Leftover Roast Chicken and Bacon Pasta

There’s something very satisfying about turning leftovers into a completely new dinner.

A roast chicken is one of my favourite things to cook because it rarely produces just one meal. There’s almost always a bit of meat left over, and with the right recipe that can turn into something just as delicious the next day.

This leftover roast chicken and bacon pasta is one of the easiest and most reliable ways to do exactly that.

The bacon adds a lovely smoky depth, the chicken makes the dish hearty and satisfying, and a simple creamy sauce ties everything together in about twenty minutes.

It’s the sort of pasta dish that feels comforting and generous, but doesn’t require a huge amount of effort – exactly the kind of dinner I like cooking on a busy evening!

If you’re looking for more easy ways to cook with chicken, you might also enjoy my guide to 25 Easy Chicken Dinners for Busy Weeknights, which is packed with simple recipes built around chicken.

Why Leftover Roast Chicken Is So Good in Pasta

Leftover roast chicken has something that freshly cooked chicken doesn’t always have straight away: flavour.

When a chicken has been roasted, the meat picks up seasoning, juices and a little bit of caramelisation from the cooking process. That depth of flavour works beautifully in pasta dishes, soups and salads.

It also means the cooking process becomes incredibly quick.

Instead of waiting for chicken to cook, you’re simply warming it through in the sauce, which is why this pasta can be on the table in under half an hour.

If you often roast a whole chicken, this is a brilliant recipe to have in your back pocket for the next day!

You might also enjoy using leftover chicken in Chicken Nacho Salad or Chicken and Pea Risotto, both of which turn roast chicken into a completely new meal.

Ingredients That Make This Pasta Work

One of the reasons this recipe is so handy is that the ingredients are very straightforward.

Bacon

Good quality bacon lardons work beautifully here, but chopped streaky bacon works just as well. Smoked bacon adds a particularly nice depth.

Leftover roast chicken

Use whatever you have – breast meat, thigh meat, or a mixture of both. Just shred or chop it into bite-sized pieces.

If you don’t have leftover chicken, you can roast a couple of chicken breasts in the oven and slice them into the pasta.

Onion

A simple brown onion forms the base of the sauce and adds sweetness as it softens.

White wine

Wine adds brightness and lifts the flavour of the sauce. If you’d rather not use wine, chicken stock works perfectly well.

Cream

Just enough cream to make the sauce silky and rich without overwhelming the other flavours.

Parmesan

Parmesan adds saltiness and depth to the sauce.

Pasta

Almost any pasta shape works here – rigatoni, penne, fusilli or spaghetti are all good choices.

Top Tips

1. Let the bacon get properly golden – Don’t rush this step, the bacon fat is what flavours the whole dish.
2. Don’t overcook the chicken – Because the chicken is already cooked, it just needs warming through in the sauce.
3. Reserve a little pasta water – A splash of pasta cooking water can help loosen the sauce if it becomes too thick.

What to Serve With It

This pasta is already quite a satisfying dinner on its own, but a couple of simple sides work nicely.

A crisp green salad helps balance the richness, and some crusty bread is always welcome for mopping up the sauce.

If you enjoy comforting pasta dinners like this, you might also like:

• Chicken Schnitzel with Mushroom Pasta
• Creamy Courgette Pasta
• 15 Minute Garlic Mushroom Pasta