Chicken Alfredo with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Ingredients

• ½ pound penne pasta
• 6 ounces bacon, chopped
• ½ pound boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• ½ teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon cantanzaro herbs (from Savory Spice Shop®)
• ¼ cup butter
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• ½ cup grated fontina cheese
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup provolone cheese
• 1 ¾ ounces chopped sun-dried tomatoes

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Toss in the penne and cook it until it’s tender but still has a bit of bite, about 11 minutes, stirring now and then. While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium-high and cook the bacon, turning it every so often until it’s nicely browned and as crispy as you like, which should take around 6 to 10 minutes. Once done, transfer the bacon to some paper towels to drain.

Step 2

Add the chopped chicken thighs to the same skillet along with garlic salt and Cantanzaro herbs. Cook everything together until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside, about 6 minutes. You can check by cutting into a piece or using a thermometer—it should read 165°F. Remove the chicken and set it aside.

Step 3

In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in a pinch of flour and let it bubble for a moment, then whisk in the rest of the flour to make a thick paste that looks like cake frosting. Slowly pour in the milk while stirring constantly, letting the sauce thicken up. Once it’s nice and creamy, stir in the fontina, Parmesan, and provolone cheeses along with the sun-dried tomatoes.

Step 4

Drain the pasta and add it straight into the sauce, mixing everything well to coat the noodles. Finally, fold in the cooked chicken and bacon, giving it one last good stir before serving.