Smoky, cheesy and utterly delicious, this BBQ Chicken Pasta is the perfect comfort food for a busy weeknight. It has tender chicken bits and crispy pancetta in a super flavorful BBQ tomato sauce, plus melty mozzarella for the ultimate finish touch.
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If you love bold, rich pasta sauces, this BBQ chicken pasta recipe is for you! With a mix of well-seasoned chicken and smoky pancetta, this is the kind of recipe you may want to double because people may reach for seconds.
Even though the list of ingredients is a bit long, this smoky chicken pasta is a very simple recipe that comes together super quickly, just perfect for a busy weeknight.
And if you love easy yet super flavorful chicken pasta recipes, have a look at my Creamy Garlic Chicken Pasta or this Creamy Chicken and Sausage Pasta next!
Why you’ll love this BBQ chicken pasta
- It’s a satisfying and delicious dinner the entire family will love.
- The smoky BBQ flavor pairs perfectly with the seasoned chicken and takes the sauce to a whole new level of goodness.
- You can have it on the table in just a bit over half an hour.
What you’ll need
Chicken breast—I like to dice the chicken into bite-sized pieces for most of my chicken pasta recipes. That’s not just because it cooks quickly, but it’s also best for infusing flavor in every little bit.
Smoked pancetta — This gives the sauce an extra dash of smokiness, which pairs perfectly with the BBQ sauce.
Seasonings — Seasoning the chicken well is essential for flavor in this recipe. I use a mix of smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion granules and dried oregano, plus salt and ground black pepper. You can also add some cayenne pepper for extra heat or add other dried herbs, like basil or marjoram.
Vegetables — A mix of onions and red bell peppers makes the perfect base for this smoky chicken pasta. You can also add mushrooms or zucchini if you like.
Tomatoes — Canned diced tomatoes are perfect in this sauce. You can substitute with crushed tomatoes.
BBQ sauce — Your favorite shop-bought brand is fine here.
Pasta — I used mezzi rigatoni but any short pasta shape you prefer works well.
Mozzarella — For that cheesy goodness!
Pro tip
Don't just cook the chicken until it's done, cook it until it gets a nice, deep golden-brown sear for extra flavor.
How to make BBQ chicken pasta
This is a quick overview with step-by-step photos. See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta as directed on the package (reserve some pasta water). While the pasta cooks, season the chicken and cook it in olive oil until browned and cooked through.
Sauté the pancetta until crisp, then soften the onion and bell pepper in the fat. Add the garlic, then simmer with chicken stock, tomatoes, and BBQ sauce until slightly thickened.
Add the cooked pasta and chicken to the sauce. Loosen the sauce with pasta water if needed.
Stir in mozzarella, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.
Substitutions and variations
- You can use leftover rotisserie chicken for this BBQ chicken pasta. You’ll need about 2-3 cups of shredded chicken. However, I still recommend coating it in the seasonings for the best flavor.
- Spice it up by stirring in some cayenne pepper or a dash of your favorite hot sauce.
- Stir in some heavy cream to make the sauce extra silky.
Helpful tips
- Use a non-stick pan if you’d like to cut down the amount of olive oil. With a non-stick pan, you can skip adding the extra oil to fry the pancetta.
- While it might be tempting to add more BBQ sauce than recommended, it’s not a good idea because the flavor will be overpowering. I personally learned it the hard way when testing the recipe.
- Transform this recipe into a BBQ chicken pasta bake by transferring everything into a baking dish and adding extra mozzarella on top. Bake in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
What to serve with this smoky chicken pasta
This BBQ chicken pasta is quite a hearty meal in itself but if you want a side to go with it, serve it with some garlic bread or a simple green salad.
Leftovers and storage
- Like most pasta recipes, this BBQ chicken pasta is best served immediately. If you have leftovers, they will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat it in the microwave until piping hot.
- You can freeze leftovers for up to 3 months; thaw them in the fridge overnight before reheating.
If you’ve tried this BBQ chicken pasta recipe, please rate it and leave me a comment below! I’d love to hear how it turned out.
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BBQ Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1 lb (450 g) chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion granules
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 5 oz (150 g) smoked pancetta cubes
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
- 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ½ cup (125 ml) chicken stock
- 1 cup (150 g) diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup (75 g) BBQ sauce
- 10 oz (300 g) pasta
- ½ cup (50 g) mozzarella, grated
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1-2 cups of pasta water before draining.10 oz pasta
- Toss the diced chicken with the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion granules, oregano, salt, and pepper.1 lb chicken breast1 teaspoon smoked paprika½ teaspoon garlic powder½ teaspoon onion granules½ teaspoon dried oregano½ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan. Cook the chicken over medium-high heat until it's golden brown and cooked through. Set it aside on a plate.2 tablespoons olive oil
- Add the remaining olive oil in the same pan and sauté the pancetta until crispy.5 oz smoked pancetta cubes
- Next, add the onion and red bell pepper and cook for about 5 minutes until they soften. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.1 medium onion1 medium red bell pepper2 large garlic cloves
- Pour in the chicken stock, diced tomatoes, and BBQ sauce. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
- Add the drained pasta and cooked chicken to the sauce. Toss everything to coat well. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water.
- Stir in the mozzarella, then season to taste and serve immediately.½ cup mozzarellaSalt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition is per serving and is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
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