Creamy Balsamic Chicken Bacon Mushroom Pasta
User Reviews
5
-
Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Total Time
30 mins
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Servings
4
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Creamy Balsamic Chicken Bacon Mushroom Pasta
Description
Creamy Balsamic Chicken Bacon Mushroom Pasta features cooked pasta mixed with strips of chicken breast, crispy bacon pieces, and sautéed white or cremini mushrooms. Cooking the bacon first renders fat used to sauté the mushrooms, enhancing their flavor. Adding chicken to the same pan ensures it cooks with the residual bacon flavor.
The addition of balsamic vinegar introduces mild acidity and sweetness, brightening the creamy sauce. Heavy cream and Italian seasoning create a smooth, herb-infused base, while garlic powder adds subtle depth. Freshly grated Parmesan cheese stirred in at the end enriches the sauce with savory and slightly nutty notes, complementing the meats and mushrooms.
This pasta works well as a filling main course. The combination of textures—including tender chicken, firm pasta, crispy bacon, and soft mushrooms—makes it satisfying. Season to taste with salt and black pepper to balance flavors.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pasta uncooked
- 2 chicken breast cut into bite-size strips
- 3 Bacon cut into small pieces, strips
- 7 ounces white mushroom sliced, or cremini mushroom
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup heavy cream aka whipping cream
- 1-2 Italian seasoning dashes
- Pinch garlic powder
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep your bacon and chicken. Boil a large, salted pot of water and cook pasta al dente according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, add the bacon to a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it's nice and crispy (about 7-10 minutes). Take the bacon out of the pan and set it aside.
- Drain some of the bacon fat off, still leaving enough to cook the mushrooms in. Sauté the mushrooms for about 3-4 minutes or until they start to release some of their water.
- Add the chicken in the pan and cook for another 4-5 minutes or so. Most of the liquid should be gone from the pan by now. If not, cook a little bit longer.
- Stir in the balsamic vinegar and cook it for about a minute.
- Add the cream, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder to the pan. Give it a good stir (make sure to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan) and let it cook for 5 minutes or so (reduce heat if bubbling like crazy), taking care not to overcook the chicken.
- Stir in the parmesan cheese, bacon pieces, and season the sauce with salt & pepper as needed.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet. Toss the sauce with the pasta continuously for a minute or two (I used tongs) - this will help thicken the sauce a bit.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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