Creamy Chicken and Corn Pasta with Bacon
Creamy Chicken and Corn Pasta with Bacon takes only 30 minutes and is a perfect meal for busy family weeknights! Make it with fresh corn on the cob in the Summer. Or, use canned or frozen corn kernels to cook this creamy chicken pasta all year long! This restaurant-quality main dish might become your new favorite chicken dinner for both kids and adults!
Ingredients
- 10 oz farfalle (bow-tie pasta)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1.5 lb chicken thighs (or breasts (skinless, boneless))
- 1.5 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 2 cups corn kernels (cooked (4 corn ears - corn on the cob))
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 strips bacon (cooked)
- fresh herbs (thyme, oregano, or marjoram (for garnish))
Directions
- 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions (usually about 10 or 12 minutes). Drain when the pasta is done.
- 2
Shred 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. If using pre-shredded cheese, take it out of the fridge. This step is important because the shredded cheese has to be a bit warmed up to melt successfully in the sauce. What I do is place shredded cheese into a heatproof bowl close to the stove so that it warms up from the heat.
- 3
Slice chicken thighs into thinner strips. Generously season the chicken with smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- 4
To the same, now empty, skillet, add cooked corn kernels, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 1 teaspoon chili powder. Stir and cook in chicken juices on low heat for about 3 minutes to blend the flavors.
- 5
Add cooked and drained pasta to the sauce.