Penne, bacon, and chicken – all in one perfect, protein-packed dish!
Protein seems to be the focus of dozens of fitness-focused diets these days and the go-to for those recipes is almost always cooked chicken breast. Why? Because cooked chicken breast has one of the highest protein contents by volume out of all of the meats, meaning it helps build muscle after working out and keeps you feeling fuller for longer. However, there is something to be said for the sometimes lackluster flavor of white meat chicken. Appropriately cooked chicken breast can often turn dry and often lacks the meaty flavor of other cuts – but it doesn’t have to be!
Some recipes may combine chicken breast with different marinades to soak flavor into the meat and others will try to doll it up with herbs and breading to give it an interesting texture – but there’s two things that seem to make everything tastier: bacon and cheese! In this chicken and bacon pasta, we combine classic boneless, skinless chicken breast with delicious strips of bacon chopped up right inside and top it with delicious Parmesan cheese to give the whole bowl a spectacularly savory flavor that’s delicious and nutritious!
Why Does Bacon/Cheese Make EVERYTHING Better?
The only differences between a hamburger and a bacon cheeseburger are two simple ingredients, so why does it make such a huge difference in flavor? Dipping vegetables into melted cheese makes an indulgent treat out of a naturally healthy snack, and crumbling bacon onto a salad gives it a totally different, savory feel – so how does it work?
You might have heard the saying “fat is flavor” before. It’s an easy adage to spot in food blogs and cookbooks but, without being elaborated on, it can be a little misleading. Fat is not equivalent to flavor, but there is a lot of flavor to be found in (and around) fat. Fat absorbs flavor compounds from what it is cooked with! Heating, melting, and chewing these flavor compounds in fat releases them back into their surrounding ingredients, which is why cooking your food in olive oil, ghee, or bacon fat helps them taste delicious!
Including bacon and cheese on top of your favorite fries takes them from rather plain and potato-y to rich and indulgent, featuring both meatiness and saltiness. Bacon, because of its fat content, cooks in the flavor-absorbing fat and cheese features nuanced compounds contained within its fat content, making it perfect for melting on top of food – combining the two creates a combined flavor of the complex cheese and the savory flavor of pork! Heating both bacon and cheese introduces flavors into your food and eating your food with those flavorful fats is a great way to make anything taste phenomenal, like our chicken and bacon penne pasta!
How to Make Ahead and Store?
Store your pasta pre-portioned into resealable containers and place them in the fridge. These pasta portions will last in the fridge for up to 4 days, only needing a quick shot in the microwave to reheat. If you’re worried about your cheesy sauce breaking (where the oils and water separate irreparably) it can be helpful to add a splash of heavy cream to mix into the pasta to sustain the sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Chicken and bacon pasta bring all the protein you could want in a bowl of penne, but don’t let that stop you from having tasty appetizers and sides! I must recommend starting a meal of chicken and bacon pasta with Delicious Stuffed Artichokes (or any other of our favorite Spinach and Artichoke Inspired Apps!) or, if you want to kick-start your protein packed meal, you can do it with some Flavorful Meatball Sliders! Why not have some Breaded Asparagus Fries, or if you have any leftover bacon, go ahead and make yourself some Candied Bacon or Scrumptious Bacon Jam!
Chicken and Bacon Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces penne pasta
- 6 slices bacon chopped
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon from skillet and set aside on a paper towel to drain.
- In the same skillet, add olive oil and chicken pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until chicken is golden and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.
- Add minced garlic to the skillet and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth, and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes, or until the sauce begins to thicken.
- Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until melted and the sauce is smooth.
- Add the cooked pasta and bacon back into the skillet. Toss to coat the pasta and chicken evenly with the sauce.
- Serve hot, garnished with chopped parsley.
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