Buffalo Chicken Pasta

Ingrédients

* 32oz skinless raw chicken breast

* Garlic, salt, pepper, paprika (to taste)

* 11.5oz Barilla protein pasta

* 1 cup Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Sauce

* 2 cups fat-free evaporated milk

* 1.5 cups chicken broth (or stock)

* 50g 1/3 reduced fat cream cheese

* 200g reduced fat cheddar cheese

* 7 slices center-cut bacon

Instructions

1. Cook the Bacon: In a large pan, cook the 7 slices of center-cut bacon until crispy. Remove and set aside, leaving a bit of bacon grease in the pan for extra flavor. Crumble the bacon once cooled.

2. Griddle the Chicken: Season the chicken breasts with garlic, salt, pepper, and paprika. Grill them on the griddle over medium-high heat until golden and cooked through (about 6-7 minutes per side). Once done, chop into bite-sized pieces.

3. Cook the Pasta: While the chicken is grilling, cook the Barilla protein pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

4. Make the Creamy Buffalo Sauce: In the same pan (with the bacon grease), combine the Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Sauce, evaporated milk, and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and stir in the reduced-fat cream cheese. Let it melt and thicken, creating a creamy sauce (about 5 minutes).

5. Add the Cheese: Stir in the reduced-fat cheddar cheese until melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy.

6. Combine & Serve: Add the cooked pasta, chicken, and crumbled bacon to the creamy buffalo sauce. Toss everything together to coat evenly. Serve hot and garnish with extra crumbled bacon if you like!