Craving a creamy chicken and corn pasta with bacon that tastes like a summer cookout and a cozy weeknight dinner all in one? This smoky, golden, ridiculously satisfying bowl of comfort is weeknight-proof, crowd-approved, and absolutely addictive — fair warning, you will go back for seconds.
There’s something almost magical about this dish. I stumbled on it during a summer when I had leftover corn on the cob, a pack of bacon I’d been “saving” (read: sneaking from), and absolutely zero plans to cook anything fancy.
What came out of that chaotic fridge scramble turned into our family’s most-requested pasta — every. single. week. It hits that sweet spot between a light summer dinner and a rich, cozy comfort meal, and it honestly couldn’t be easier to throw together.
Table of Contents
What Makes This Recipe So Good
This isn’t your average chicken pasta. We’re talking smoky, paprika-seasoned chicken thighs, sweet charred corn tossed in chili powder, crispy bacon, and a luscious Parmesan cream sauce that coats every little bow-tie noodle perfectly. It’s hearty enough to feel like a real meal but fresh enough to work as a summer dinner — kind of like a warm pasta salad had a glow-up moment.
The farfalle pasta is a big part of why this works so well. Those little bow-ties catch the creamy sauce in all their nooks and folds. You’ll also love how the corn does double duty — half gets blended into the sauce for sweetness and body, while the other half stays whole for texture and little pops of flavor in every bite.
Creamy Chicken and Corn Pasta with Bacon
Equipment
- Large pot
- Skillet
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Grater
Ingredients
Pasta & Cheese
- 10 oz farfalle pasta
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese freshly shredded
Chicken
- 1.5 lb chicken thighs or breasts boneless, skinless
- 1.5 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp salt
- black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Corn
- 2 cups corn kernels cooked
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Everything Else
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 strips bacon cooked and chopped
- fresh herbs for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the farfalle pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Shred the Parmesan cheese and let it sit near the stove so it comes to room temperature.
- Slice the chicken into strips and season with smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet and cook the chicken until golden and fully cooked. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add corn, olive oil, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes, then remove half of the corn and set aside.
- Add heavy cream to the skillet with remaining corn and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth.
- Add cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. Top with chicken, bacon, reserved corn, and fresh herbs. Serve immediately.
Notes
Ingredients
Pasta & Cheese
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Farfalle (bow-tie) pasta | 10 oz |
| Parmesan cheese, freshly shredded | ½ cup |
Chicken
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breasts | 1.5 lb |
| Smoked paprika | 1½ tsp |
| Italian seasoning | 1 tsp |
| Salt | ¼ tsp |
| Freshly ground black pepper | to taste |
| Olive oil | 2 tbsp |
Corn
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Cooked corn kernels (about 4 ears) | 2 cups |
| Olive oil | 1 tbsp |
| Smoked paprika | 1 tsp |
| Chili powder | 1 tsp |
| Salt and pepper | to taste |
Everything Else
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Heavy cream | 1 cup |
| Cooked bacon strips | 8 strips |
| Fresh herbs (thyme, oregano, or marjoram) | for garnish |
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Get Your Pasta Going
Bring a big pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook your farfalle according to package directions — usually 10 to 12 minutes — until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Pro tip: don’t just stand there watching the water boil. Use this time to get your chicken and corn ready. Multitasking is basically a kitchen superpower.
Step 2: Prep That Parmesan
Shred your ½ cup of Parmesan cheese now, before you start cooking. Here’s the thing — cold, pre-shredded cheese doesn’t melt well into a sauce. It clumps. It’s sad.
What I do is place the freshly shredded cheese in a heatproof bowl near the stove so it gently warms up from the ambient heat. By the time you’re ready to add it to the sauce, it’ll melt beautifully and turn everything silky smooth.
Step 3: Cook the Chicken
Slice your chicken thighs into thinner strips — this helps them cook faster and more evenly. Season generously with smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Don’t be shy with the paprika. It’s what gives the chicken that gorgeous, deep reddish color.
Heat a large, high-sided, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes per side until cooked through and beautifully golden. Remove to a plate and resist the urge to nibble the whole thing before it makes it into the pasta.
Step 4: Make the Creamy Corn Sauce
This is where things get really fun. To the same skillet (don’t you dare wipe it out — those chicken juices are pure flavor gold), add your cooked corn kernels, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 1 teaspoon chili powder.
Stir everything together and cook on low heat for about 3 minutes. The corn will soak up all those spices and those gorgeous chicken drippings. Your kitchen is going to smell absolutely incredible right about now.
Remove half of the corn to a plate and set aside — you’ll use it for topping later.
Step 5: Build the Sauce
Add 1 cup of heavy cream to the skillet with the remaining corn. Bring it to a gentle simmer — not a rolling boil, just a soft, bubbly simmer. Then add your warmed-up Parmesan cheese and stir on low heat until it melts into the cream.
What you’ll get is this dreamy, golden, corn-studded cream sauce that smells like everything good in the world. It’s almost too pretty to cover with pasta. Almost.
