Easy Chicken Broccoli Pasta with Bacon - made with creamy alfredo sauce! This simple recipe is packed with protein and veggies!
There are so many ways to combine chicken and pasta. One of my most favorite recipes ever is sun-dried tomato chicken pasta. I am also partial to chicken and bacon pasta with tomatoes and spinach. Chicken, veggies, pasta and cream sauce are always an excellent combination.
This pasta dish has all of my favorite ingredients: creamy broccoli, bacon, and chicken breast. Everything is combined together in a delicious creamy Parmesan sauce.
Chicken Broccoli Pasta with Bacon
- Moist and juicy chicken. This Chicken Broccoli Pasta with Bacon is one of the best ways to cook chicken breast! The chicken breast is flavorful and juicy as it is smothered in a silky creamy sauce that keeps it moist and tender. You will never want to eat a boring chicken breast after cooking it this way. Your family will love it!
- Perfect for leftover cooked chicken. This is also a great recipe for using any leftover cooked chicken that you might have in your fridge. Just combine it with broccoli, pasta and the creamy sauce, and your dinner is ready!
- Creamy alfredo sauce. Chicken broccoli pasta is tossed in a creamy sauce made with heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. The sauce is super easy to make and requires just a few simple ingredients.
- Protein and veggies. I personally prefer to add more stuff to just plain creamy pasta. That's why this recipe is loaded with seared chicken breast, broccoli, and cooked bacon. This is a great recipe for those who want protein (chicken) and veggies in their dinner.
FAQ
- What pasta can I use in this recipe? Use any type of long pasta. You can use fettuccine, spaghetti, or linguine.
- What is fettuccini? Fettuccine is a type of pasta that is long, flat, and wide. It's very popular in Italy, and in the US, too.
- What is a good substitute for broccoli in pasta? If you don't have broccoli, you can use asparagus or spinach.
Ingredients you will need:
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- garlic
- heavy cream
- milk
- Parmesan cheese shredded
- fettuccine pasta (for a gluten-free version, use gluten-free brown rice fettuccine)
- boneless and skinless chicken breasts
- broccoli
- bacon
How to make Chicken Broccoli Pasta with Bacon
- First, cook the chicken breasts seasoned with salt and pepper in a large skillet on medium heat. You can also use leftover cooked chicken. Slice the chicken into thin slices.
- Next, in the same skillet make the cream sauce. Add minced garlic with heavy cream and milk. Bring to boil and reduce to simmer. Stir in the cheese. Keep stirring until it completely melts into a creamy sauce.
- Then, cook the pasta according to instructions. Drain.
- Finally, combine everything together: cooked pasta, cooked bacon, broccoli, and cream sauce. Mix.
- Season with salt and pepper. Top with sliced cooked chicken.
Side dishes
- Baguette
- Italian garlic bread
- Tomato Cucumber Avocado Salad
- Cranberry Spinach Salad with Cashews and Goat Cheese
- Spinach Salad with Strawberries and Toasted Almonds
- Beet Salad with Spinach
More Chicken Broccoli Pasta Recipes
- Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Pasta
- Chicken Broccoli Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce
- Chicken Broccoli Spaghetti with Golden Mushroom Sauce
Chicken Broccoli Pasta with Bacon
Chicken Broccoli Pasta with Bacon is an easy dinner that a whole family will love! Great recipe for those who want protein (chicken) and veggies in their creamy pasta.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb chicken breast boneless and skinless
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ⅔ cups heavy cream
- ⅔ cups milk
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- 8 oz fettuccine pasta (for gluten free version, use gluten free brown rice fettuccine)
- 2 cups broccoli florets , blanched
- 7 strips bacon
Instructions
- Heat olive oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet. Season chicken breast with salt and pepper. Add chicken to the skillet.
- Cook chicken breast on high heat for 2 to 4 minutes on each side, until browned. Remove the skillet from heat and keep the chicken covered. The chicken will continue cooking in its own steam until no longer pink. Remove chicken from the skillet. You can also use pre-cooked chicken. Cut chicken into thin slices.
- Add minced garlic to the same (now empty) skillet, with oils and bits left from cooking the chicken.
- Add heavy cream, milk, bring to boil. Reduce to simmer. Add cheese and stir till it completely melts into a creamy sauce.
- Cook pasta according to instructions. Drain.
- Add cooked pasta, cooked bacon, cooked broccoli to the creamy sauce and mix everything in.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with sliced cooked chicken.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information
Chicken Broccoli Pasta with Bacon
Amount per Serving
Calories
809
% Daily Value*
Fat
45
g
69
%
Saturated Fat
20
g
125
%
Cholesterol
173
mg
58
%
Sodium
983
mg
43
%
Potassium
881
mg
25
%
Carbohydrates
50
g
17
%
Fiber
2
g
8
%
Sugar
4
g
4
%
Protein
48
g
96
%
Vitamin A
1175
IU
24
%
Vitamin C
42.9
mg
52
%
Calcium
411
mg
41
%
Iron
1.9
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition Disclaimer:
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.
Awesome recipe! I do advise doubling the sauce recipe tho. The first time I made it, I started thinking it’s not gonna be enough sauce because the pasta and chicken will absorbs some of the sauce. So, I instinctually doubled the sauce recipe. And it was perfect! I know if I hadn’t of, it would’ve been too dry.
Karen, thank you for the helpful feedback! Doubling the sauce will definitely make it even more delicious. I am so happy you loved this recipe! 🙂
This is very good. I will double the cream sauce next time. The whole family loved it and wanted seconds!
Robyn, I am so happy everyone loved it! Thank you for taking the time to leave such a positive comment! 🙂
I am so sad my sauce curdled I don't know what I could have done wrong.
