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    Home » Chicken & Poultry

    Chicken Penne Pasta

    Published: Mar 23, 2020 / Updated: Oct 25, 2022 / 92 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my affiliate disclosure for more details.

    Jump to Recipe

    This chicken penne pasta recipe is easy to make and loaded with bacon, tender chicken breasts, and an amazing fresh tomato garlic parmesan cream sauce. It's ready in about 30 minutes!

    creamy chicken penne with fresh tomatoes and bacon in a white bowl

    I'm extra excited about this recipe! It uses a handful of everyday ingredients and tastes like it came from a restaurant. I love how cooking the chicken in the leftover bacon fat makes it super flavorful. Chicken breasts can often end up tasteless and overcooked, but the chicken really melts in your mouth in this recipe. I coat the chicken in flour to help it get that nice golden sear, and the flour also helps thicken the sauce up quickly (the chicken will stay nice and moist because the sauce won't be reducing for too long). 

    I love adding fresh tomatoes to cream sauces. It's a great way to brighten the sauce up a bit since this one has cream and bacon. And that sauce coats the penne perfectly... 

    close-up of creamy chicken penne pasta
    Oh yeah!!

    This creamy garlic penne with chicken is great because it's fast to whip up on a work/school night but fancy enough for company. 

    Recipe notes & tips:

    • I don't recommend substituting the heavy cream for something else (the acid from the tomato is likely to curdle something like milk or half-and-half).
    • If necessary, you can replace the fresh tomato with the equivalent ounces of canned tomatoes (try petite diced ones). 
    • In any recipe, I always prefer to grate my own parmesan. Here's the awesome cheese grater I use.
    • You don't have to use penne for this recipe, but I do like the way the sauce clings so those little tubes. 

    chicken penne pasta in a skillet

    More tasty chicken recipes to try:

    • Creamy Chicken Spinach Pasta
    • Easy Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
    • Chicken Feta Spinach Pasta
    • Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta Recipe

    creamy chicken penne pasta in two bowls

    Let me know if you've made this creamy chicken penne recipe! Tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram so I can see your creations.

    Questions? Ask me in the comments below!

    creamy chicken penne with fresh tomatoes and bacon in a white bowl

    Chicken Penne Pasta

    This chicken penne pasta recipe is easy to make and loaded with bacon, tender chicken breasts, and an amazing fresh tomato garlic parmesan cream sauce.
    4.58 from 21 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Italian American
    Servings 4
    Calories 703 kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
     

    • 8 ounces uncooked penne pasta
    • 4 strips bacon cut into small pieces
    • 2 large chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces
    • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
    • Salt & pepper to taste
    • Flour for dredging
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 1/4 cup chicken broth
    • 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
    • 5 ounces tomatoes chopped small
    • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

    Instructions
     

    • Boil a salted pot of water for the pasta. Cook it al dente according to package directions. Meanwhile, cut up the bacon (I use kitchen shears to make this job easy) and fry it in a skillet over medium-high heat until crispy. Once it's done, remove it to a paper towel-lined plate. Leave the bacon grease in the pan.
    • Meanwhile, prep your chicken. Cut it up and sprinkle it with the garlic powder and salt & pepper. Coat each piece in flour.
    • Cook the chicken over medium-high heat for about 3-4 minutes/side or until golden. You may need to work in two batches so as not to overcrowd the pan. Turn the heat down a little if needed (like if it's splattering a lot). Take the chicken out of the pan and set it aside.
    • Stir in the garlic and chicken broth. Scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it cook for about a minute or so.
    • Add the cream and tomatoes to the pan. Cook for 2 minutes or until the tomatoes start to lose their shape.
    • Add the chicken and bacon back into the pan and let it warm through for a few minutes (let the sauce thicken a bit). Be careful not to overcook the chicken. Stir in the parmesan and toss with the drained pasta. Season with extra salt & pepper if needed.

    Notes

    • I used half of a 10 ounce container of little tomatoes (NatureSweet Cherubs) and cut them into quarters. You can use any tomato that looks good and just cut it up small (5 ounces is about the size of a medium tomato).
    • I don't recommend subbing the cream for anything else because the acid from the tomato is likely to curdle something like milk or half-and-half.
    • Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
       

    Nutrition

    Calories: 703kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 40gFat: 38gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 165mgSodium: 572mgPotassium: 767mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1320IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 176mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword chicken penne pasta
    Author Natasha Bull
    « Ranch Chicken and Rice Casserole
    The Best Ground Turkey Recipes »

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    1. Janine says

      March 16, 2023 at 1:03 PM

      5 stars
      Easy and awesome!! Loved the flavors. Definitely a keeper!!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 16, 2023 at 3:30 PM

        I'm thrilled to hear that, Janine!!

