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Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Recipe

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★★★★

4 from 57 reviews

This creamy Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta is a delightful and comforting dish featuring tender, seasoned chicken breasts, crispy bacon, rotini pasta, and a rich homemade ranch cheese sauce. Perfect for a family dinner, this recipe combines classic flavors with a velvety texture that’s both satisfying and easy to make.

Ingredients

Scale

Protein and Seasonings

  • 6 strips bacon
  • 2 small boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • Salt, to taste
  • Pepper, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Pasta

  • 2 cups uncooked rotini pasta

Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 2 cups half and half
  • 2 tablespoons dry ranch dressing seasoning mix
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

  1. Cook the Bacon: Cook the bacon strips in a large skillet over low heat to render fat slowly for best texture and flavor. Once cooked and crispy, remove from skillet and set aside. Pour the bacon drippings into a small bowl and wipe the skillet clean. Allow bacon to cool slightly, then roughly chop.
  2. Prepare the Chicken: Slice the chicken breasts into 2-3 thinner slices each. Pat dry and season both sides lightly with salt, pepper, onion powder, and Italian seasoning. Heat 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings (or substitute olive/vegetable oil) in the skillet over medium-high heat.
  3. Sear the Chicken: Place chicken slices in the hot skillet and sear each side for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Remove to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes before cutting into bite-sized cubes.
  4. Boil the Pasta: While the chicken rests, bring salted water to a boil and cook the rotini pasta according to package instructions. Drain the pasta once cooked.
  5. Make the Sauce: In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat and sauté minced garlic for 1 minute. Add flour and stir continuously with a silicone spatula for another minute to form a roux. Warm the half and half in the microwave for 40 seconds, then gradually add it to the skillet in splashes, stirring constantly. Bring the mixture to a gentle bubble, then reduce heat to low.
  6. Finish the Sauce: Stir in the ranch dressing seasoning mix until combined. Gradually add shredded cheddar cheese, stirring well to melt and thicken the sauce. Note the sauce will thicken further when resting.
  7. Combine Pasta, Chicken, and Bacon: Add the cooked pasta to the sauce in the skillet and gently fold together using a silicone spatula. Stir in the cubed chicken to warm through. Garnish or stir in the chopped bacon before serving.

Notes

  • Low and slow cooking of bacon helps to render fat and produce crispy strips without burning.
  • Tempering the half and half by warming before adding helps to avoid lumps in the sauce.
  • You can substitute rotini with other pasta shapes like penne or fusilli.
  • For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cheddar and half and half or substitute milk, though the sauce will be less rich.
  • Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheat nicely on the stovetop or microwave.

Keywords: Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta, creamy pasta, comfort food, cheddar cheese pasta, easy dinner recipe, stovetop pasta recipe

Find it online: https://epicrecipebox.com/chicken-bacon-ranch-pasta-recipe/