One Pot Chicken and Bacon Pasta
This creamy chicken and bacon pasta is pure comfort food that’s quick to make, uses everyday Aldi ingredients, and saves on washing up. Tender chicken, smoky pancetta, and pasta all tossed together in a rich cream sauce for an easy family dinner.
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Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 250 g (8 ⅚ oz) cups short pasta, such as shells, rigatoni or penne (cooked according to package instructions)
- 4 skin-on boneless chicken thighs, or 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, flattened
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 150 g (⅓ lb) smoked pancetta lardons *or use streaky bacon smoked or unsmoked depending on preference.
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 300 ml (1 ¼ cups) chicken stock (made with 1 stock cube and boiling water)
- 250 ml (1 cups) double cream
- 50 g (1 ¾ oz) parmesan cheese or grana padano, grated
- ½ bunch fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
Cook the pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Drain, reserving about ½ cup of the pasta water. Set aside.
Prepare the chicken
- If using chicken thighs: pat dry and season well with salt and pepper.
- If using chicken breasts: place them between two sheets of baking paper and gently pound the thick end with a rolling pin until even. Season generously.
Cook the chicken
- Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- For thighs: place skin-side down and cook for 5–6 minutes until golden and crisp. Flip and cook another 4–5 minutes until cooked through.
- For breasts: cook 3–4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through.
- Transfer to a plate and rest while you make the sauce.
Crisp the pancetta
- In the same pan, add the pancetta lardons and fry for 3 minutes until golden and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Cook the aromatics
- Leave the bacon fat in the pan (pour a little off if there’s too much). Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for 2–3 minutes more until fragrant. Deglaze with a splash of water if needed.
Make the cream sauce
- Pour in the chicken stock and cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in the parmesan until melted and smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen, or, gently simmer until to thicken until the desired consistency is reached.
Bring it all together
- Slice the chicken (or leave thighs whole) and add to the sauce along with the crispy pancetta and parsley. Add the drained pasta and toss everything together until well coated. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
Serve
- Spoon into bowls, garnish with extra parmesan and parsley if you like, and serve hot.
Notes
- Pasta water trick: Keep a little of the starchy cooking water when you drain the pasta — it’s liquid gold for loosening and helping the sauce cling perfectly.
- Make it ahead: You can cook the chicken and pancetta up to a day in advance. Store covered in the fridge, then reheat gently in the sauce before tossing with the pasta.
- Add a little green: Stir through a handful of baby spinach, frozen peas, or chopped broccoli in the last couple of minutes for extra freshness and colour.
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