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    Chicken Bacon Zucchini Pasta

    Published: Sep 19, 2021 / 10 Comments

    662 shares
    • Facebook138
    Recipe Print

    Chicken Bacon Zucchini Pasta with Cherry (or Grape) Tomatoes is a colorful dish that will be a joy to your eyes! This easy and delicious recipe is a well-balanced weeknight meal combining protein (chicken), vegetables (zucchini and tomatoes), and carbs (fettuccine).  This pasta is then finished with basil pesto, freshly chopped basil leaves, and toasted pine nuts!  And who doesn't love bacon?!  It's a great family-friendly dinner that is easy to make and looks beautiful on a plate!

    chicken bacon zucchini pasta with cherry tomatoes, basil, and pine nuts on a white pasta plate

    Well-balanced pasta dish

    This delicious and colorful pasta was inspired by my popular recipe, chicken zucchini pasta with cherry tomatoes.  Here, I added bacon, pine nuts, and used a different kind of pasta (fettuccine).   The resulting dish is not your average pasta.  It features lots of ingredients and combines veggies with pasta and protein in a tasty way that a whole family can enjoy!  There is no heavy cream, no half-and-half.   The ingredients are combined together with simple basil pesto (I used store-bought).  If you like refreshing dinner recipes, you might also enjoy this chicken tomato spinach pasta.

    sections of food in a stainless steel pan: cooked sliced zucchini, cooked fettuccine, cooked chopped bacon, cherry tomatoes, cooked sliced chicken

    What type of pasta to use

    I used fettuccine pasta, as its wide strands are perfect for absorbing basil pesto sauce. You can also use spaghetti or bucatini. Angel hair pasta will work well, as well. You can even use spaghetti squash instead of pasta.

    How to make chicken bacon zucchini pasta

    Start by cooking sliced zucchini (use 2 medium-size zucchini) in a large skillet with olive oil and a pinch of salt until slightly browned and soft.

    cooked sliced zucchini in a stainless steel pan

    Then, remove the cooked zucchini to a bowl or a plate.

    sliced cooked zucchini on a white plate

    Add chicken tenders seasoned with salt and red pepper flakes in the same skillet, and cook with olive oil.

    raw chicken tenders on a white plate

    Cook the bacon and drain it from the fat.

    cooked bacon strips on a baking sheet

    Cook fettuccine according to the package instructions, and combine all ingredients together in the skillet: cooked fettuccine, cooked chicken tenders (sliced), cooked zucchini, sliced and cooked bacon, and cherry (or grape) tomatoes. I used 2 colors of tomatoes, yellow and red, and I sliced each tomato in half.

    stainless steel skillet with sections of fettuccine, sliced zucchini, red and yellow grape tomatoes, cooked bacon, and cooked chicken

    Finally, finish the pasta by adding basil pesto, chopped fresh basil leaves, and toasted pine nuts!

    chicken bacon zucchini pasta with cherry tomatoes and pine nuts on a white pasta plate

    Cooking Tips

    • Toast the pine nuts in the preheated oven at 350 F for only 5 minutes.  Watch the oven carefully - the nuts can burn quickly.  Toasted pine nuts acquire a beautiful color and crunch.
    • Cook bacon in advance, drain it and chop it.  I usually cook the bacon in the preheated oven at 350 F for 20 minutes, then lay it on paper towels to remove extra grease.

    What to serve with chicken pesto pasta

    • A slice of garlic bread or olive bread.
    • A side salad, such as this simple spinach salad or arugula salad with pine nuts.

    Other refreshing pasta recipes

    If you like refreshing pasta dinners that feature no cream and have plenty of veggies, try these next:

    • Italian Fusilli Pasta with Spinach, Artichokes, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Capers, and Garlic
    • Italian Ravioli with Spinach, Artichokes, Capers, Sun-Dried Tomatoes
    • Basil Pesto Chicken Tortellini and Veggies (Asparagus and Tomatoes)
    chicken bacon zucchini pasta with tomatoes and pine nuts on a white plate
    4.95 from 39 votes

    Chicken Bacon Zucchini Pasta

    Chicken Bacon Zucchini Pasta with Cherry (or Grape) Tomatoes is a well-balanced weeknight meal that combines protein (chicken), vegetables (zucchini and tomatoes), and carbs (fettuccine). This family-friendly dinner is easy to make and looks beautiful on a plate!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American, Mediterranean
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories per serving 819 kcal
    Author: Julia