        Reply
    2. Madeline says

      December 22, 2022 at 9:33 AM

      Has anyone made this ahead of time and then warmed in the oven? I need something I can prep ahead of time.

      Reply
    3. Nicole Rowe says

      November 7, 2022 at 1:32 PM

      4 stars
      Very good recipe. I tweaked it to my little extras. I used sun dried tomatoes instead and added some crushed red peppers. Love the crunch from the bacon.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        November 7, 2022 at 2:04 PM

        Glad you enjoyed it!! 🙂

        Reply
    4. Theresa Braley says

      November 5, 2022 at 4:16 PM

      I made this tonight and for some reason it tasted a little bland. I added about a tsp of Italian seasoning and about 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper. I also added a 15 oz can of crushed tomatoes instead of only 5 to make it a little saucier. My husband loved it!

      Reply
      • Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says

        November 5, 2022 at 9:40 PM

        Hi Theresa! So happy your husband liked it! Maybe next time add a touch more salt to yours. 🙂

        Reply
    5. Debra Rogan says

      October 5, 2022 at 9:31 PM

      Ok, so...I'm not a great follower of recipes plus I'm a celiac--so I have to maneuver. I liked the idea and so... followed most (may have added too much bacon, pasta & chicken...) of the instructions. Didn't like the idea of frying chicken cubes after dredging in flour (which would have to be GF flour), (so I made a roux first--adding later) and sauteed the chicken w/o the flour. I added too much roux & ended up adding SOOO much more heavy cream/milk to get it to DEthicken (is that a word?) AND it really did work out in the end... My point is, I like this recipe b/c they are not having you cheat on the tomato cream sauce. Other recipes suggest to add spaghetti sauce (NO!). This base recipe is great...modify as you need to. Thank you!! Enjoy!!

      Reply
    6. Sandy says

      June 30, 2022 at 3:18 PM

      5 stars
      I was searching for a Chicken and Pasta recipe where I had all the ingredients. I came across this one and immediately looked to see if I had everything. The only thing I did not have was tomatoes so I substituted with a can of stewed tomatoes. I just drained the juice and cut them up some. This recipe was delicious and my husband loved it! It's a keeper and I will make this again.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        June 30, 2022 at 5:41 PM

        I'm so glad you found the recipe and enjoyed it, Sandy!! Thanks for taking the time to write me a review.

        Reply
    7. Michele Hillrichs says

      May 21, 2022 at 10:08 PM

      This looks amazing I’m going to try this tomorrow

      Reply
      • Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says

        May 22, 2022 at 11:14 AM

        Thank you! Let us know how it goes!!

        Reply
    8. Jayda says

      April 12, 2022 at 7:00 PM

      i see that the serving size is for 4, if i needed to make it for more people, could i just double the the amounts of everything and it could be for 8 ?

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        April 12, 2022 at 9:10 PM

        Yes, that's what I would do. 🙂 Hope you enjoy the recipe!

        Reply
      • Carolina says

        February 10, 2023 at 6:50 PM

        5 stars
        This was so delicious! Even my 4 year old cleaned his plate. Glad it wasn’t too heavy. Made it with protein penne to make it a little healthier. Thanks for sharing it 🙂

        Reply
        • Natasha says

          February 11, 2023 at 10:47 AM

          You're very welcome!! 😀

          Reply
    9. Desiree says

      February 3, 2022 at 1:12 PM

      what can you substitute for the parmesan cheese?

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        February 3, 2022 at 1:16 PM

        So, there isn't really anything that tastes the same as parmesan. Grana Padano would work but I'm assuming you just don't have any parmesan in your fridge so you probably don't have that either. I'd probably just leave it out if you have to, but it won't taste quite the same. You could of course try experimenting and subbing different cheeses if you want.

        Reply
    10. Kayla says

      January 19, 2022 at 2:38 AM

      5 stars
      Our new favourite pasta😍 made it last week and I'm making it again today!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        January 19, 2022 at 9:55 AM

        Fantastic!! 😀 Thanks for letting me know!

