One Pot Meal: Man-Pleasing BBQ Chicken Pasta

One pot meals have become one of my favorite ways to prepare dinner, after a long day at work. If I can make a pasta meal, using only one pot, then sign me up! I discovered this recipe, after spending a day in the kitchen baking and canning jam. I realized that dinner time had snuck up on me when my stomach reminded me with a few growls and I'm sure my husband was feeling the same.

I had one uncooked chicken breast, and I wanted to make something that was quick and easy.  So, I searched for "chicken and pasta recipe" and I found this recipe.  I needed bacon onion, diced tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, rotini pasta, BBQ sauce and cheese.  Score!  I had all the ingredients.

 

I keep individually wrapped bacon slices in my freezer for when I need them.  I simply cut them, frozen, and then cook up in no time at all.

  

After removing most of the rendered bacon fat,  I cooked the chicken that I had cut up into small chunks.
 

Add onion, garlic and a little red pepper flakes, and cook until tender.

Here's the fun part-- add uncooked pasta, chicken broth, milk and diced tomatoes (salt and pepper, to taste), cover and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

Stir in some sharp cheddar cheese and BBQ sauce and give it a good stir.

Ring the dinner bell, and get ready to sit down and enjoy dinner (knowing that you've washed all the knives and mess you made while the dinner cooked).

Best of all, watch your husband smile while he gets a taste of BBQ chicken and bacon.  It doesn't get any better than that!

TASTING NOTES:  I was a bit skeptical about putting BBQ sauce together with pasta.  I can assure you, that this combination works really well.  The red pepper flakes gives this pasta a bit of a heat kick, so adjust accordingly to your level of spice that you like-- or leave it out altogether.  Next time, I'll use two chicken breasts and remove the lid for the last 5 minutes, to reduce the liquid.   This pasta makes a LOT, and nowadays I am only cooking for two.  This dish fed us for two additional meals, and we both noticed that the bacon flavor really came through when reheated.  This is very simple cooking, folks, but a "go to" recipe that I think my husband will appreciate.  Judging by his second helpings, this is definitely a keeper!

(Recipe source: Damn Delicious)

Another favorite One Pot Pasta meal is this Linguine,with  fresh tomatoes and basil dinner. So easy and good! 

As always a printable recipe card is at the very end of this post.