full ingredient list and method is in the recipe card below, this is just a visual overview to help. Cook your pasta in well salted boiling water.

Pan-frying the chicken

I use organic chicken breast so it is already quite thin. If your breast is really thick you might want to cut it in half horizontally so you get two flat pieces. You could also cut it up into bite size pieces and pan fry that way.

Chicken breast on a wooden cutting board.

Pound the chicken down with a rolling pin into an even thickness. Dry with a paper towel.

Chicken breast on a wooden cutting board dusted with flour.

Season well with salt and pepper on each side and dust with plain flour.

Golden cooked chicken breast in a stainless steel fry pan.

Fry over a medium-high heat for 2 mins each side or until cooked through.

Making the sauce

Chopped golden brown bacon pieces sizzling in a pan.

1. Fry the bacon until golden and set aside with a slotted spoon. I like to use the bacon fat to cook the chicken in after this.

Cream being poured into a pan with chopped garlic.

2. To make the sauce, gently fry the garlic then add the cream and bring to a very gentle simmer over a low heat.

Grated parmesan cheese sprinkled on top of cream.

3. Add the parmesan cheese in two - three separate lots, letting it melt between each addition. Mix in lemon juice and black pepper.

Cooked bacon pieces mixed through the creamy sauce in the pan.

4. Add the crispy bacon back in. Add ¼ cup reserved pasta water and let it thicken.

Cooked fettuccine mixed into the sauce in the pan.

5. Add your cooked pasta in and let it gently bubble away for a couple of minutes.

Sliced chicken breast sitting on top of pasta in the pan.

6. Mix through the parsley and top with the cooked chicken and serve.

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Additions

This creamy chicken and bacon pasta sauce is a great base if you’d like to add extra vegetables or change things up. After removing the bacon you could pan fry any vegetables before adding the cream. Broccoli florets, green beans or sliced zucchini would be great options. My Creamy Bacon Pasta recipe is packed with vegetables if you want to check that out, it's a great recipe!

Expert tips

Use a large skillet.
Choose a pan big enough to hold both the sauce and the pasta at the end, it makes tossing everything together so much easier.

Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.
It’s liquid gold for finishing any sauce. The starch helps everything come together and gives the sauce that glossy, restaurant style finish. (Check out my Guide to Cooking Pasta for more tips.)

Undercook your pasta slightly.
Take dried pasta off the boil about a minute earlier than the package instructions. Finishing it in the sauce lets it soak up flavour, thickens the sauce naturally, and guarantees perfectly al dente pasta.

Want the perfect amount of sauce?
Creamy sauces thicken quickly once off the heat, so you want it a touch looser in the pan, it will settle to the perfect texture by the time you serve.

Another weeknight staple

This garlic parmesan pasta with chicken is a lighter, no cream option for nights when you still want something comforting but a bit fresher. One of my absolute favourites, it's quick, easy, and perfect for busy weeknights.

Get the recipe

Common questions

Can I use chicken thighs instead of breast?

Yes, chicken thighs work really well here and stay extra juicy. Just make sure they’re cooked through before slicing or adding back to the sauce. I have a guide for cooking chicken thighs in my creamy chicken and mushroom pasta.

What type of cream should I use?

In New Zealand, we have single and double cream, I use single as it thickens nicely with the heat and cheese. In the U.S., use heavy or whipping cream. Avoid half-and-half, as it won’t thicken the same way.

How to prevent the sauce from splitting or curdling?

The cream should only ever be at the most gentle simmer so keep your heat really low. When adding the lemon juice I whisk it in really quickly so it doesn't have the chance to curdle. You could always leave out the lemon juice or just squeeze over the finished dish.

How do I store leftovers?

I don't think creamy sauces re-heat particularly well that is why I mostly do my recipes for two. It will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 - 3 days though. It's not suitable to freeze.

Other recipes to try

If you loved this creamy chicken bacon pasta sauce then here are a few others to add to your list. I have so many pasta recipes so check out my full recipe section for a good browse.