        Reply
    11. Christine says

      December 14, 2021 at 5:54 PM

      Could you do this in the crockpot?

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        December 14, 2021 at 9:28 PM

        Hi! I'm not really sure how... like searing the chicken adds lots of flavor, and it's a really quick cream sauce with fresh tomatoes... I feel the slow cooking would just destroy it.

        Reply
        • Christine says

          December 15, 2021 at 11:51 AM

          Thanks for answering!!

          Reply
          • Natasha says

            December 15, 2021 at 11:55 AM

            You are welcome!

            Reply
    12. Rebekah Scroggy says

      July 23, 2021 at 4:36 PM

      5 stars
      This is SO good! Thank you so much for this recipe! We added some mushrooms and basil because we had it but I loved the tip of hand grated Parmesan. I think it added such a nice touch!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        July 24, 2021 at 10:21 AM

        You're very welcome!! 🙂

        Reply
      • Debra says

        October 1, 2022 at 8:20 PM

        ALWAYS hand grated parm in cooking!!!

        Reply
    13. Liz says

      May 3, 2021 at 8:19 PM

      Very good. After reading comments and considering my own dietary concerns. After cooking the bacon. I dumped the bacon grease to cook the chicken in a bit of garlic flavored olive oil. I also browned sliced baby Bella mushrooms. I added some chopped sun dried tomatoes with the sliced cherry tomatoes and chopped parsley and basil. I’ll definitely make this again.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        May 4, 2021 at 8:42 AM

        I'm glad you were able to adapt it, Liz! 🙂

        Reply
    14. Lucy says

      April 29, 2021 at 9:20 PM

      5 stars
      My whole family loved loved loved this recipe. Super easy to make. I added a bit more cheese (because we love cheese!) I highly recommend trying this recipe.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        April 29, 2021 at 9:45 PM

        That's great to hear. Thanks so much, Lucy! 😀

        Reply
    15. Debbie Crumby says

      April 24, 2021 at 6:13 PM

      Can I fry chicken in bacon grease ? It makes the sauce dark , but taste fine

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        April 24, 2021 at 6:34 PM

        I'm not really sure what you're asking. The recipe says to fry the chicken in the bacon grease (you fry the bacon, take it out of the pan, leave the grease in the pan, and then cook the chicken in it).

        Reply
    16. Leanne says

      April 12, 2021 at 8:24 PM

      2 stars
      This chicken bacon pasta had no flavor. I would have used spaghetti sauce if I had it. More than enough for a family of 4 adults.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        April 13, 2021 at 7:43 AM

        Did you add enough salt? Cream sauces will always end up bland if you don't. This recipe has quite a few great reviews, and I didn't find it bland either.

        Reply
    17. Holly says

      March 7, 2021 at 4:30 PM

      5 stars
      This is my favorite dish of all time. Ive made it over a dozen times now and my husband loves it too. I could eat it every day. (Also in case anyone is wondering, have been successful in substituting the cream for half and half every time with no curdling)

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 7, 2021 at 4:46 PM

        That makes me so happy!! 🙂

        Reply
    18. Amy Benson says

      February 24, 2021 at 7:04 PM

      This was delicious!! My new favourite pasta dish! Thank you thank you thank you 🙂

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        February 24, 2021 at 9:30 PM

        Wonderful! You're welcome!

        Reply
    19. Kerry says

      February 10, 2021 at 8:13 AM

      Would this work with fat free sour cream instead of heavy cream? Too much fat for our family.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        February 10, 2021 at 8:53 AM

        Hi! Honestly, I don't recommend it. It'll turn it into a different recipe, and there's a good chance the sour cream will curdle. If you're confident at altering sauces and have done similar before, then you could give it a try, but I'm not sure how well it'll work.

        Reply
    20. Carla says

      December 24, 2020 at 6:11 PM

      Made this tonight. OMGoodness! It’s so good!!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        December 24, 2020 at 10:58 PM

        Yay!! 🙂

        Reply
    21. Julie Gerbrandt says

      December 24, 2020 at 1:29 PM

      5 stars
      Very good!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        December 24, 2020 at 10:58 PM

        Thank you!

