I know this sounds a little crazy, but trust me on this one: BBQ sauce and pasta are an awesome combination! When I first created this recipe back in 2017, it was an original idea! You just didn’t see BBQ sauce in pasta as you do now. I mean, I’ve always been firmly in the camp of people who put barbecue sauce in everything, so it was never a stretch for us. This BBQ Chicken Pasta recipe is made with simple ingredients, and it’s an easy one-pot meal that the whole family loves! Ready in just 30 minutes it’s perfect for busy weeknight meals, I also love just how easy it is to make. And when I find an easy dinner idea that my kids will eat without grumbling, and cooks in just one pot, I just want to shout it from the rooftops. Am I the only one? This recipe came about one day when I was still working out of the home and needed something super quick to feed my two-year-old. And we know how 2-year-olds can be! Since then, this pasta has been a regular on our rotation, and for good reason – it’s delicious. If your family loves all things BBQ chicken – as we do! – then I know they’ll love this, too! Try some of my other pasta dishes with my Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta, this Rigatoni Pasta Bake, and my Sun Dried Tomato Pasta!
Ingredients Needed:
Bacon: use smoky bacon to get that delicious barbecue flavor. Onion: I have used a white onion but you can use red onion if you prefer. Chicken: boneless skinless chicken breasts work well in this recipe. You can use leftover chicken breast or shredded chicken if you have it! Garlic: freshly minced garlic will give you the best flavor here. Salt: salt brings out all the flavor! Red Pepper Fakes: they will add a bit of a kick (but not a lot) to this BBQ chicken dish! You can omit them if you prefer a milder flavor. Broth: I use a low-sodium chicken broth for this recipe, low-sodium broths will allow you to better control the saltiness of the dish. Tomatoes: canned diced tomatoes will be the base for the rich and flavorful sauce in this dish. I don’t recommend omitting them as the juices form part of the liquid needed to cook the pasta. Milk: Whole milk will give you the creamiest flavor, but you can use any kind of milk or even cream for a richer flavor. BBQ Sauce: use your favorite kind of barbecue sauce here, it will impact the flavor of the dish so you can get creative! Pasta: I used rotini pasta but you can use another type of short pasta here. Cheese: buy a block of cheese that you can shred yourself for the best flavor here. Marble, mozzarella, or cheddar cheese will work well.
How to Make BBQ Chicken Pasta
This recipe couldn’t be easier! Full instructions are included in the recipe card below.
BBQ Chicken Pasta Variations
Tomatoes. You can leave out the diced tomatoes if you don’t have them or don’t like them, but you will want to increase the cooking liquid (either with the broth or the milk) by ¼ cup if you do this. If you notice the pasta is not cooked but the liquid has all absorbed, add ¼ cup more until the pasta is cooked to al dente. Milk. The milk just adds a little creaminess but isn’t essential. If you don’t have any or want to keep this recipe dairy free, just swap it for chicken broth and leave out the cheese if need be. Pasta. Any short variety of pasta works here! Changing it out won’t change the cooking time significantly (you may need to add or reduce a couple minutes). Spice it up. If you want more spice, choose a spicy barbecue sauce, add a pinch of red pepper flakes, or add some cayenne pepper to the mix. Smoky flavor. Add some liquid smoke or smoked paprika for an extra smoky flavor! Bacon. You can skip the bacon if you don’t have any or prefer not to use it! You will just need to add a bit of oil to cook your onion and chicken. Veggies. You can add in some chopped veggies to add color and more nutrients to this dish. Try some chopped bell pepper, sweet corn, or even legumes like black beans, would work well in this one-pot meal!
Serving Suggestions
Make this BBQ Chicken Pasta dish into a fuller meal by adding some yummy side dishes! Vegetables are always a go-to side dish. They add fresh flavors, color to your dinner table, and loads of nutrients. You can add some to the dish itself, or just on the side. Try this Homemade Creamed Corn, this Easy Broccoli Salad, and this Homemade Coleslaw Recipe, or check out my list of The Best BBQ Sides for Summer for some more of my favorites! We always have bread on our dinner table too, so why not try some of my Homemade Crescent Rolls, these Homemade Breadsticks, or this classic Garlic Bread.
More One-Pot Recipes to Try
Italian Sausage Gnocchi Skillet
Italian Crockpot Chicken and Potatoes
Easy Crockpot White Chicken Chili
Green Chile Mac and Cheese
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