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Chicken Dinner 30 Minutes or Less Pork Pasta Italian
4.6 from 56 votes

Chicken With Blush Sauce Pasta

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By: Joanna Cismaru •10/8/22 43 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

pin for 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.

freshly made chicken with blush sauce pasta in a dutch oven braiser.
Table of Contents Open
  • Chicken With Blush Sauce Pasta
  • Ingredient Notes
  • How To Make Chicken With Blush Sauce Pasta
  • FAQ’s and Expert Tips
    • FAQ’s
  • Frequently Asked Questions
    • What is this Blush Sauce?
    • How long should I cook my pasta?
    • Do I need to use the hot sauce?
    • What other cut of chicken can I use?
    • Expert Tips
  • Leftovers
    • Fridge
    • Freezer
  • More Delicious Pasta Recipes To Try
  • Chicken With Blush Sauce Pasta
    • Video
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Equipment
    • Notes
    • Nutrition Information
  • Did You Make This?

This is a quick pasta recipe with a delicious and easy to make blush sauce, loaded with bacon and chicken. It’s a meaty, cheesy, and incredibly delicious sauce. Fabulous for a quick weeknight dinner meal, or even a special occasion.

Chicken With Blush Sauce Pasta

  • 10 min prep time
  • Simple, Short Ingredient List
  • Takes 30 Minutes
  • Delicious Comfort Food

I for one, love pasta dishes. My husband not so much, but that never stops me from making my favorite dishes, especially since they are so easy to make and because you can just throw together whatever you have in your fridge and make one delicious meal.

Ingredient Notes

overhead shot of ingredients needed to make chicken with blush sauce pasta.
  • Pasta: You can work with any kind of pasta but Rigatoni and Penne work best with this type of sauce and combo.
  • Bacon: what more can I say, bacon makes everything better. I do prefer a thick cut bacon here, but use your favorite.
  • Chicken: I used boneless skinless chicken breast, but you can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs as well.
  • Onion and Garlic: Essential flavor enhancers to any pasta sauce.
  • Tomatoes: I use one whole can of diced tomatoes for this recipe for a chunkier sauce, you can also use crushed tomatoes for a smoother sauce.
  • Sour cream: This is the ingredient that turns our tomato sauce into a blush sauce. You can also use heavy cream instead or Greek yogurt.
  • Hot sauce: For the hot sauce you can work with any brand you like to use and it can either be mild or spicy, whichever you prefer most. You can also replace it with red pepper flakes, or completely omit this ingredient if you can’t handle any spice level.
  • Cheese: I used both freshly grated mozzarella cheese that is added to the sauce to make it cheesy and freshly grated Parmesan cheese as garnish.

How To Make Chicken With Blush Sauce Pasta

process shots showing how to make chicken with blush sauce pasta.
  1. 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.
  2. 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. Stir in diced tomatoes, reserved 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Garnish with Parmesan and serve: Garnish with fresh Parmesan cheese and serve warm.

FAQ’s and Expert Tips

freshly made chicken with blush sauce pasta in a dutch oven braiser.

FAQ’s

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this Blush Sauce?

The Blush Sauce or pink sauce is usually a delicious tomato based sauce with some sort of cream added to it. In this case, the sour cream is added to the tomato sauce, turning it into a blush sauce.

How long should I cook my pasta?

For authentic u0022al denteu0022 pasta, boil uncovered, stirring occasionally for 12 minutes. For more tender pasta, boil an additional 1 minute. Remove from heat. However, it’s always best to follow the package instructions since different pastas shapes or sizes require different cooking times.

Do I need to use the hot sauce?

No, you don’t. The hot sauce is just added to add a bit of kick to the pasta, but feel free to skip it if you cannot handle any heat to your food.

What other cut of chicken can I use?

Besides chicken breast, you can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs.

chicken with blush sauce pasta in a large serving bowl with a serving spoon inside.

Expert Tips

  1. Before draining the pasta, scoop out ½ cup of the pasta water. Use this instead of plain water to add to your sauce. 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.
chicken with blush sauce pasta in a large serving bowl with a serving spoon inside.

Leftovers

Fridge

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.

Freezer

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.

chicken with blush sauce pasta in a grey bowl with a fork inside.

More Delicious Pasta Recipes To Try

  • Homemade Pasta
  • Rigatoni con Polpette and Arrabbiata Sauce
  • Spaghettini in Blush Sauce
  • Cheesy Taco Pasta
  • Creamy Chicken Marsala Pasta
  • Creamy Tomato Chicken Pasta
  • One Pot Pasta

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

freshly made chicken with blush sauce pasta in a dutch oven braiser.
4.59 from 56 votes

Chicken With Blush Sauce Pasta

Prep 10 minutes minutes
Cook 20 minutes minutes
Total 30 minutes minutes
4
Rate Recipe Print Recipe
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.
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Video

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)

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

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.

