Grilling Something Different: Grilled Chicken Pasta With Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

John Linn

​This Fourth of July, you don't have to just grill something and slop it on a plate. Grilled food can make a wonderful addition to a larger dish, like in this pasta with Gorgonzola cream sauce.

This bold, hearty pasta is livened by roasted red peppers, onion, and bacon, while the addition of Gorgonzola cheese to the cream sauce deepens the whole thing. Finishing it off with juicy slices of grilled chicken just pairs with the rich dish perfectly.

Recipe after the cut.

Grilled Chicken Pasta with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

1 pound box of thick pasta such as penne or bowtie
2 large chicken breasts
1/2 onion, diced
1 large roasted red pepper, diced
3-4 strips of raw smoked bacon, diced
2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
1.5 TBS butter
1.5 TBS flour
1.5 cups of milk
5 ounces of imported Gorgonzola cheese
1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
salt, pepper, and olive oil, and Parmesan cheese to taste

Start by rubbing your chicken breasts with plenty of salt, pepper, and olive oil. For detailed instructions on how to grill it, check out this post under the header "chicken." Once they're grilled, set aside and allow to rest.

Bring one gallon of salted water to a boil, and add pasta, stirring to prevent it from clumping together.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter and garlic together over medium heat until the garlic is soft. Add flour and mix together thoroughly, forming a roux. Allow the roux to cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes, or until it deepens in color slightly. Then add milk while stirring, just a little bit at a time, until the roux mixes with the liquid completely. Season with salt and pepper, and leave over medium heat to simmer for 5-10 minutes or until thickened slightly.

Meanwhile, heat a skillet over high heat. Add bacon and olive oil and allow to render slightly. Once the bacon has started to release its fat, add onion and roasted red pepper and saute over high heat until the ingredients begin to caramelize. Season with salt and pepper. 

To finish, drain cooked pasta thoroughly. Once the sauce has thickened, reduce to low heat and melt in Gorgonzola cheese, nutmeg, and additional Parmesan cheese (to taste). Once the sauce is completely incorporated, mix pasta, sauce, and bacon mixture in a large pasta bowl.

Slice grilled chicken breast into thin strips and place over the top of the pasta along with extra Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!