        Reply
    22. Kathy says

      December 7, 2020 at 5:11 PM

      5 stars
      Wow!!! Fantastic recipe. Quick and easy to prepare and soooo delicious. Every single member of my family of 5 LOVED it. Next time I will have to double it. Thank you for keeper.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        December 7, 2020 at 5:23 PM

        That's great to hear!! 🙂 You're welcome!

        Reply
    23. Tammy says

      November 24, 2020 at 6:08 PM

      This was delicious

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        November 25, 2020 at 1:30 PM

        So happy to hear that!

        Reply
    24. Untitled says

      November 19, 2020 at 4:27 PM

      I substituted the chicken with super-lean ground beef and the chicken broth with beef broth, it came out delicious. HOWEVER, this would have tasted way better had I stuck to the actual recipe with the chicken.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        November 20, 2020 at 1:18 PM

        Great! I'm glad you were able to make it work with what you had on hand, at least.

        Reply
    25. Nile says

      October 13, 2020 at 7:13 PM

      5 stars
      This recipe was amazing! I felt like I was eating at some fancy Italian restaurant! I’m a pretty good cook and there was a little more prep and multi tasking than I’m used to. I had my husband help me a bit. But the end product was so hearty and decadent. Seriously so good!!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        October 13, 2020 at 8:08 PM

        Aww I'm so happy you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    26. Kim says

      August 3, 2020 at 11:56 AM

      Thank you so much for this delicious recipe! My whole family loved it.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        August 3, 2020 at 2:37 PM

        You're welcome! Glad you all enjoyed it! 🙂

        Reply
    27. Amy says

      July 22, 2020 at 7:42 PM

      5 stars
      This was delicious! Love all of your recipes. They are simple to follow but have such amazing flavour!!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        July 23, 2020 at 8:39 AM

        So glad to hear that, Amy!! Thanks for taking the time to comment! XO

        Reply
    28. Chris N says

      June 25, 2020 at 8:05 PM

      4 stars
      Hi! Thank you for posting this recipe. I had most of the stuff on hand and decided to whip it up. I used tomato sauce in place of tomatoes because that’s all I had, and did use whole milk. There wasn’t any curdling. I’ll definitely try it again with real tomatoes and heavy cream but my family loved it regardless! I think I’ll add in some tasty greens like spinach and some oregano too.
      Even my kiddo who doesn’t like red sauce ate it so you know it must be good!
      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        June 26, 2020 at 8:39 AM

        You're welcome!! I'm glad it worked out with the substitutions! 🙂

        Reply
    29. Heather says

      June 17, 2020 at 11:41 PM

      4 stars
      I made it tonight! I made a few minor adjustments. (ie.don't eat pork, so i used turkey bacon) But, the end result was very tasty!

      Reply
      • Heather says

        June 17, 2020 at 11:42 PM

        4 stars
        Oh! I was thinking it might be good with some spinach tossed into it with the parm cheese.

        Reply
        • Natasha says

          June 18, 2020 at 8:36 AM

          Yes!

          Reply
      • Natasha says

        June 18, 2020 at 8:36 AM

        Wonderful! 🙂

        Reply
    30. David in Benicia says

      May 29, 2020 at 8:26 PM

      3 stars
      We made this tonight. I felt it needed a bit more seasoning, maybe some fresh thyme and oregano with the garlic.
      I like the idea about about the fire roasted tomatoes

      Reply
    31. Donna Disney says

      May 27, 2020 at 4:23 PM

      Looks easy and very tasty

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        May 28, 2020 at 1:29 PM

        Thank you!

        Reply
      • Nora says

        June 2, 2020 at 8:19 AM

        Is there a video, just curious

        Reply
        • Natasha says

          June 2, 2020 at 8:44 AM

          Hi Nora! Not for this recipe - sorry!

          Reply
    32. Kia says

      April 26, 2020 at 6:00 PM

      This was my first recipe I tried from your website. We just finished eating this for dinner. It was delicious and the first recipe that actually took the short time to cook that was stated on the recipe. I have a very picky family and they all cleared their bowls happily. I only had 3/4 cup of heavy cream left in my fridge so I added 2% milk to it. The sauce wasn’t as thick as if it was all heavy cream, but it wasn’t any less delicious or creamy. I used a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes in place of fresh and the charred tomatoes were the perfect addition. I will definitely be making it again. Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        April 26, 2020 at 8:48 PM

        Wonderful! I am so happy that it worked out, Kia!

