Creamy chicken, bacon & tomato pasta recipe

Ingredients

• 3 cups whole wheat bow tie pasta, uncooked (farfalle)
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
• 3 slices crumbled cooked bacon
• 1 (14½ ounce) can Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
• 4 ounces Neufchatel cheese, cubed
• ½ cup water
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated

1. Cook pasta as directed on package.
2. Meanwhile, cook chicken in large skillet on medium heat 5 to 6 minute or until chicken is done, stirring occasionally. Add bacon, tomatoes, Neufchatel cheese, water and pepper; mix well. Cook 3 minute or until Neufchatel cheese is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring frequently.
3. Drain pasta; place in serving bowl. Add sauce; mix lightly. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
How to Prepare Perfect Pasta
4. To prepare perfect pasta, follow the package directions to ensure that enough water is used for cooking the pasta. Add the pasta to the boiling salted water and cook until al dente (tender but still a little firm to the bite), stirring frequently. To prevent pasta from sticking to the pan, add it slowly to plenty of boiling water and stir frequently while cooking. Adding oil to the cooking water is not recommended because some sauces may not cling to pasta coated with oil.
Food Facts
5. Some cooks prefer to drain the pasta well to prevent excess water from diluting the sauce, while others like a little moisture to help prevent pasta from sticking together. In any case, reserve a few tablespoons of cooking water to add to pasta if it starts to stick together or if you want to dilute the sauce.