Chicken and bacon Alfredo Served in a bread boat is made with a creamy homemade Alfredo sauce. It is then spooned into a hollowed out loaf of bread to make for the ultimate presentation!
Since you are a fan of pasta, be sure to check out this Creamy Rasta Pasta with Shrimp Chicken and Sausage and and this Easy Mouthwatering Homemade Lasagna.
Any sort of pasta is always a hit in our household. From tomato based pastas, to cheesy pastas, they are all family favorites! This particular chicken and bacon alfredo recipe came about when the kids asked for Italian food one night.
Gather ingredients for Chicken and Bacon Alfredo Served in a Bread Boat:
- Pasta of choice– for this recipe we used bowtie pasta. Feel free to use fettuccini, spaghetti, penne, or any past that you have on hand.
- A loaf of bread– a long loaf of French bread bought from the baker will work best.
- Chicken breast
- Bacon– whole bacon cooked and chopped up, or real bacon bits bought in a package.
- Butter
- Heavy cream
- Parmesan cheese
- Mozzarella cheese– shredded
- Seasoning– garlic powder, cajun seasoning, paprika, black pepper, Italian seasoning
- Chicken broth– as needed to loosen alfredo sauce
What is alfredo sauce made with?
Traditional alfredo sauce is made with a heavy cream and parmesan cheese base. For this variation, we add several different seasonings and spices for added flavors. Some people make their alfredo sauce with cream cheese.
I have made a roasted garlic white sauce using cream cheese before. You can find it in the post linked here. It is truly delicious, but is a bit different than traditional Alfredo because of the addition of cream cheese.
Can I use milk instead of heavy cream for the alfredo sauce?
Yes, substitute at least a 2% milk in place of the heavy cream. The heavy cream is used for added flavor, and to help with the creaminess of the sauce. Using 2% milk in place of heavy cream will also cut down on the calories in this recipe as well.
The parmesan cheese is the most important ingredient in Alfredo sauce. Not only does it offer the cheesy undertone, it provides a certain saltiness that enhances the flavors.
What is the difference between Alfredo and Carbonara?
Carbonara is made with parmesan and egg yolks. Whereas Alfredo is made with a cream base and parmesan. There is also a pretty distinct taste between the two, because of the addition of the egg yolks.
Another variation is that traditional carbonara is made with pancetta. One thing to remember about alfredo and carbonara is that they are just the sauces used for the pasta dish. The inclusion of a protein such as chicken, bacon, or pancetta is a bonus. Even more, the type of pasta used for these dishes may vary as well.
Side dish ideas to serve with the alfredo:
As for me and my house, we always like to eat pasta with something green! It just helps balance out the carbohydrate overload from the pasta. So some great ideas for a side include:
- Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts
- A simple salad, or caesar salad
- Cheesy garlic bread
- Roasted Broccoli
- Parmesan Squash and Tomato Bake
- Asparagus
Since this Chicken and Bacon Alfredo is made in a bread boat, the garlic bread is sort of “built in!” Save that top, brush it with a garlic butter mixture, and toast it up to make some delicious garlic bread.
Basic Steps for making Chicken Bacon Alfredo in the bread boat:
- Hollow out the bread
- Brush on garlic butter mixture for added flavor
- Sear and slice chicken
- Make alfredo sauce and boil pasta
- Mix pasta and chicken with sauce
- Spoon alfredo pasta into bread boat, and bake
Optional add-ins for pasta:
Broccoli is always a great addition to alfredo. Mixed veggies would also be a delicious addition. Simply cook the vegetables according to the package, or if using fresh, cut them to bite size pieces and saute prior to adding them to the pasta.
Another great layer of flavor would be to chop up a bell pepper and onion. Then sauté them in some butter and add to the alfredo pasta.
Chicken and Bacon Alfredo Served in a Bread Boat
Chicken and bacon Alfredo in a bread boat is made with a creamy homemade Alfredo sauce. It is then spooned into a hollowed out loaf of bread to make for the ultimate presentation!
Ingredients
- 3 whole Chicken Breast
- 1 cup Bacon, cooked and chopped
- 16 ounce box Bow tie pasta
- ½ stick Butter, unsalted
- 2 cups Heavy cream
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese
- 1 whole loaf French bread
- Chicken broth, add as-needed to thin sauce
Seasoning for Chicken
- 1 tablespoon Seasoned salt
- ½ tablespoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil, to sear chicken
Seasoning for Alfredo Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- ½ tablespoon Seasoned salt
- ½ tablespoon Garlic Powder
- ½ tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper
Garlic butter for bread
- ½ stick Butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Parsley
Instructions
- Bring a large stock pot of water to a boil, add about 2 tablespoons of salt to the water. Once the water boils, pour the box of pasta in. Boil the pasta for about 10 minutes, until it is al dente. Drain the water, and set the pasta to the side.
- Season the chicken evenly with the seasoned salt, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper. Add olive oil to a skillet and place it over medium-high heat.
- Gently place the chicken breast in the skillet and sear each side for five minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
- Add the half stick of butter to the same skillet. Next pour in the heavy cream, and add the parmesan cheese. Mix it in well.
- Sprinkle in the Cajun seasoning, seasoned salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and black pepper directly into the alfredo sauce. Mix well.
- Stir in chicken broth one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is achieved. Careful not to make the sauce too thin.
- While the sauce is simmering, thinly slice the chicken breast. Add the pasta and chicken directly into the alfredo sauce and mix it all together. Mix in half of the crumbled bacon (reserve the other half to sprinkle over the top).
- Using a serrated knife, cut the top of the loaf off of the bread. Angle the knife so that the top comes out at an angle. Once the top is off, use your hands to dig out the bread, to hollow it out.
- Brush the melted butter onto the top part of loaf that was cut off, and use any remaining butter to brush into the hollowed out part.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the loaf of bread on top.
- Gently spoon the alfredo pasta into the bread boat. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the top, then sprinkle the remaining crumbled bacon over the top.
- Sprinkle some dried parsley over the top and place the baking sheet in the oven and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.
Notes
See post for add-in options.
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