Equipment

  • Pasta Cooker Set
  • Le Creuset 3.75-Quart Braiser

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 Information

Serving: 1servingCalories: 576kcal (29%)Carbohydrates: 52g (17%)Protein: 28g (56%)Fat: 28g (43%)Saturated Fat: 13g (81%)Trans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 81mg (27%)Sodium: 868mg (38%)Potassium: 615mg (18%)Fiber: 3g (13%)Sugar: 6g (7%)Vitamin A: 731IU (15%)Vitamin C: 18mg (22%)Calcium: 308mg (31%)Iron: 2mg (11%)
© Author Joanna Cismaru

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

freshly made chicken with blush sauce pasta in a dutch oven braiser.

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Joanna Cismaru

Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Through Jo Cooks, I invite you to join me in my kitchen as we explore delicious recipes from around the globe, celebrate the joy of cooking, and make every meal a memorable one. Happy cooking!

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43 Comments
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Jenn V
Jenn V
Posted: 7 months ago

5 stars
This is easy enough and so good my husband asked me to make it again…next week. Thanks!

0
Reply
Allison Hunter
Allison Hunter
Posted: 7 months ago

5 stars
Super easy, flavourful and delicious (we left out the hot sauce since we have little mouths to feed)!

0
Reply
Mark
Mark
Posted: 9 months ago

5 stars
Another delicious recipe saved in my bookmarks!

0
Reply
Leann
Leann
Posted: 2 years ago

5 stars
Delicious pasta change from our regular ground beef with red sauce. I made the recipe just as written, but added more dried basil and granulated garlic in addition to the fresh. We had enough for 6 servings with a salad and bread to go with it. Great meal!

0
Reply
KC
KC
Posted: 3 years ago

5 stars
Loved recipe! Very delicious and easy to make

0
Reply
Selkie
Selkie
Posted: 4 years ago

5 stars
This was absolutely delicious. Very easy to assemble with no fuss. I would highly recommend it if you love pasta and chicken.

0
Reply
jena
jena
Posted: 4 years ago

I finally tried this tonight! It was so good 🙂 My husband told me that I can cook now! haha thank you for the great recipe!

0
Reply
Dru
Dru
Posted: 4 years ago

5 stars
Made this today and so delicious!! Only thing I changed was I used crushed tomayoes as hubby doesn’t like chunks of tomato in dishes and I only put a heaping tablespoon of hot sauce. I think 2 tablespoons would have been too spicy. Will definitely make again!

0
Reply
Pat
Pat
Posted: 4 years ago

Hello, How much basil should be used? How many leaves or teaspoons?

0
Reply
Nicole Beaulieu
Nicole Beaulieu
Reply to  Pat
Posted: 4 years ago

I would use 2 tsp dried or 6 leaves fresh, chopped.

0
Reply
Lynn Cobb-Alvarez
Lynn Cobb-Alvarez
Posted: 5 years ago

The recipe says one can two cups of tomatoes. Do you mean one can or two cups or one can plus two cups?

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Lynn Cobb-Alvarez
Posted: 5 years ago

Hi Lynn! Fixed it, 1 can which is roughly 2 cups.

0
Reply
Lynn Cobb-Alvarez
Lynn Cobb-Alvarez
Reply to  Joanna Cismaru
Posted: 5 years ago

Thanks. Hosted Friendsgiving for 20-somethings. Making Mom food tomorrow. This is Mom Food.

0
Reply
Ashley
Ashley
Posted: 8 years ago

Can you use fresh mozzerella?

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Ashley
Posted: 8 years ago

Of course you can. I love fresh mozzarella and I use it in dishes like this whenever I have it.

0
Reply
Alex
Alex
Posted: 8 years ago

Did you put the noodles in cooked already or not?

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Alex
Posted: 8 years ago

The noodles should be cooked Alex. 🙂

0
Reply
Kerry
Kerry
Posted: 9 years ago

5 stars
Not sure if I can substitute natural yoghurt for soured cream?…

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Kerry
Posted: 9 years ago

You probably could, but I would go with the Greek yogurts.

1
Reply
Tracey
Tracey
Posted: 9 years ago

I made this for my family tonight. It was a huge hit with the kids and Huz. Thanks so much!

Only changes I made were I added 1/4 cup of sour cream and a 1/4 cup of heavy cream. Also, i didn’t have crushed tomatoes, so I used spaghetti sauce.

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Tracey
Posted: 9 years ago

Hi Tracy,
So glad you guys all liked it. Great substitutions!

0
Reply
Kayla
Kayla
Reply to  Joanna Cismaru
Posted: 9 years ago

Can i use bow tie pasta?

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Kayla
Posted: 9 years ago

Sure!

0
Reply
Lauren
Lauren
Posted: 9 years ago

Just made this–so yum!

0
Reply

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I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is the place where I share my passion for easy and delicious recipes. From comforting classics to global flavors, I believe that cooking should be fun, approachable, and most importantly, rewarding. Join me on this culinary journey and let’s get cooking!

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