Garlicky Chicken and Bacon Tortellini Alfredo

An easy, no fuss, restaurant quality meal at home. Made with simple ingredients and a little bit of time, this tortellini alfredo recipe can be on the table in 30 minutes or less.

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Garlicky Chicken and Bacon Tortellini Alfredo

Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Yield: 4-6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 750 g fresh or frozen tortellini (I used 7 cheese but you can use any kind)

• 4 slices bacon, chopped

• 1 tbs butter

• 6 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 & 1/4 cup heavy cream

• 1 cup rotisserie chicken, small diced (or any cooked chicken)

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• Salt to taste (I used about 1 tsp)

• Juice and zest of 1 lemon, juice divided

• 1/4 cup pasta water

• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese plus a little more for garnish

• Truffle salt for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Start by preparing the tortellini according to the package directions, but boil it 2 minutes less than the instructions say. Strain and set aside until ready to use, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water.

2. Heat up a large pan over low heat. Once hot, add the bacon. Cook until crispy, then remove the bacon from the pan but leave the grease.

3. Add the butter and garlic to the bacon grease, and sauté for 20-30 seconds, stirring the whole time to ensure the garlic does not burn. Add the chicken and sauté another minute, then add the heavy cream, salt, pepper, and lemon zest.

4. Simmer the sauce until it has thickened. You'll know it's ready when the bubbles go from small to larger ones, and the sauce has reduced by about 1/4. This took 15-20 minutes for me, but it may take more or less time for you depending on your stove.

5. Add half of the lemon juice and stir immediately to avoid curdling the cream.

6. Add the tortellini and reserved pasta water to the sauce, and turn the heat up to medium low. Stir in 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, the remaining lemon juice and the reserved bacon. Allow the pasta to simmer for 3-4 minutes to allow the tortellini to finish cooking. Remove from heat and garnish with more Parmesan and truffle salt.

NOTES

• To make this dish without bacon, simply omit the bacon and increase the butter from 1 tbs to 2. Skip step 2 and continue the recipe.