This Cheesy Pasta Bake With Chicken And Bacon is a family favourite and a reader favourite — it also makes excellent leftovers. Few things beat a bubbling pasta bake served with a fresh salad or garlic bread.
“This is a staple dish for us, and we always make enough so that we can freeze some.”
– Cathy W
Nicky’s Notes
Cheesy Pasta Bake With Chicken And Bacon is one of those meals the kids clear in no time, even when I sneak in extra vegetables. Peppers, onions, tomatoes, spinach — once everything is coated in a rich sauce and topped with bubbling cheese, nobody questions it.
I make this on busy weeknights because it’s low-fuss and very forgiving. Got a lonely courgette or a handful of kale? Toss them in. Leftover vegetables and bits of fridge produce work beautifully here.
It reheats very well, so it’s excellent for leftovers and makes a handy lunch the next day.
Table of Contents
- Nicky’s Notes
- Ingredients for this pasta bake
- Abbreviated recipe
- Pro Tip
- 🍽️ What to serve it with
- Watch how to make it
- Cheesy Pasta Bake With Chicken And Bacon Recipe
- More Super Tasty Pasta Recipes
- Equipment
Ingredients for this pasta bake
For this cheesy chicken and bacon pasta bake you will need:
Occasionally I add courgette or kale, and if I want to be sneaky I’ll grate in some mushrooms. The flavours meld into the sauce, so extra veg disappears into the dish.
Type of pasta to use for pasta bake:
Rigatoni is my favourite, but many shapes work well: spiralli (spirals), penne, fusilli (twists) or farfalle (bows). No changes to quantities or times are required for these alternatives.
Sometimes I wonder if I could eat pasta every day and not get bored. Here’s a quick weekly roll-call of pasta dishes I love:
- Monday: this chicken and bacon pasta bake.
- Tuesday: Cajun chicken pasta.
- Wednesday: one-pan lasagne soup.
- Thursday: one-pot garlic chicken pasta.
- Friday: crispy fried ravioli with spicy tomato dip.
- Saturday: pan-fried salmon with creamy lemon spaghetti.
- Sunday: one-pan spaghetti and meatballs.
Abbreviated recipe
Full recipe with detailed steps is in the recipe card below.
- Fry the chicken, vegetables and seasonings in a large frying pan while you par-cook the pasta.
- Add tinned tomatoes and cream to create the sauce.
- Toss the par-cooked pasta with spinach and chopped cooked bacon.
- Transfer everything to a large baking dish.
- Top with cheese and bake until golden and bubbly.
Have a favourite pasta dish you’d recommend? I’m always on the lookout for new ideas.
Pro Tip
- Cook the bacon first, then fry the onions and chicken in the bacon fat for an added depth of flavour.
🍽️ What to serve it with
This is a satisfying meal on its own, but you could also serve it with:
- A simple green salad or butter lettuce salad
- Homemade garlic bread
- Marinated onions
- A drizzle of homemade buffalo ranch for extra punch
It’s also tasty cold for lunch, or reheat in the microwave with a tablespoon of water to stop it drying out.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you try this recipe, please rate it and leave a comment to share how it turned out and any tweaks you made — I love hearing your feedback.
Watch how to make it
Watch the full video where I walk through each step of making this chicken pasta bake.
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Cheesy Pasta Bake With Chicken And Bacon Recipe
Ingredients
- 400 g dried pasta shapes (about 4 1/2 cups) — rigatoni recommended
- 1 tbsp oil
- 3 large chicken breasts (approx. 600 g), cut into bite-size chunks
- 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, de-seeded and chopped
- 1 yellow bell pepper, de-seeded and chopped
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 tbsp tomato puree (tomato paste in the USA)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 x 400 g tins chopped tomatoes
- 120 ml double (heavy) cream (1/2 cup)
- 100 g fresh baby spinach (about 3 packed cups)
- 6 rashers cooked bacon, roughly chopped
- 100 g grated strong cheddar (about 1 cup)
- 100 g grated mozzarella (about 1 cup)
- Small bunch parsley, roughly torn
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F (fan).
- Bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the package instructions. Drain.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until sealed, about 5 minutes.
- Add the onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened.
- Add the chopped peppers, salt, pepper, garlic, tomato puree, oregano and thyme. Stir and cook for 2–3 minutes.
- Stir in the tinned tomatoes and cream, bring to a gentle simmer. Add the pasta, spinach and cooked bacon, mixing everything together. Transfer to a large baking dish.
- Scatter the cheddar and mozzarella over the top and bake for 20–25 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Notes
Yes. Assemble the dish up to the point of adding the cheese, then cool, cover with foil and refrigerate for up to a day. Remove from the fridge an hour before baking to reduce the chance of a cold centre. Bake covered at 190°C/375°F for about 10 minutes, then remove the foil and continue for 15 minutes or until hot throughout. The pasta may absorb more sauce if made ahead — stir in a few tablespoons of stock or hot water before heating if you prefer it saucier.
Can I freeze leftovers?
Yes, once cooked: cool quickly, cover and freeze. Defrost in the fridge overnight, then take out an hour before reheating. Reheat covered at 190°C/375°F for 20–25 minutes until hot throughout. Add a little stock or hot water if needed to restore sauce.
Best pasta for a bake?
Rigatoni is ideal, but spiralli, penne, fusilli and farfalle all work well without changing quantities or cooking times.
Vegetarian version:
Replace the chicken with chunky courgette (zucchini) or mushrooms. Omit the bacon or swap it for vegetarian chorizo or smoked chickpeas (pan-fried with smoked paprika and cumin). Use vegetarian cheddar and mozzarella where needed.
Gluten-free version:
Use gluten-free pasta and ensure tomato paste and any ready-grated cheese are labelled gluten-free (some shredded cheeses use flour to prevent clumping).
Nutritional information is per serving and approximate.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 62 g |
Protein: 33 g |
Fat: 30 g |
Saturated Fat: 15 g |
Cholesterol: 108 mg |
Sodium: 637 mg |
Fiber: 4 g |
Sugar: 7 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
This chicken pasta bake recipe was first published in January 2017 and updated in February 2025 with additional images and refinements.
More Super Tasty Pasta Recipes
If you enjoy this chicken and bacon pasta bake, you might also like these recipes:
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Tomato Tuna Pasta Bake
Pasta
Easy Lasagne Recipe
Quick & Easy
Creamy Tomato Ravioli Sauce
Pasta
Chicken and Bacon Mac and Cheese
One Pot
30 Minute One Pot Chicken Pasta
Pasta
Creamy Sausage Pasta with Bacon
Equipment
To make this Cheesy Pasta Bake with Chicken and Bacon you will find these tools useful:
- A good kitchen knife and a sturdy chopping board.
- Measuring jug and measuring spoons.
- A large pan for boiling the pasta and a colander for draining.
- A suitable baking dish for finishing the bake in the oven.
- A grater if you prefer to grate your own cheese.
- A large frying pan or skillet for cooking the chicken and vegetables.
- Wooden or silicone spoons for stirring.
Some items mentioned may be linked on the original site. Nutritional information is approximate and can vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.