Copycat Cheesecake Factory Farfalle with Chicken & Roasted Garlic
Creamy farfalle pasta tossed with juicy chicken, smoky bacon, mushrooms, and sun dried tomatoes in a roasted garlic-Parmesan cream sauce. A cozy, restaurant-worthy dinner you can make at home!
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet - Perfect for searing chicken and building layers of flavor.
- Garlic Roaster - Makes roasting garlic a breeze.
- Wooden Spoon - Essential for stirring that silky sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 head roasted garlic cloves removed
- 2 chicken breasts boneless skinless
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1 pound bow tie pasta aka farfalle, cooked and drained
- 12 ounces center cut bacon cut into strips
- 8 ounces crimini mushrooms quartered
- 1/2 yellow onion chopped
- 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes chopped
- 3/4 cup white wine
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions (don’t forget to salt the water).
- Cube chicken into 1-inch pieces, season with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat. Cook chicken until browned and cooked through, 2–3 minutes per side. Remove from pan.
- In the same skillet, add bacon. Cook until crisp, then remove bacon but keep the drippings.
- Add mushrooms and onions. Cook 5–7 minutes until golden and softened. Remove and set aside with chicken and bacon.
- Stir in sun dried tomatoes and white wine. Simmer until reduced by half, about 15 minutes.
- Add heavy cream and roasted garlic. Stir in chicken, veggies, and most of the Parmesan.
- Fold in pasta and bacon. Toss to coat.
- Garnish with the remaining Parmesan and serve hot.
Notes
Pro Tips
- Batch Roast Garlic: Roast a few heads at once — it keeps in the fridge for a week and elevates everything from sauces to bread.
- Make it Meatless: Skip the chicken and bacon, double up on mushrooms and toss in some spinach or peas.
- No Wine? Use chicken broth plus a squeeze of lemon for acidity.
- Creamy Upgrade: Add a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce feels too thick.
- Wine: A crisp Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc balances the creamy sauce.
- Side Dish: A simple arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette keeps things fresh.
- Cheesy Bread Twists: Crusty garlic bread twists for soaking up every last bit of sauce.
- Dessert: Finish with something light — think panna cotta or fresh berries with whipped cream.
Nutrition
Serving: 6 ServingsCalories: 889kcalCarbohydrates: 67gProtein: 41gFat: 48gSaturated Fat: 20gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 139mgSodium: 886mgPotassium: 1130mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 805IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 220mgIron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!