Step 6: Bring It All Together
Add the cooked, drained farfalle straight into the sauce and toss to coat every single noodle. Add the cooked chicken on top. Then pile on the chopped crispy bacon and the reserved corn kernels. Finish with a handful of fresh herbs — thyme, oregano, or marjoram all work beautifully here and add a pop of color.
Serve immediately and brace yourself for compliments.
Expert Tips, Variations & Troubleshooting
Tips for the Best Result
Use chicken thighs if you can. They’re juicier and more forgiving than breasts. But breasts work too — just watch the cooking time so they don’t dry out.
Shred your own Parmesan. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly. Grabbing a wedge and shredding it yourself takes two extra minutes and makes a huge difference in the sauce texture.
Don’t skip the resting corn trick. Pulling half the corn into the sauce and keeping half for topping gives you this beautiful contrast — creamy depth in the sauce and sweet, lightly charred bites on top.
Variations to Try
Make it a summer salad pasta. Let everything cool, toss it with a squeeze of lemon and some arugula, and serve it cold. It’s fantastic as a pasta salad at cookouts and potlucks.
Swap the protein. Grilled shrimp or leftover rotisserie chicken work great here instead of cooked-from-scratch chicken. This is a wonderful recipe for using up what you’ve got.
Add a kick. A pinch of cayenne or a drizzle of hot sauce takes this from cozy to lively. Great if you love that slow, smoky heat.
Go green. Toss in a handful of fresh spinach or baby kale right before serving. It wilts beautifully into the warm sauce and gives you a little something extra — kind of like what happens in our spinach garlic meatballs which are another weeknight favorite.
Troubleshooting
Sauce too thick? Add a splash of the reserved pasta cooking water (you saved some, right?) and stir. Pasta water is liquid magic — the starch loosens thick sauces without diluting the flavor.
Cheese clumping instead of melting? Your skillet was probably too hot or your cheese was too cold. Keep the heat on low when adding cheese, and make sure it’s been sitting out for a few minutes.
Pasta sticking together? Toss it with a tiny drizzle of olive oil right after draining if you’re not adding it to the sauce immediately.
Storage Instructions
| Method | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator (airtight container) | Up to 4 days | Flavors get even better the next day |
| Freezer | Up to 2 months | Sauce may separate slightly when thawed |
Reheating
Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of cream or milk to loosen the sauce. Microwave works too — cover loosely and heat in 60-second intervals, stirring between each.
No-Waste Kitchen Ideas
Leftover corn kernels? Toss them into scrambled eggs in the morning or blend them into a quick corn soup. Extra bacon? (Okay, is there ever really “extra” bacon?) Crumble it over a bowl of soup or use it to top a baked potato. And those fresh herb stems? Steep them in olive oil for a fragrant herb oil to drizzle on everything.
Nutritional Information
Per serving, based on 4 servings. Approximate values.
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | ~680 kcal |
| Protein | ~42g |
| Carbohydrates | ~52g |
| Fat | ~32g |
| Saturated Fat | ~13g |
| Fiber | ~3g |
| Sodium | ~680mg |
Creamy Chicken and Corn Pasta with Bacon FAQs
Can I use frozen corn instead of fresh corn on the cob?
Absolutely! Frozen corn kernels are a great shortcut here — just thaw them first and pat them dry so they sear in the pan rather than steam. Fresh corn has a slightly sweeter flavor, but frozen corn works beautifully in this creamy chicken pasta recipe, especially when you season it well with smoked paprika and chili powder.
Can I make this ahead of time?
You can! Cook everything and store it separately — keep the pasta in one container and the sauce with chicken, corn, and bacon in another. When you’re ready to serve, reheat the sauce in a skillet, toss in the pasta, and top with the bacon and fresh herbs. Storing them separately keeps the pasta from getting soggy.
What pasta shapes work best besides farfalle?
Penne, rigatoni, or rotini all work wonderfully here. You want a short pasta shape with ridges or pockets that can catch that creamy corn sauce. Long pastas like spaghetti or fettuccine work in a pinch, but they don’t hold the sauce quite as well.
Can I make this lighter or dairy-free?
For a lighter version, swap the heavy cream for half-and-half or even a splash of whole milk thickened with a little cream cheese. For dairy-free, full-fat coconut cream actually works surprisingly well here — it adds a subtle sweetness that plays really nicely with the corn and smoked paprika.
More Recipes You’ll Love
If this creamy chicken and corn pasta hit the spot, you might also love these other easy favorites from around here:
- Fluffy Strawberry Shortcake Puppy Chow — a sweet, no-bake snack that’s impossible to stop eating
- Kool-Aid Grapes — the most fun summer treat, period
- No-Bake Cheerio and Peanut Butter Bars — quick, satisfying, and great to have in the fridge all week
Give This Recipe a Try!
There you have it — a bowlful of smoky, creamy, bacony, corny goodness that’ll earn you permanent “amazing cook” status at your dinner table. Whether you’re making it for a weeknight chicken pasta, serving it up as a summer dinner, or bringing it to a potluck as a fancy pasta salad situation, this recipe delivers every time.
If you make it, I’d love to hear how it turns out! Drop a comment below and let me know what you thought. And if you’re on Pinterest, please save and share this recipe — it helps more people find it and honestly makes my day every single time. 📌
Happy cooking!
