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Creamy Chicken and Corn Pasta with Bacon

Creamy chicken corn pasta with bacon is a weeknight pasta dinner that coats rigatoni or penne in a sweet corn and bacon cream sauce. Tender chicken chunks, golden corn kernels, and crispy bacon bits come together in a rich, velvety skillet finish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 820
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces; season with salt and pepper to taste
Bacon and pasta
  • 8 strips bacon diced
  • 12 oz rigatoni or penne pasta cooked and drained
Vegetables and aromatics
  • 2 cup corn kernels fresh or frozen
  • 1 onion small, diced
  • 4 clove garlic minced
Sauce and garnish
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup chicken broth (half cup in recipe; used with heavy cream to simmer)
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese grated; plus extra for garnish
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • fresh basil for garnish; plus extra Parmesan for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook bacon and chicken
  1. Cook the diced bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crispy, about 6-8 minutes, and remove to a plate while leaving 1 tablespoon fat in the pan.
  2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then cook in the bacon fat over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes until golden and cooked through to 165°F, and remove to a plate.
Build the corn cream sauce
  1. Add the diced onion to the same skillet and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes.
  2. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  3. Stir in the corn kernels and cook for 3 more minutes until slightly charred.
  4. Pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth, then simmer for 4-5 minutes until slightly thickened.
Toss and finish
  1. Add the cooked and drained rigatoni or penne, the cooked chicken, and most of the bacon, then toss until coated in the cream sauce.
  2. Stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth.
  3. Garnish with the remaining bacon, fresh basil, and extra Parmesan before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the sauce simmer gentle so it stays velvety—if it thickens too much while tossing, loosen with a splash of chicken broth. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove or microwave with a teaspoon of broth to restore creaminess. Freezing: not recommended due to texture changes in the cream. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (the sauce will be slightly thinner).