        Reply
    33. Julie robbins says

      April 16, 2020 at 11:11 AM

      I made it. Loved it. Can't wait to make again!!!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        April 16, 2020 at 11:59 AM

        Awesome!! Thanks for letting me know, Julie! 🙂

        Reply
      • Debbie Warnock says

        June 4, 2020 at 4:31 AM

        What do you class as chicken broth? Is it a tin of chicken soup or something separate to make up before. Thanks debbie

        Reply
        • Natasha says

          June 4, 2020 at 8:05 AM

          Hi! It’s just a can or carton (I buy them in the big 32 oz size) labeled as “chicken broth”. It’s similar to chicken stock. You can use chicken stock instead if you prefer (or make a homemade version). They’re typically sold in the same aisle as the canned soups. Hope this helps!

          Reply
    34. Simon Knox says

      April 9, 2020 at 12:30 PM

      Another great recipe Natasha the whole family left nothing at all. Thanks 🙏😋

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        April 9, 2020 at 2:54 PM

        Aww so happy to hear that, Simon! 🙂

        Reply
    35. Susan Grupe says

      April 8, 2020 at 3:25 PM

      Breast halves, I assume? I don't want to blow it...
      Looks so good and I finally have all the "stuff."

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        April 8, 2020 at 3:30 PM

        Hi Susan! Yes, technically they are chicken breast halves because the whole breast is split into 2 pieces. Generally what you see in the store is packaged as "chicken breasts", and so most recipes just refer to the halves as "chicken breasts" even though it's not technically correct. I hope that makes sense haha. Hope you enjoy the recipe! 🙂

        Reply
        • Susan says

          April 11, 2020 at 12:49 PM

          Often recipes will say one or the other. I wanted to check first. I spent several years cooking for a tv show, so I like to be sure. (The GM's wife let it be known if I wasn't properly specific.) Thank you for all your tasty sounding/looking recipes.

          Reply
          • Natasha says

            April 11, 2020 at 2:40 PM

            Yup makes sense ☺️

            Reply
    36. K'Lann says

      March 27, 2020 at 9:04 PM

      5 stars
      This was AMAZING! It is definitely a new favorite, and I will be making this again soon. It was so easy and delicious. I am pregnant and can't eat beef or marinara sauce (makes me sick). So I am very thankful to have found all of your different chicken and white sauce recipes! Thanks!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 28, 2020 at 12:31 PM

        Yay! So glad you liked it. Thanks for commenting! So glad you found me. XO

        Reply
    37. Penny says

      March 27, 2020 at 6:14 PM

      5 stars
      Made this tonight because I had all the ingredients on hand, it was PHENOMENAL (how could it not be with bacon and heavy whipping cream) my husband had 3 helpings!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 28, 2020 at 12:32 PM

        I'm so glad it was a hit!! 3 helpings... that's awesome! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂

        Reply
    38. coco says

      March 26, 2020 at 8:51 PM

      5 stars
      just made this with canned diced tomatoes because the grocery store was all out of the fresh stuff. just had to cook a little bit longer in the cream sauce but it turned out perfect!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 27, 2020 at 12:17 PM

        I'm so glad you were able to make it work, Coco! XO

        Reply
    39. Anastasia says

      March 25, 2020 at 3:02 PM

      5 stars
      I made this recipe yesterday for dinner. The leftovers are yummy and the fresh cooked meal is so good!

      I didn't have heavy cream so made my own cream sauce from a roux (equal parts butter and flour) then added 2% gradually until I had enough sauce. Added cherry tomatoes and no curdling!

      Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 25, 2020 at 5:27 PM

        I'm so glad it worked out with the roux!! Thanks for taking the time to leave me a comment! 🙂

        Reply
        • Bart Schiavo says

          April 8, 2020 at 5:34 PM

          Do you think this would come out ok without the bacon?

          Reply
          • Natasha says

            April 8, 2020 at 6:59 PM

            You'd have to replace the bacon fat with something like oil or butter. It really does add a lot of flavor but I think it could still be tasty. Let me know!

            Reply
            • Bart Schiavo says

              April 11, 2020 at 5:59 PM

              I made it tonight (without bacon) and used 2 tbsp of butter in lieu of the fat, it was absolutely delicious!!! Thanks 🙂

            • Natasha says

              April 11, 2020 at 6:42 PM

              So happy it worked out for you! 🙂

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