Parmesan Chicken Linguine
Ingredients
- ¾-pound linguine
- 6 slices bacon
- 1-pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1-½ cups low sodium chicken stock
- ¾ cup whipping cream
- ½ cup red bell pepper
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 tbsp. basil
Instructions
- Cook the dry linguine to al dente, in salted water; drain.
- In a large sauté pan, over medium heat, crisply cook the bacon; remove from pan and roughly chop; set aside.
- Cut the chicken breasts into bite sized cubes and lightly season with salt and pepper.
- Place chicken, in the same pan used for cooking the bacon, along with the bacon fat; pan fry for only a few minutes until fully cooked.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside with the bacon.
- Drain the bacon fat from the pan; add the olive oil and garlic; cook for only a minute to slightly soften the garlic.
- Add the chicken stock; simmer quickly for a few minutes until the liquid has reduced by about ⅓.
- Add the cream and simmer for an additional 2 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper, if needed.
- Add the bacon, red pepper and the chicken to the sauce; simmer for only a minute or two to thoroughly warm the chicken.
- Add the cooked pasta and Parmesan cheese.
- Toss together the pasta and sauce, while still on the heat, until the sauce thickens to the consistency you like.
- Garnish with the reserved chopped bacon, extra Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of fresh herbs, if using, before serving.
Notes
Try using leftover shredded or diced chicken; prepare the sauce and pasta as usual; add the leftover chicken in just the last few minutes to warm it through.