Did you make this recipe?

I would LOVE it if you could leave a review and star rating down below. Also please tag me on Instagram if you share a photo of the dish!

Recipe

White plate with fettuccine pasta in a creamy bacon and chicken sauce. Fork resting in.

Best Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta

5 from 4 votes

Prep time:15

Cook Time:25

Servings: 2 people

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This is an easy and delicious weeknight dinner. A flavor packed creamy sauce topped with perfectly golden brown chicken.

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Ingredients

200 grams dried pasta (or 300 grams fresh)
150 grams bacon chopped into small pieces
1 chicken breast Mine was 225g (use more if you like!)
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ - 1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon butter
3 garlic cloves finely chopped/minced
¾ cup heavy cream see notes
50 grams parmesan finely grated
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon black pepper finely ground
½ cup packed Italian parsley finely chopped

Instructions

Boil your pasta

Cook your pasta in well salted boiling water, undercooking by 1 minute. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.

Prepare the chicken

Flatten the chicken breast to an even thickness (about 1-1.5cm), I do this by laying some plastic wrap over the top and hitting with a rolling pin. If your breast is too thick then you can cut it in half horizontally so you have two flat pieces or just into bite size pieces is fine too.
Season the chicken well with salt and pepper on each side then dust each side with the flour.

Cook the bacon and chicken

Heat a small drizzle of olive oil in a fry pan and fry the bacon pieces until golden. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon so you can use the bacon fat to cook the chicken in.
If you don't want to use the bacon fat then use 1 tablespoon of olive oil instead. Heat in a fry pan over a medium high heat and fry the chicken for 2 mins each side (or until cooked through if yours is thicker).
Lightly wrap in foil and set aside.

Make the sauce

Heat the butter over a medium heat and gently fry the garlic for a minute, it shouldn't brown at all so lower heat if you need.
Pour in the cream and bring to a very gentle simmer (lower the heat if you need, it shouldn't be boiling).
Add the parmesan in 2 or 3 separate lots, mixing and letting it melt in between each addition.
Add the pepper and lemon juice and mix in quickly.
Add the bacon back in to the sauce.
Add ¼ cup of pasta water and let it gently simmer for a 2 - 3 minutes to thicken slightly.
Add the cooked pasta, toss and let it gently bubble away for a minute or two. Add more pasta water if you need to loosen. It should be really saucy in the pan as it will dry up when taken off the heat.
Mix the chopped parsley through.
Slice the chicken then serve the pasta with the chicken pieces on top or tossed through.
Little optional step is to finish the dish with some lemon zest and of course some extra parmesan if you wish.

Video

Notes

Full disclosure if you watch video that my pan was a mess after cooking bacon so I cleaned it before cooking chicken!

Cream - In New Zealand, we have single cream, which is what I use here. In the U.S., heavy or whipping cream works perfectly. If using a thicker cream, you may need a splash of pasta water to loosen the sauce.

Chicken - I usually use organic chicken breast, which tends to be thinner and easy to flatten to about 1–1.5 cm. If your chicken is thicker, slice it in half horizontally or cut into bite sized pieces instead.

Sauce factor -Creamy sauces thicken very quickly once off the heat, so aim for a slightly looser sauce in the pan. It will settle to the perfect consistency by the time you serve.

Storage - Creamy sauces don’t reheat particularly well. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 2–3 days. Not suitable for freezing.

Lemon juice - To prevent curdling, keep the heat very low so the cream is only at a gentle simmer. Stir the lemon juice in quickly. You can also add it right at the end or squeeze it over the finished dish instead.

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 25

Course: Meat Sauces

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken and bacon pasta, creamy chicken pasta

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Hi, I'm Emilie

I've spent years testing pasta doughs, sauces, and weeknight favorites so you don't have to. Everything on The Burnt Butter Table is designed to be simple, comforting, and unbelievably delicious.