BBQ chicken and bacon pasta finished with cheddar cheese is an easy & delicious recipe that embraces the flavours of British hunters chicken.
This simple recipe will go from your fridge to your table in around 30 minutes, and it is very easy and fairly frugal to make.
Barbecue Chicken and Bacon Pasta with Cheddar
Chicken pasta is a well-trodden path on my website with dishes that range from spicy minced chicken pasta and creamy lemon chicken pasta to more unusual dishes like caramelised onion, chicken and sage pasta and curry chicken pasta.
This BBQ chicken and bacon pasta recipe is very different and takes a hop, skip and a jump along from Italian cuisine.
The flavours are lifted directly from the British pub variant of hunter's chicken.
Smokey bacon and chicken thighs are brought together with sweet and tangy BBQ sauce.
I like to add a little more depth and a smidgen of heat with Worcestershire and Tabasco sauces.
Penne pasta is my choice for this recipe, and the dish is completed with sharp and mature cheddar cheese that is melted under the grill.
And all of this wonderful comfort food can be yours in right around 30 minutes!
Frequently Asked Questions
What BBQ sauce should I use?
Use your favourite sauce, it will naturally have an impact on the flavour of the dish, but by using something you like, you will be on to a winner.
I've been making this with Sweet Baby Ray's Original BBQ sauce of late. It is a little sweet, but that is floating my boat at the moment!
Do I have to add the Tabasco sauce?
No, if you are "chilli averse", feel free to skip adding the spice. You may want to add a splash of vinegar or lemon juice to replace the acidity!
Can I use a different type of pasta?
Yes, I personally think that the sauce in this recipe works particularly well with pasta "tubes". But you could serve it with everything from conchiglie to pappardelle!
Can I use a different type of cheese?
Yes, but you want something with a bit of flavour if you want to taste it! The sweet BBQ sauce, bacon and Worcestershire sauce are all big flavours, and something like mozzarella would get lost.
Nutty Swiss cheeses like Gruyere or French Comte work particularly well.
Can I make this in advance?
Yes, with the caveat that you should skip the final step of adding the cheese until you are ready to serve. This dish will sit in the fridge for 2-3 days if stored properly.
Serving Suggestions
This BBQ chicken and bacon pasta recipe is a hearty plate of food, and it really does not need a side dish.
I do like to serve it with some peppery rocket (arugula) leaves, and that's all.
If you want to bulk it out even further, then you should look no further than the perennial side for pasta dishes.
Garlic baguette or cheesy garlic bread works perfectly well with this recipe!
Equipment Used
I only name-check specific brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/Stovetop.
- 20cm or 8" saucepan.
- 25cm or 10" frying pan.
- Colander or sieve.
- Stirring and serving spoons.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- Cheese grater.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
BBQ Chicken, Bacon and Cheddar Cheese Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 300 g Skinless and Boneless Chicken Thighs 3 Small
- ¼ teaspoon Salt Plus Extra to Boil the Pasta
- 1 tablespoon Cooking Oil
- 100 g Bacon Lardons 3½ oz
- 1 Medium Shallot 35g
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 75 ml BBQ Sauce ⅓ Cup
- 75 ml Chicken Stock ⅓ Cup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- ¼ teaspoon Tabasco Sauce Adds more or less to your taste
- 200 g Penne Pasta 7oz
- 50 g Cheddar Cheese ½ Cup
- Shredded Fresh Basil to Finish
Instructions
- Bash the chicken thighs with the heel of your hand so that they are roughly an even thickness, then season them with the quarter teaspoon of salt.
- Cut the shallot in half, peel it and then slice it as thinly as you can.
- Peel the garlic cloves and chop them as finely as you can.
- Bring a 20cm or 8" saucepan of salted water (I use 1 teaspoon of salt in a pan this size for this recipe), and place a 25cm or 10" frying pan over a high heat.
- Once the frying pan is hot, add the oil then brown the chicken thighs for 2-3 minutes on each side, then remove and set aside.
- Return the frying pan to a medium-high heat and add the bacon lardons and sliced shallot, cook for 3-4 minutes or until the bacon has started to become golden and crispy at the edges.
- A minute or so after the bacon has gone into the frying pan add the pasta to the now boiling water and cook until al dente, this should take around 10 minutes.
- Once the bacon has become golden add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Now is a good time to preheat your grill (broiler).
- Pour the BBQ sauce and chicken stock into the pan with the bacon and add the Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco sauce, stir and bring to a boil.
- Thinly slice the chicken thighs and add them to the sauce and cook over a medium heat until the pasta is cooked.
- Grate the cheddar cheese.
- By now the sauce should have thickened a little, and the chicken should be cooked through and the pasta cooked. Drain the pasta, add it to the sauce, and toss to coat everything well.
- Finally, sprinkle over the cheddar cheese and slide the pan under the broiler until the cheese begins to melt and serve immediately.
