When the craving for restaurant favorites hits, this farfalle with chicken & roasted garlic is the solution! This creamy, dreamy pasta is a Cheesecake Factory favorite, but is incredibly easy and quick to make at home. Packed with salty pancetta, sweet caramelized onions, and luscious roasted garlic, this pasta dish truly has it all!
If you are a fan of Cheesecake Factory pastas like me, you'll want to try my homemade version of their tomato basil pasta, Cheesecake Factory Pumpkin Cheesecake, Cheesecake Factory spicy rigatoni vodka, or this Cheesecake Factory Meatloaf Recipe too!
This pasta goes perfectly with their signature bread, but if you can't get your hands on that, my homemade garlic parmesan dinner rolls, or air fryer garlic bread are always a good idea.
Jump to:
👩🏽🍳 Why This Recipe Works
- A true restaurant copycat: This recipe truly brings the restaurant home - you can even make this a Cheesecake Factory-sized portion, too!
- Delicious additions: This pasta dish is packed with almost every delicious add-in you can think of. From sweet onions to bright green peas, every bite has something to love.
- Cozy and comforting: If you are in the mood for comfort food, this will definitely satisfy the craving. This creamy pasta is exactly the kind of dinner you'll want to cozy up with.
🥘 Ingredient notes
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: Chicken breasts are the ideal cut for this pasta, and most pasta in general, as they are leaner than chicken thighs. They also have a better thickness to them, to make for nice bite-sized chunks.
- Farfalle pasta: Farfalle pasta is sometimes referred to as bowtie pasta - this is the pasta that is used in the restaurant version of this recipe. It has all the right crevices to hold onto the cream sauce.
- Pancetta: Pancetta is a pork product that is typically cured, or uncured however dry-aged using salt. Unlike bacon, pancetta is not smoked, so it does not add an overwhelming flavor to the pasta.
- Parmesan cheese: I always recommend going for a wedge of parmesan cheese that is wrapped in the grocery store. Authentic parmesan cheese will have a stamp on the rind. You can use grated parmesan cheese that you find in the store in a pinch, but avoid the canned version.
- Roasted garlic: I like to make my roasted garlic in the air fryer, however you can make it in the oven as well.
- Green peas: Frozen green peas are completely fine in this recipe - they are flash frozen so they retain their freshness and brightness. They also heat through incredibly fast. I would avoid using canned peas as the flavor is slightly muted.
A full list of ingredients with measurements is located on the recipe card, below.
📖 Substitutions
- Farfalle pasta: You can substitute farfalle for any other short pasta - fusilli, penne, or mafaldine will all work perfectly. You want to opt for a pasta that will hold onto the sauce.
- Pancetta: You can use thick-cut bacon, or even guanciale if you prefer.
- Parmesan cheese: Asiago cheese or pecorino romano will work in place of parmesan cheese.
- Chicken breast: Feel free to use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken in place of fresh chicken breast.
🔪 Variations
- Lemon: Finish the creamy sauce with fresh lemon juice and zest, for a bright twist on this pasta dish.
- Vegetarian: Leave the chicken breast and pancetta out, for an equally as delicious vegetarian pasta dish.
- Extra vegetables: Add in extra vegetables such as asparagus or mushrooms, to amp up the veggie factor in this pasta.
⏲️ Step-by-step Instructions
Prep Work Before Cooking
- Collecting all your ingredients: This will make cooking so much easier. Gather all the spices you will need, and keep them nearby.
- Prepare the roasted garlic - Roast the the whole garlic heads in the air fryer, or in the oven. Let the garlic cool, and keep aside.
- Boil water - Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water once the water has come to a boil.
Boil the farfalle pasta until al dente - this will usually take 10-12 minutes. Reserve ½ a cup of the pasta water, and drain the pasta. Set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet, and add the sliced onions to the skillet. Let the onions sweat slightly until translucent. [photo 1]
Add the pancetta to the onions in the skillet, and let the pancetta fat render while the onions continue to caramelize. Turn the heat to medium-low to prevent the onions and pancetta from burning. [photo 2]
While the onions are caramelizing, season the cubed chicken breast with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add the seasoned chicken breast to the skillet once the onions are caramelized and the pancetta is crisp. [photo 3]
Saute the chicken until it is browned, and cooked through. Once the chicken has cooked through, turn the heat to low and add the heavy cream, parmesan cheese, whole cloves of roasted garlic and sundried tomatoes to the skillet. Let the sauce simmer for 2-3 minutes to thicken. Taste and season with salt to your taste. [photo 4]
Add the pasta, and green peas to the skillet along with a splash of pasta water. Toss in the sauce so that the pasta is fully coated, and serve!
