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freshly made chicken with blush sauce pasta in a dutch oven braiser.
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4.61 from 58 votes

Chicken With Blush Sauce Pasta

This Chicken with Blush Sauce Pasta is one of the first 30 minute recipes I shared here. It's a tasty, creamy and cheesy pasta dinner that not only is ready in 30 minutes, but it's a crowd pleaser. Loaded with chicken and bacon, a delicious cheesy blush sauce, this pasta recipe is indulgent and delicious.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: blush sauce, blush sauce pasta, chicken with blush sauce pasta, rigatoni
Servings: 4
Calories: 576kcal
Author: Joanna Cismaru

Equipment

Ingredients

  • ½ pound pasta such as rigatoni, penne, bow tie, etc., cooked according to package instructions
  • 6 slices bacon cut into small ¼ inch pieces.
  • 1 medium chicken breast boneless, skinless, cut into small pieces
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 14 ounce diced tomatoes (1 whole can)
  • 2 tablespoon fresh basil chopped
  • 2 tablespoon hot sauce or ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Cook Pasta: Cook the pasta in a large salted pot of boiling water according to package instructions, until al-dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water. Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.
  • Make the sauce: In a large skillet, add the bacon and cook it until it starts rendering some fat. Add the chicken, onion, garlic and cook until chicken is no longer pink and is cooked through. Add diced tomatoes, pasta water, basil, hot sauce, and cook for 10 minutes. Add sour cream and stir. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
  • Finish the dish: Stir in the pasta, add the mozzarella cheese and toss it all together to make sure all pasta is covered in the cheese and sauce.
  • Garnish with Parmesan and serve: Garnish with fresh Parmesan cheese and serve warm.

Video

Notes

  1. Before draining the pasta, scoop out about a cup of the pasta water. Use this instead of plain water to add to your sauce if the sauce is too thick. The starch in the water will help thicken the sauce.
  2. Always aim for freshly grated Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese versus the store bought. This way not only will you get extra melty cheese in your pasta, but there will be no added preservatives in your cheese.
  3. Rigatoni was my pasta of choice here, but really use whatever you want, I just love rigatoni with this kind of sauce. I encourage you to use a shaped pasta as it will provide enough shapes and ridges for the sauce and stick to.
  4. You can store this blush sauce pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 – 4 days. Just be sure to allow it to fully cool before placing it in the fridge.
  5. This recipe is best enjoyed fresh, but you can absolutely freeze it for future dinners. It will last up to 6 months stored in an airtight container. Keep in mind after cooked pasta freezes and thaws, it will become a bit softer in texture. Let the pasta thaw overnight in the fridge to make reheating easier and reduce the risk of breaking the pasta. If you find the sauce has separated a bit after thawing, the reheating and stirring will bring it back together.
  6. Originally shared September 2012.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 576kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 868mg | Potassium: 615mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 731IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 308mg | Iron: 2mg