This easy Ricotta Chicken Pasta recipe has tender chicken, crispy bacon, fresh herbs, creamy ricotta cheese, and parmesan! The best part is that it all comes together in under 30 minutes! The ricotta is key in making the creamy sauce that is packed with a ton of flavor, high-protein and low fat without using heavy cream! This will become a regular weeknight meal that the whole family will love!
Ingredients for Ricotta Chicken Pasta
- Ricotta Cheese: The ricotta cheese is key for making the creamy, luscious sauce! I prefer using whole milk ricotta but feel free to use whatever variety you have on hand! A good pasta water substitute is chicken stock.
- Bacon: The bacon adds a delicious crunch and savory flavor to this dish. Feel free to leave out or swap for crispy prosciutto.
- Chicken Breast: I always have chicken breast on hand but feel free to use chicken thighs if you have them!
- Rotini Pasta: I love rotini pasta for this recipe because it doesn’t soak up too much of the sauce, leaving the dish more creamy. Feel free to use whatever pasta shape you have on hand!
- Fresh Parmesan: For a lump-free sauce, you will need to use FRESH parmesan! Not pre-grated because those have extra starches that will create clumps in your sauce.
- Fresh Herbs: Fresh herbs give this dish a bright and fresh flavor. You can use basil, thyme, oregano, or parsley.
How to Make Ricotta Cheese Pasta
Step by Step:
- Cook your bacon until crispy and then set aside. Pound the chicken breasts until they are about 1 inch thick. In the same frying pan, sear your chicken breasts on medium-high heat until fully cooked.
- While chicken is cooking, boil and salt some water in a large pot for the pasta. Cook pasta until almost al dente. Reserve two cups of the pasta water!!
- While the pasta cooks, you will make the pasta sauce. Whisk together 1 cup of the pasta water, 1 cup of ricotta cheese, and 1/2 cup of grated parmesan in a large bowl until smooth. Add fresh herbs and pepper to taste. You could also blend this mixture so it will be smoother.
- In the same pan you cooked the chicken, add the crushed garlic and cook until fragrant on low heat. Then add the ricotta mixture. Stir until the bottom of the pan is clean. You want all the delicious flavor from the chicken to be absorbed! You will know if the sauce is thick enough if it sticks to the back of your wooden spoon or spatula!
- Lastly, add the cooked pasta and bacon pieces and stir until well combined. Add the chicken at this step or serve on top of the pasta when plating. Add more of the reserved pasta water if you want more sauce.
- Add more cheese, herbs, and bacon on top for garnish and serve immediately!
SUBSTITUTIONS
Feel free to add to or substitute ingredients in this ricotta chicken pasta recipe! You can swap pasta water for chicken stock, you can do heavy cream instead of ricotta, chicken thighs instead of breasts, and more! You can even add red pepper flakes to give this meal a slight kick! You can also add more veggies, like mushrooms.
HOW TO STORE
You can store this easy chicken ricotta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days after! I doubt you will have any leftovers after the first day though, it’s that good! Please leave a five star rating below if you loved this recipe, and as always, poftă bună!
Easy Ricotta Cheese Pasta with Chicken
This easy Ricotta Chicken Pasta recipe has tender chicken, crispy bacon, fresh herbs, creamy ricotta cheese, and parmesan! The best part is that it all comes together in under 30 minutes! The ricotta is key in making the creamy sauce that is packed with a ton of flavor, protein and low fat without using heavy cream!
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless, chicken breast
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tsp smoked paprika to give chicken color
- 2 tsp italian seasoning
- 4 garlic cloves crushes
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb rotini pasta or your choice of pasta
- 2 cup reserved pasta water
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 4 strips bacon chopped
- 2 cups spinach optional
- parsley, fresh basil, or oregano for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the bacon until crispy, chop into small pieces, then set aside. Pound the chicken breasts until they are about 1 inch thick. Season your chicken with paprika, salt, pepper, and Italian season and in the same frying pan, sear your chicken breasts on medium-high heat until fully cooked.
- While chicken is cooking, boil and salt some water in a large pot for the pasta. Cook pasta until almost al dente. Reserve two cups of the pasta water!
- Make the pasta sauce next. Whisk together 1 cup of the reserved pasta water, 1 cup of ricotta cheese, lemon juice and zest and 1/2 cup of grated parmesan in a large bowl until smooth. Add fresh herbs and pepper to taste. You could also use a blender for a smoother sauce.
- Lower the heat and in the same pan you cooked the chicken, add the crushed garlic and cook until fragrant. Then add the ricotta mixture. Continously stir until the bottom of the pan is clean. You want all the delicious flavor from the chicken to be absorbed! You can tell the sauce is thick enough when it is creamy and sticks to the back of your spatula or wooden spoon.
- Lastly, add the cooked pasta and bacon pieces and stir until well combined. Add the chicken at this step or serve on top of the pasta when plating. Add more of the reserved pasta water if you want a thinner sauce.
- Top with more cheese, herbs, and bacon on top for garnish and serve immediately!
Notes
This is best served right away! Leftovers if any, can be stored for two days in an airtight container in the fridge. Note: The ricotta will tend to thicken up after a few days and look clumpy. That is why this is best served on the same day. ENJOY!!
This is a wonderful recipe and so easy to make ! Definitely a crowd pleaser .
Thank you for your review, Greta! It is one of my favorites 🙂
This pasta and chicken is a must try for me. Thanks for all your tips and tricks, it is definitely easy to make them for us. Yum!
Of course! Let me know what you think Jomelyn!
This looks like a great recipe! Can’t wait to try it!
The recipe seems to be missing a few steps! Is the bacon supposed to have already been cooked when added at the end? Where do you add the spinach? Do “herbs” in the sauce mixture mean the spices in the recipe (paprika, Italian seasoning) or the herbs listed for garnish?
Hi Shannon,
Yes, the instructions say to add the cooked pasta and bacon! I usually just pan fry the bacon and then set aside. Also, you can add the spinach in at the end once you add the sauce. By herbs, I meant fresh. I will go back and edit the instructions for more clarity. Thank you!
-Bre
We are planning to try this tonight. Instructions don’t mention the spinach. I’m thinking once the sauce has come together annd we anre andding the pasta in that would be a good time to add the spinach?
Also if I am making 8 servings instead of 5 how much pasta water should we reserve/use to make the sauce?
Hi there! Yes, add the spinach towards the end! For 8 servings, save an extra 1/2 cup of water and then add little by little until you get the consistency you like! Enjoy!