One pan (plus a pot for the pasta 😉), tons of flavor, and a little spice make this an easy and satisfying dinner everyone will love.
Table of contents
❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
- Budget-friendly. A complete meal in one (maybe add a salad), this super affordable but tastes like a restaurant dinner.
- Smoky with a little touch of heat. Smoked paprika and bacon each add a smoky taste, and the cayenne is just enough.
- Quick and easy! The meat and sauce are made in one skillet, and you can serve it right out of there too.
🧂 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You’ll find the full measurements and instructions in the printable recipe at the bottom of the page.
You’ll need the following for this simple + yummy dinner:
- olive oil
- salt
- sugar
- smoked paprika
- cayenne pepper
- chopped shallot
- chicken broth divided
- heavy cream
- milk
- flour
- grated Parmesan
🥣 Equipment
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- large saute pan or stock pot
🍴Instructions
Step One: cook the meats
In a very large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towels, crumble and set aside. Dispose of most of the bacon grease, but do not clean the pan.
Heat the pan over medium-high and cook the chicken breast 3 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through. Remove to a cutting board, cover with foil, and let rest while you prepare the sauce. (This is a good time to start cooking the penne.)
step two: make the sauce
Cook. the spices, onion, and garlic until softened. Yes, right in the same pan. Don’t worry, it will be lovely in the end.
Then add 1 cup of the chicken broth, the milk, and cream, and bring to a simmer. The sauce will start to thicken. Go ahead and slice the chicken while you’re waiting.
To help it thicken more, combine the flour and the remaining 1/4 cup of chicken broth and pour it into the sauce. Simmer for 3 minutes, and then add the parmesan. Stir until the cheese has completely melted.
Pour the cooked pasta into the sauce, stir, and add the bacon, cooked chicken, additional parmesan and any herbs or fresh veggies you’d like. . Serve immediately.
🥫 Storage instructions
Store any leftover pasta in the fridge for 4 days.
🔍 FAQs
Any pasta sauce with cream is best served immediately. But it can be reheated! Reheat in the microwave on low power, or on the stovetop over low. As the pasta warms, add a little milk and stir. It won’t be perfect, but it will still be good.
Alas, anything with cream does not freeze well at all.
👩🏻🍳 Expert tips
- Do not overcook your pasta. It is ok if the pasta is on the firm side as it will continue to cook a little if added to the sauce.
- For this recipe, it’s helpful to have everything pre-measured and chopped since it will move fast.
- Use a pan that is large enough to hold all the sauce plus all the cooked pasta. I like a wide, deep sauté pan, but a large saucepan will work as well.
📘 Related Recipes
🍽 Serve it with
Any green salad will work well on the side of this meal
And of course, you must serve bread! This soft Italian bread recipe would be perfect.
An easy, creamy dessert like vanilla cream pie is just the right balance.
📖 Here’s the recipe
Smoky Chicken Pasta {Firebird’s Chicken Pasta}
Ingredients
- 1 pound cooked penne pasta
- 1 pound chicken breast tenderloins or pounded thin
- 6 slices bacon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1½ tablespoons smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ cup minced onion
- 2 cups chicken broth divided
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup grated Parmesan
To serve
- Shredded parmesan
- Chopped parsley or basil optional
- Diced red onion or tomato optionl
Instructions
- Cook the bacon. In a very large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towels, crumble and set aside. Dispose of most of the bacon grease, but do not clean the pan.
- Cook the chicken. Heat the pan over medium-high and cook the chicken breast 3 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through. Remove to a cutting board, cover with foil, and let rest while you prepare the sauce. (This is a good time to start cooking the penne.)
- Cook the veggies and spices. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in the same large skillet.. Add the salt, sugar, smoked paprika, cayenne, and onion. Cook until the onion is translucent and softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook one minute more.
- Add liquids. Add 1 cup of chicken broth, scraping the pan to incorporate all the seasonings. Add the cream and milk and simmer for 3-5 minutes, until the sauce reduces slightly. (Meanwhile, slice the cooked chicken)
- Thicken sauce. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine the remaining 1/4 cup of chicken broth with the flour and add to the sauce to thicken it. Add the grated parmesan. Simmer over low heat while stirring until cheese is melted.
- Assemble and serve. Pour the cooked pasta into the sauce, stir, and add the bacon, cooked chicken, additional parmesan and any herbs or fresh veggies you’d like. . Serve immediately.
Excellent post
Thanks