Go Back

Chicken Mozzarella Pasta

An easy and delicious weeknight dinner featuring farfalle pasta, seasoned chicken tenders, sun-dried tomatoes, and bacon in a creamy mozzarella sauce.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 600
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 4 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, chopped Use jarred sun-dried tomatoes in oil.
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil Add if necessary.
  • 1 pound chicken tenders Season with salt, pepper, and paprika.
  • 1 cup half and half
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 8 ounces farfalle pasta Reserve some pasta water.
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 tablespoon of fresh equals 1 teaspoon dried.
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 4 slices bacon, crumbled Crispy bacon pieces.

Method
 

Preparation and Cooking
  1. Chop sun-dried tomatoes into small pieces and sauté them in a large skillet with minced garlic and the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar.
  2. Season the chicken tenders with salt, pepper, and paprika, then cook them in the pan for a minute on each side. Remove the chicken from the pan and cut each tender into bite-sized pieces.
  3. Add the chicken back to the pan along with the sun-dried tomatoes. Pour in the half and half and sprinkle in the mozzarella cheese. Stir until the cheese melts completely.
  4. While the chicken simmers in the sauce, cook the farfalle pasta according to package directions. Set aside one cup of the pasta water before adding the cooked pasta to the sauce.
  5. Gradually add a little pasta water to the sauce, just to thin it out without making it too watery.
  6. Add red pepper flakes and basil, followed by crumbled strips of bacon. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

This recipe is flexible; you can substitute different pasta shapes or use shredded rotisserie chicken for convenience. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days or freeze for one month.