Chicken Mozzarella Pasta It’s an easy and delicious weeknight dinner that the whole family will love! Farfalle pasta is tossed with seasoned chicken fillets, sun-dried tomatoes and bacon in a creamy sauce. Make this for dinner tonight!
I’m always looking for homemade dinner ideas that don’t require hours of prep. I was browsing Pinterest the other day looking for dinner ideas when I came across this amazing looking recipe Giulia’s album. It looked delicious, but I wanted to customize it with some ingredients I had in the pantry.
This chicken pasta recipe comes together in just one pan (plus the pot you use to cook the pasta). This meant I didn’t have many dishes to prepare after dinner, which is always a plus for a recipe!
The tangy sun-dried tomatoes, seasoned chicken, and creamy mozzarella and cheese sauce make this the perfect weeknight pasta recipe. The smoky, crispy bacon bits made it even tastier. After all, everything tastes better with bacon!
Ingredients for creamy pasta with mozzarella and chicken
Here’s what you need for this simple pasta dish:
- Chopped garlic
- Dried tomatoes (I use those in oil, as you will use some too!)
- a little olive oil, if necessary
- Chicken tenders
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Paprika
- Half and half
- Grated mozzarella
- Farfalle (be sure to save some of the pasta water!)
- Dried basil
- Crushed chilli flakes
- Bacon
Find the detailed list of ingredients and directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
How to prepare this simple chicken pasta recipe
- Chop a 4-ounce can of sun-dried tomatoes into small pieces and sauté in a large skillet with the garlic and oil from the can of sun-dried tomatoes.
- Season the chicken fillets with salt, pepper and paprika, then cook them in a pan for a minute on each side. Remove the chicken from the pan and cut each tender into small pieces.
- Return the chicken to the pan along with the sun-dried tomatoes. Pour in half-and-half and sprinkle with mozzarella. Mix everything until the cheese melts completely and forms a thick sauce. The chicken will continue to cook as it simmers in the sauce.
- Meanwhile, cook a pot of farfalle according to package directions. Reserve about a cup of the pasta water before adding the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce.
- Add a little pasta water to the sauce at a time, just to thin it out. The starch in the water helps make this sauce incredibly creamy. Be careful not to add too much water at once! Remember that you can always add more if the sauce is still too thick for your liking, but you will never be able to remove it if you have poured too much.
- Add the chili flakes and basil, then the crumbled bacon strips. Serve and enjoy your meal!
Recipe variations
- I think the sun-dried tomatoes really make this dish special, but you can omit them if you prefer. Some people like asparagus or red peppers instead.
- You can use fresh basil leaves instead of dried ones. 1 tablespoon of fresh basil is equivalent to 1 teaspoon of dried basil.
- Feel free to substitute different pasta shapes in this recipe. Penne pasta works really well!
- If you’re short on time, use some shredded rotisserie chicken in the recipe instead of the chicken nuggets. Simply add the chicken pieces to the sauce in step 3 above.
How many people will it serve?
This recipe will generously serve 4 people.
How do I store leftover pasta with mozzarella and chicken?
Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in a pan or in the microwave.
Can I freeze this pasta dish?
You can freeze it, but be aware that sometimes creamy sauces like this separate and the consistency changes slightly. Try adding a little fresh cream when reheating to help with this.
If you choose to freeze this meal, store it in an airtight container or wrap a pan tightly with aluminum foil. Freeze for a month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then add to a pan over medium heat and reheat, stirring occasionally.
Other chicken noodle meals
Chicken and pasta have recurring roles in my dinner rotation! Here are some other pasta recipes that I think you’ll like:
Which one seems best to you?
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Chicken Mozzarella Pasta
Pasta with Mozzarella and Chicken is an easy and delicious dinner the whole family will love: bow tie pasta topped with seasoned chicken fillets, sun-dried tomatoes and bacon in a creamy sauce.
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Instructions
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Drain the dried tomatoes from the oil and set aside 2 tablespoons of oil for sautéing.
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Chop the dried tomatoes into smaller pieces.
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In a large pan over a high heat, brown the chopped garlic and dried tomatoes in the 2 tablespoons of oil set aside for about a minute.
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Using a slotted spoon, remove the dried tomatoes from the pan.
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Season both sides of the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and distribute the spoonful of paprika evenly between them.
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At this point you may need to add a small amount of olive oil to the pan. Add the chicken to the pan and, over high heat, cook on each side for a minute. . Remove from the heat and cut the chicken into small pieces.
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Cook farfalle according to manufacturer’s directions. Remove 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta.
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Return the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and chicken to the pan. Gently pour in 1 cup of half-and-half and top with mozzarella. Bring to a slow, steady boil. Immediately reduce the heat to a simmer and stir continuously until the cheese melts into the sauce.
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Add the cooked pasta to the pan and stir until well combined.
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Add the basil and red pepper flakes (more if you like a little extra kick!).
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Slowly pour in about 1/2 cup of the pasta water to thin out the cheese sauce, making it creamier. Be careful not to add all the water all at once, use your judgment on how thick or thin you want your sauce. You don’t want it to be too watery.
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Add the crumbled bacon and stir to combine.
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Season with salt to taste.
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Allow the contents of the pan to simmer for about 5 minutes.
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Garnish with additional basil and red pepper flakes, if desired.
Nutrition
Serve: 1serve | Calories: 629kcal | Carbohydrates: 54G | Protein: 46G | Fat: 25G | Saturated fat: 11G | Polyunsaturated fats: 3G | Monounsaturated fats: 9G | Trans fats: 0.03G | Cholesterol: 128mg | Sodium: 628mg | Potassium: 1207mg | Fiber: 4G | Sugar: 5G | Vitamin A: 1732UI | Vitamin C: 32mg | Soccer: 249mg | Iron: 3mg
This post was originally published on September 26, 2015. It was updated in format and with images on January 7, 2025.