Yvette, here are some troubleshooting tips:
1) Try using 1 cup of heavy cream next time (and no milk!). Sometimes, when there is not enough fat in the sauce, it will curdle.
2) Bring the sauce to a stable simmer (but not boil) - mix the sauce ingredients on a low simmer, slowly, and patiently. Do not boil the sauce - just simmer.
I had the same issue.
Can I use shrimp instead of chicken breast?
Absolutely - it will be delicious!
Has anyone tried to do this dairy free with almond milk or coconut cream? My husband is lactose intolerant, but I’d love to try this!
Chloe, this recipe would work great with unsweetened coconut milk without making any changes - just use it 1:1 to replace cream.
Another option is to make a roux in a separate saucepan with a small amount of olive oil and flour (about 3 tablespoons each), and then gradually add unsweetened oat milk or almond milk (using 1/4 cup at a time), constantly stirring. The milk mixture should not violently boil - just low boil or simmer. It should thicken after stirring.
I have made this 4 times now, and I have made it slightly different each time. I used the heavy cream the first 2 times and it was good. I switched to all half and half the 3rd time, and that turned out ok as well. This last time I added milk and half and half. I let it simmer together for a few minutes before adding fresh grated Parmesan gradually whisking until incorporated. I admit I added more Parmesan than you listed, but doing it gradually until it looked creamy. I also did half broccoli and half fresh green beans. I love this recipe. The sauce is easy to make- I don’t buy Alfredo sauce anymore since making your own is so easy and tastes better! A nice meal that isn’t difficult to make, without using all kinds of processed ingredients! Thank you!
Vicki, you are very welcome! I love your feedback! Thank you for taking the time to share the changes you've made to this recipe each time you made this. Sharing this information is very helpful to other readers and to me, as well! I appreciate the time you put into writing this thoughtful comment and the 5-star review! 🙂
This was is a great recipe! I did cook the sliced chicken in the bacon drippings; I also added thinly sliced onion, bell peppers, mushrooms and fresh asparagus. The basic sauce has great flavor, you could add any veggies you have on hand.
Eliza, thank you for the feedback! Love your additions - you added quite a few vegetables!
Looks delicious! Can I use lactaid milk??
Delicious...I made a few changes! Step 1 cook bacon. Then cook the chicken in the bacon grease. Also added minced onion after I took out the chicken, and sliced mushrooms. Family loved it!
Elizabeth, great feedback! Love the addition of minced onion and sliced mushrooms - sounds delicious!
Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong? This recipe taste very good, but my sauce never comes out right. I've made it twice. I follow the instructions but I end up with a separated liquid and cheese that isn't melted, but clotted together
JG, I haven’t made this recipe but others like it. Are you using “shredded” Parmesan (in the refrigerated section) or “grated” Parmesan that’s in the container that you shake on food? Sounds like shredded, I’ve had that happen to be before....just switch to grated and constantly which the sauce while pouring the cheese in.
I had the exact same problem. I thought it curdled so I did the whole sauce part again and watched it carefully that time and it still turned out lumpy and separated. Very disappointed.
I know for sure too high of heat can do that. I found this. Maybe it'd be helpful.
https://food52.com/blog/14876-kitchen-rescue-how-to-fix-a-broken-or-curdled-sauce
Use block Parmesan cheese and grate it yourself. Let it come to room temperature before adding it or sauce a bit à a time. Also, if your sauce is very hot when you add the Parmesan, the dairy willsplit and your sauce will be grainy. Let sauce cool a bit before adding the cheese.
Claire, that's very helpful, thank you!
Here are my suggestions:
Bring heavy cream to a brief boil. Then reduce to a visible, low-level simmer, and add shredded Parmesan cheese (see my note below!), constantly stirring, until the cheese melts nicely. So, while you don't want your sauce to boil for a long time, do bring it to a brief boil - because the pan and the sauce should be hot enough, to begin with, to melt the cheese.
Use heavy cream only. Also, next time try using only heave cream, without adding milk.
Use an unopened block of Parmesan cheese and shred it yourself. If you used Parmesan cheese for some other recipe and then refrigerated the leftover block of cheese in the fridge, it is likely to get dry. Open a brand new block of Parmesan cheese that has been sealed at the factory and shred it yourself before adding it to the sauce. Make sure the cheese you're about to use has never been frozen. Freezing changes the texture of the cheese. Also, bring the shredded cheese to room temperature. Even microwave it in the oven quickly (without melting) to bring it to room temperature.
It sounds like you're cooking it too hot, too fast. It will separate and even begin to curdle when it is cooked this way, as milk is known to do! Lower your temperature to medium, just at a simmer, and whisk constantly.
Heather, those are great tips - thank you!
Can you freeze this sauce?
I wouldn't freeze the sauce. Creamy sauces with cheese change their texture when frozen.
This was fantastic! I added mushrooms and the next time I the next time I will make a little more sauce. Delicious!
Lisa, I am so glad you liked the recipe! Love the addition of mushrooms!
Looks delicious! How many servings is this recipe?
Susan, the recipe makes 4 servings.
This has been a staple in our house, but we double the sauce recipe. The pasta soaks it all up, and it can be a bit dry without more sauce. Thank you for giving us this recipe!
Tabatha, I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for stopping by and sharing such a positive comment!
I made this keto friendly by substituting mushrooms for the pasta. Very good. Does it freeze well?
Laura, I love your creativity! I would not freeze this because creamy sauce with cheese does not freeze well as it changes its texture.
This was excellent. Going into our menu rotation!
Lisa, I am so happy to hear that! Thank you for your comment! 🙂
So good! We used the bacon grease (just a bit) instead of olive oil and the end result was so yummy!!
Trina, I am so pleased you liked this recipe! Thank you for taking the time to share such a wonderful comment!