One Pot BBQ Chicken Pasta
My one pan BBQ Chicken pasta features tender chicken in a tangy sauce topped with plenty of melty cheese. It's perfect for when you're craving comfort food and don't want a sink full of dirty dishes.
I love making easy pasta dishes for dinner like my chicken spaghetti, pizza pasta, or my one pot sausage pasta. This BBQ Chicken pasta is our new family favorite. It is cheesy, saucy, smoky, and super easy to make.
Why This Recipe: A Sprinkle of Food Science
- Rendered Bacon Fat: This infuses richness and a smoky flavor into every bite.
- Super Flavorful Cooking Liquid: Cooking the pasta in Better Than Bouillion base adds so much more flavor than water or broth alone.
- Pasta Water=Magic: The pasta releases its starch as it cooks for a super silky sauce no dairy required!
Ingredient Notes & Shopping Tips
- Bacon: Avoid thick cut bacon which renders less fat and can be chewy instead of crispy. If you're short on time you could also use microwave bacon and then cook the chicken in a bit of oil.
- Chicken: Rotisserie chicken also works great here!
- Pasta: Pick a pasta with curves and ridges to help it hold onto all that saucy goodness. I used rotini. Penne, cavatappi, or even mini shells would be great too.
- BBQ Sauce: I like Sweet Baby Ray's.
- Mozzarella: I like to shred my own cheese if I have time as it melts better. Cheddar would also be tasty here.
Krystle's Tips: Steal My Culinary School Secrets
- Cook Bacon in a Cold Pan: This helps the fat render and prevents greasy splatters.
- Cut Evenly: Cut the chicken into even sized pieces so it cooks evenly. We want it to brown not steam. Cook it in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding the pan.
- Deglaze: Don't skip scraping the bottom of the pan, it has SO much flavor.
- Don't Forget to Stir: This helps distribute the starchy pasta water and ensures it doesn't stick.
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📖 Recipe
One Pot BBQ Chicken Pasta
My one pan BBQ Chicken pasta features tender chicken in a tangy sauce topped with plenty of melty cheese. It's perfect for when you're craving comfort food and don't want a sink full of dirty dishes.
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Servings: 4 People
Calories: 640kcal
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Ingredients
- 5 Slices Bacon Diced
- 1 Pound Chicken Breasts Diced
- 1 Onion Diced
- 3 Garlic Cloves Minced
- 1 Bell Pepper Diced
- 9 Ounces Pasta I used Rotini
- 1 Can Petite Diced Tomatoes 14.5 Ounces
- 1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- Salt and Pepper To Taste
- ½ Cup BBQ Sauce
- 3 Teaspoons Better Than Bouillion Chicken Base
- 3 Cups Water
- ½ Cup Mozzarella Cheese Shredded
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Instructions
- Place bacon into a large cold skillet. Fry for 7-10 minutes until fat is rendered and bacon is crispy.
- Reserve 1-2 tablespoons of fat. Brown chicken in reserved fat for 3-5 minutes until it browned.
- Add onion and pepper and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook one more minute.
- While veggies are cooking dissolved Better Than Bouillion in boiling water.
- Pour in pasta, canned tomatoes, paprika, BBQ sauce, salt/pepper, and 2 cups of the Better Than Bouillion mixture. Scrape the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits.
- Stir well and cook for 15-20 minutes or until pasta is done and most of the liquid is absorbed. Add extra liquid if needed.
- Top with cheese and cover with the lid for a few minutes until melted.
Nutrition
Calories: 640kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 921mg | Potassium: 1134mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 1618IU | Vitamin C: 52mg | Calcium: 157mg | Iron: 3mg
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This was so good! I never thought to put bbq chicken and pasta together--what a great combo!
Easy One-Pot BBQ Chicken pasta is so good, kids loved it. I am going to make it again.
Easy One-Pot BBQ Chicken pasta is so good, kids loved it. I am going to make it again.
This one pot BBQ chicken pasta came together fast and turned out creamy, comforting, and super easy—perfect for busy nights when you want minimal cleanup.
This is such an amazing one pot dish! Super flavorful from the bacon and BBQ and then that stringy cheese! It'll certainly go on my regular rotation!
This one pot pasta is exactly what I needed tonight for family dinner. The bacon added so much flavor to the dish. It was a hit!