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 zucchini (medium size) sliced
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 lb chicken tenders uncooked, sliced
    • ¼ tablespoon red pepper flakes
    • 8 oz fettuccine
    • ½ cup basil pesto
    • 5 oz red grape tomatoes sliced in half
    • 5 oz yellow grape tomatoes sliced in half
    • 8 strips bacon cooked and drained from fat
    • ¼ cup fresh basil leaves chopped
    • â…“ cup pine nuts lightly toasted
    • salt to taste
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions 

    • Heat a large high-sided skillet over medium-hot heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, sliced zucchini, sprinkle with salt, and cook, for about 5 minutes, flipping once, until the zucchini is soft and slightly browned. Remove zucchini from the skillet to a large bowl.
    • To the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and chicken tenders. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and red pepper flakes. Cook on medium-high heat for about 5-7 minutes, flipping chicken tenders a couple of times, until the chicken is slightly browned, cooked through, and no longer pink in the center. Remove the cooked chicken to the same bowl with zucchini and slice it into thin strips.
    • Bring a large pot of water to boil, add the fettuccine, and cook until al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain pasta.
    • Add cooked and drained pasta to the skillet where you cooked chicken. Add basil pesto and stir. Add red and yellow grape (or cherry) tomatoes (each one sliced in half). Add chopped cooked bacon. Add cooked zucchini and sliced cooked chicken. Stir everything together, and reheat gently on low-medium heat.
    • Taste and add extra basil pesto (if desired) and extra salt, if needed. Remove from heat.
    • Sprinkle chopped fresh basil leaves and toasted pine nuts over the pasta in the skillet.

    Notes

    • Toast the pine nuts in the preheated oven at 350 F for only 5 minutes.  Watch the oven carefully - the nuts can burn quickly.  Toasted pine nuts acquire a beautiful color and crunch.
    • Cook bacon in advance, drain it and chop it.  I usually cook the bacon in the preheated oven at 350 F for 20 minutes, then lay it on paper towels to remove extra grease. 

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Information
    Chicken Bacon Zucchini Pasta
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    819
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    50
    g
    77
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    11
    g
    69
    %
    Trans Fat
     
    1
    g
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    9
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    17
    g
    Cholesterol
     
    152
    mg
    51
    %
    Sodium
     
    745
    mg
    32
    %
    Potassium
     
    1150
    mg
    33
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    51
    g
    17
    %
    Fiber
     
    5
    g
    21
    %
    Sugar
     
    7
    g
    8
    %
    Protein
     
    43
    g
    86
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    1727
    IU
    35
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    29
    mg
    35
    %
    Calcium
     
    107
    mg
    11
    %
    Iron
     
    3
    mg
    17
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Tried this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment and provide a Star Rating below - I love your feedback and try to respond to every comment!
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    Comments

    1. Dawn Severson

      September 15, 2022 at 11:14 pm

      I rarely leave reviews. Usually because I make so many changes, I don't think it makes sense to review after totally revamping the recipe. This recipe, however, I made almost exactly as written. The only change I made was to omit the olive oil. I cooked the bacon first, drained off most of the fat, then cooked the zucchini and chicken in the the remaining bacon grease. It was delicious!! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Julia

        October 02, 2022 at 8:02 pm

        Dawn, your comment really made my day! I am glad you tried this recipe and loved it! And thank you for taking the time to share such kind words - it's really important for food bloggers to read comments like yours. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Maria

      February 20, 2022 at 9:58 am

      Hi Julia. I would love to make this recipe, it looks delicious.

      How do you make the basil pesto?

      Thank you!

      Reply
      • Julia

        March 22, 2022 at 2:14 am

        Maria, I used a store-bought basil pesto that has a perfect, mild flavor - I prefer to use the Buitoni brand.

        If you're looking for a homemade pesto made from scratch, here is a good recipe: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/fresh_basil_pesto/

        Reply
    3. Eileen

      October 15, 2021 at 3:11 pm

      I've made this before and it's really good. Do you think I can make this with shrimp?

      Reply
      • Julia

        October 23, 2021 at 3:24 pm

        Yes, shrimp will work great here!

        Reply
    4. S.

      September 24, 2021 at 8:12 pm

      I’ve been looking for a good recipe to use the leftover zucchini I’ve got and found this one. Zucchini and bacon always go really good together. Great combination! Thank you for the recipe.

      Reply
      • Julia

        September 25, 2021 at 12:25 pm

        Yes, this is a great recipe to use zucchini! Glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
      • Noxolo

        February 24, 2022 at 1:50 am

        I love these recipes. Thanks for sharing.

        Reply
        • Julia

          March 22, 2022 at 1:41 am

          You're very welcome! 🙂

          Reply

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