This creamy Bowtie Pasta recipe features chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, Parmesan, farfalle, and a creamy sauce. A one-skillet, protein-packed meal with tangy flavors, it’s perfect for busy weekdays and always a family hit.
Creamy Bow tie Pasta
Our creamy Bow Tie Pasta recipe is nothing like the summer pasta salad side dish that’s been doused in dressing; rather it’s a warm and comforting complete meal that simply simmers on the stovetop.
Making this easy cheesy bow tie pasta starts by cooking chicken and vegetables in a single skillet, stirring in chicken broth, half & half, basil and bow tie noodles, and letting it simmer on the stove until the pasta is soft – it’s that simple! Stir in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese and dinner is done!
The sauce is rich, thick, and full of garlic parmesan flavor, similar to my Creamy Chicken Penne Pasta made with cream cheese, but this bow tie recipe is even easier because it boils the butterfly pasta in the same skillet as the creamy broth instead of cooking them separately.
I love how the little ridges on the farfalle gives the creamy sauce something to cling to; the shape enables it to stand up against the heft of the thick coating making it the perfect pairing of cheesy pasta and chicken that you’ll love to spear with a fork.
Why We Love Bow Tie Pasta Recipes
- Quick and easy to make in a single skillet.
- Uses a handful of simple ingredients.
- No need to boil noodles in a separate pot!
- The sauce is thick, cheesy, creamy, and full of flavor.
- Pairs perfectly with your favorite proteins and veggies.
- Family-friendly one dish dinner that’s delicious any day of the week.
Bowtie Pasta Ingredients
- Unsalted butter
- Boneless skinless chicken breast
- Yellow onion
- Sundried tomatoes packed in olive oil
- Garlic
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Chicken broth
- Half & half
- Fresh basil
- Bowtie pasta
- Heavy cream
- Parmesan cheese
Substitutions and Additions
- Pick Your Pasta: Any short, bite-sized pasta will work for this recipe. Try using shells, rotini, penne, or rigatoni instead of bowtie pasta.
- Choose Your Cheese: The grated parmesan cheese can be substituted for a grated pecorino romano or any hard Italian cheese. A combination cheese blend would work well too. You just want to make sure your cheese is grated for the best results.
- Vary The Veggies: Feel free to add in your favorite veggies like peas, broccoli, asparagus, diced bell peppers, or sliced mushrooms.
- Pair With Other Protein: You can swap the chicken for shrimp, Italian sausage, bacon bits, steak, or chorizo.
- Grab A Garnish: Top your pasta with red chili flakes and fresh chopped basil before serving if you want extra flavor and some spice.
Recommended Tools
- Heavy-duty skillet
How to Make Bowtie Pasta
- Cook The Chicken: Cook the chicken in melted butter until brown on all sides and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.
- Add The Veggies: Add the onion, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, salt, and black pepper to the chicken and cook the vegetables until softened.
- Simmer On The Stove: Stir in the chicken broth, half & half, basil, and bowtie pasta, bring the liquids to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring half way through.
- Cool: Turn off the heat, stir in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese, and allow the pasta and sauce to cool and thicken for 5 minutes.
- Serve: Garnish with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and fresh basil if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Tips For Making The Best Bowtie Pasta
- Any short pasta will work for this recipe. You will just need to keep to using ½ pound (8 ounces ~ approximately 3 cups).
- I love the flavor that the sun-dried tomatoes add to this recipe. I will often substitute a brand of sun-dried tomatoes packed in herb-seasoned olive oil for added flavor. Both options are delicious.
- If fresh basil is not available or in season, you can certainly substitute it with fresh parsley or even 1½ teaspoons of dried basil.
How to Store Bowtie Pasta
- To Store: Leftover bowtie pasta can be refrigerated, in an airtight container, for up to 2 days.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
Other Easy Dinner Recipes
- Doritos Taco Casserole
- Marry Me Chicken Recipe with Pasta
- Garlic Butter Steak Bites
- Crockpot Spaghetti
- Rainbow Spaghetti
- Cajun Shrimp Pasta
- Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta
- Cajun Chicken Pasta
Creamy Bowtie Pasta
Serves — 4
This one-skillet Bowtie Pasta, packed with chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, and tangy flavors.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1-1½ pounds boneless-skinless chicken breast (2 large pieces) cut into 1-inch cubes
- ½ cup diced yellow onion
- 2 tablespoons diced sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup half & half
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil plus additional for optional garnish
- ½ pound bowtie pasta approximately 3 cups
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 cups grated parmesan cheese plus additional for optional garnish
Instructions
- In a large, heavy-duty skillet, on medium-high heat, add the unsalted butter. Once the butter has melted, add the diced chicken breast pieces in an even layer, and allow the chicken to brown lightly on all sides and the chicken pieces are cooked through. This will take 6-8 minutes.
- Once the chicken is cooked through, then add the diced yellow onion, diced sun-dried tomatoes, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. Cook the vegetables for 2 minutes or until softened.
- Add the chicken broth, half & half, chopped fresh basil, and bowtie pasta to the skillet. Stir to combine.
- Bring the liquids to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover the skillet with a tight-fitting lid. Allow the pasta to simmer for 20 minutes. At the 10-minute mark, stir the pasta, replace the lid and finish cooking for the remaining 10 minutes.
- Once the pasta has cooked through, turn off the heat. Stir in the heavy cream and grated parmesan cheese until fully incorporated.
- Allow the pasta and sauce to cool for 5 minutes. This will give the sauce time to thicken slightly before serving. You can garnish the creamy bowtie pasta with a sprinkle of additional grated parmesan cheese and fresh chopped basil if desired before serving.
Jenn’s Notes
Yields: 4 (2-cup) servings
Storage:
- To Store: Leftover bowtie pasta can be refrigerated, in an airtight container, for up to 2 days.
- Any short pasta will work for this recipe. You will just need to keep to using ½ pound (8 ounces ~ approximately 3 cups).
- I love the flavor that the sun-dried tomatoes add to this recipe. I will often substitute a brand of sun-dried tomatoes packed in herb-seasoned olive oil for added flavor. Both options are delicious.
- If fresh basil is not available or in season, you can certainly substitute it with fresh parsley or even 1½ teaspoons of dried basil.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 913kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 58g | Fat: 61g | Saturated Fat: 31g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 241mg | Sodium: 1995mg | Potassium: 791mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1706IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 573mg | Iron: 3mg