💭 Expert Tips
- Keep your heat low: Cream sauces typically break when the heat is too high. To ensure a creamy, silky smooth sauce, keep your heat low and allow the sauce to slowly simmer and thicken.
- Do not rush the onions: The onions will take a little bit of time to get soft and caramelized - this is normal! Do not rush the onions, otherwise you will miss out on the sweetness that they add to the pasta.
- If you do not have an air fryer: You can roast your garlic in the oven if you do not have an air fryer. Cut the top off of the garlic bulb, and drizzle liberally with olive oil. Season with salt, and wrap up tightly in foil. Roast at 375°F for 1 hour.
🍽 Make Ahead & Storage
Because this sauce is cream based, it is best enjoyed fresh. If you do want to make this pasta ahead of time, you can reheat it with some additional cream.
Leftover pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge, for 2-3 days. The pasta may dry out in the fridge, so it is best to reheat on the stove with additional cream on low heat.
I do not recommend freezing leftover pasta, as the cream sauce will likely curdle or break when defrosted.
⭐ Recipe FAQs
You can absolutely go with a high-quality store-bought alfredo sauce to save some time in a pinch.
Absolutely - you can substitute chicken for grilled shrimp, or even hot or sweet Italian sausage.
The spice level of this pasta is completely customizable! Make this dish spicy with some red chilli flakes, or Calabrian chilli oil!
Looking for more fast pasta dinners? Browse my full list of quick weeknight meals, including easy pasta dishes that are perfect for busy nights.
Looking for more meal inspiration? Subscribe to our newsletter for weekly recipe roundups, straight to your inbox! Follow us on our socials, on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook! If you try one of our recipes, let us know how it was by rating and commenting!
Farfalle with Chicken & Roasted Garlic {Cheesecake Factory}
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups Farfalle pasta
- 8 cups Water
- 1 Large onion - thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil
- 4 oz Pancetta - diced
- 2 Chicken breasts - cubed
- 2 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon Sea salt
- 2 teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 cup Heavy cream
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 bulb Roasted garlic
- ½ cup Sun-dried tomatoes - packed in oil, finely chopped
- ½ cup Green peas
Instructions
- Prepare one batch of roasted garlic in the air fryer, cool and set aside.1 bulb Roasted garlic
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, salt the water liberally. Boil the farfalle pasta until al dente. Reserve ½ a cup of the pasta water, and drain the pasta. Set aside.2 cups Farfalle pasta, 8 cups Water
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet, and add the sliced onions to the skillet. Let the onions sweat slightly until translucent.1 Large onion, 2 tablespoon Olive oil
- Add the pancetta to the onions in the skillet, and let the pancetta fat render while the onions continue to caramelize. Turn the heat to medium-low to prevent the onions and pancetta from burning.4 oz Pancetta
- While the onions are caramelizing, season the cubed chicken breast with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add the seasoned chicken breast to the skillet once the onions are caramelized and the pancetta is crisp.2 Chicken breasts, 2 teaspoon Garlic powder, 2 teaspoon Sea salt, 2 teaspoon Black pepper
- Saute the chicken until it is browned, and cooked through. Once the chicken has cooked through, turn the heat to low and add the heavy cream, parmesan cheese, whole cloves of roasted garlic and sundried tomatoes to the skillet. Let the sauce simmer for 2-3 minutes to thicken. Taste and season with salt to your taste.1 cup Heavy cream, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, ½ cup Sun-dried tomatoes
- Add the pasta, and green peas to the skillet along with a splash of pasta water. Toss in the sauce so that the pasta is fully coated, and serve!½ cup Green peas
✱Recipe Notes
- Keep your heat low: Cream sauces typically break when the heat is too high. To ensure a creamy, silky smooth sauce, keep your heat low and allow the sauce to slowly simmer and thicken.
- Do not rush the onions: The onions will take a little bit of time to get soft and caramelized - this is normal! Do not rush the onions, otherwise you will miss out on the sweetness that they add to the pasta.
- If you do not have an air fryer: You can roast your garlic in the oven if you do not have an air fryer. Cut the top off of the garlic bulb, and drizzle liberally with olive oil. Season with salt, and wrap up tightly in foil. Roast at 375°F for 1 hour.
Michelle says
This made for a great Saturday night comfort meal. We all really enjoyed it! I prepared exactly as written and it was excellent. I don't think I'd make any changes except I might try to lighten it up a bit if enjoying on a regular basis. Thanks for the inspiration!
Sunena Anand says
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Michelle! 🙂