CHICKEN BACON RANCH PASTA

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta a delicious, filling & comforting meal perfect for any night of the week. This recipe for easy pasta is packed with crispy bacon, cheese, chicken and a savory ranch sauce to bring it all together!

Chicken penne pasta is such a great meal for the family, it’s loaded with amazing flavors and everyone is sure to enjoy it! This chicken bacon pasta recipe is so versatile, you can change up the pasta type or even swap out the meat selection if you want.

Creamy Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

You are going to love this simple pasta recipe, the flavors are subtle and wonderful! The ranch dressing infuses the chicken with amazing taste, making every bite simply delicious. Each bite is as cheesy as the last because we use a short pasta, the sauce can coat every piece well. This is one family meal you won’t soon forget. Serve it up for dinner and watch how fast it disappears!

Why you’ll enjoy this Easy Cheesy Chicken Pasta Dish

• Simple to make! This recipe is very easy to follow along with, making it a quick dish to whip up for a weekday dinner or even a dish to serve to guests.
• Basic ingredients. You do not need much to make this recipe, but you will need a few items. You may even be surprised how many ingredients you already have in your kitchen.
• 30 minutes or less. With a little prep and a fast cook time, you can easily have this recipe completed in about 30 minutes or less. That’s a win if you ask me!

Ingredients

Pasta: You will need one 16-ounce box of cooked pasta for this main dish recipe. I used Penne but you can use any short pasta shells like rotini, fusilli or farfalle.

Pasta water: Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before you drain your pasta. If you forget to reserve pasta water you can also use 1 cup of chicken broth instead.

Butter: Use 3 tablespoons of butter, unsalted or salted, depending on what you have on hand.

Bacon bits: You will need ⅓ cup of bacon bits so there are plenty of bacon pieces in every serving.

Chicken: Use 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts that have been diced into small bite-sized pieces for the protein in this dish.

Ranch seasoning: You will need 1 envelop of ranch seasoning dressing, you can use the buttermilk version as well if you’d like.

Flour: Use 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour to help thicken the sauce nicely.

Salt and pepper: You will need to add salt and pepper to taste. Note that you may not want to add any in at all because the ranch packet really helps to give a lot of flavors.

Mozzarella: Use 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese for more amazing flavor in this dish. I like to use cheese blocks that I shred myself to get a smoother consistency because the store-bought pre-shredded cheese has anticaking ingredients on it.

Bacon slices: This is optional but you can add 6 slices of cooked bacon on top for added garnish and taste.

How to make Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

Prep

Start by cooking the pasta according to the package directions. Be sure to reserve 1 cup of pasta water when draining the pasta, for a future step.

Then, dice the chicken breasts into small pieces to prepare for cooking.

If you are using fresh bacon for the bacon bits, fry your bacon or bake it in the oven. Try this recipe for the easiest way to cook bacon.

After that, heat a separate deep saucepan (I used a 7-quart pot) over medium heat.

Cooking time

If you are using packaged bacon bits, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the heated saucepan. Then add in the bacon bits and stir for up to 2 minutes. If you have made fresh bacon bits, hang tight on this step.

If desired, you can add in 1/3 cup of diced onions at this point and cook until translucent (about 2-3 minutes). This is optional and does not change the delicious outcome of this recipe.

Now, add the chicken pieces to the saucepan and sprinkle with the ranch dressing mix.

Proceed to cook the chicken over medium heat while stirring, to cook the chicken evenly. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink in color, this should take 7-9 minutes for small chunks.

Make the roux

Once the chicken is fully cooked, add 1 more tablespoon of butter and the flour to the pot and stir until incorporated.

Next, add in the 1 cup of reserved pasta water (or chicken broth) and mix again until fully combined.

Assembly

Now, stir in your cooked pasta and mix until evenly coated.

Then, add in the shredded cheese and mix until fully incorporated.

Lastly, add in the freshly made bacon bits and stir to thoroughly distribute throughout the entire pasta dish.

If desired, you can crumble additional bacon over the top of your serving plates and sprinkle some grated parmesan cheese too.

Serve fresh and warm, enjoy!

How long is this chicken pasta good for?

You can keep the leftovers from this pasta dish in an airtight or well covered container for up to 3 days in the fridge or for up to 3 months if stored in the freezer.

Can I make this chicken bacon ranch pasta recipe ahead?

Yes, you can prepare the recipe as directed above and then place it into a foil covered casserole dish. If desired you can even sprinkle another 1-2 cups of cheese on top to make it into a casserole. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 40 minutes to heat it up when you’re ready to eat.

You are going to love these other ranch flavored recipes!

• EASY RANCH SAUSAGE ROLLS
• SMOKY RANCH DIP & GAME DAY SNACK TRAY
• RANCH CHICKEN CHEESE DIP
• GRILLED CHICKEN SALAD WITH PESTO RANCH DRESSING
• RANCH CHICKEN BACON KABOBS
• RANCH PRETZELS
• FIESTA RANCH CHICKEN PASTA SALAD
• CHEESY RANCH CHICKEN DIP
• CHICKEN BACON RANCH ENCHILADAS
• EASY CHEDDAR RANCH FONDUE
• ROASTED RANCH POTATOES

For a delicious and comforting meal look no further than this Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta! Made with all the best flavors, this recipe for easy pasta is one you’ll look forward to often.