Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
This rich, creamy, and so incredibly flavorful chicken pasta recipe is loaded with tender pieces of chicken, crispy bacon, ranch dressing mix, and a luscious cream cheese and Parmesan Alfredo-inspired sauce. One pot chicken bacon ranch pasta is kid-friendly, and sure to have everyone at the table asking for seconds!
Servings: 6 - 8 servings
Calories: 579kcal
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breast or chicken cutlets
- 1 pound small dried pasta We used cavatappi
- 6-7 strips thick-cut bacon about 7 oz
- 1 bunch green onions chopped and separated into green and white ends
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
- 6 cups water
- 8 ounce cream cheese cut into cubes
- 2 packets ranch dip mix
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Before cooking, slice the chicken breasts into three thin pieces to create thinner chicken cutlets. Salt and pepper the chicken cutlets on both sides. Chop the bacon. Then chop the green onions, separating the greens from the whites, and mince the garlic.
- Set a 6-8 quart Dutch oven (or a large 14-inch sauté pan) over medium heat. Add the bacon to the pan. Stir and brown the bacon for approximately 5 minutes, until crisp.
- Set a holding plate on the side of the stove. Use a slotted spoon to scoop the bacon pieces out of the grease and place them on the holding plate.
- Place the chicken cutlets in the hot bacon grease. Sauté the chicken cutlets for 3-4 minutes per side. Then move the chicken cutlets to the holding plate. *If using a sauté pan, they should all fit in the pan. If using a Dutch oven, you may have to work in batches.
- Add the scallion whites and minced garlic to the pan. Stir and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the water and pasta to the pan.
- Turn the heat up to high and bring the water to a boil. Stir and simmer the pasta for 5-10 minutes, cooking according to the package instructions. *Be sure to stir it every minute to make sure the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
- While the pasta is cooking, chop the cooked chicken cutlets into 1 inch bite-size pieces.
- Once the pasta reaches al dente, stir the cream cheese, ranch packets, and Parmesan cheese into the remaining pasta water. Stir well, and allow the sauce to thicken.
- Once the sauce is smooth and coats the pasta well, toss in the chopped chicken, bacon pieces, and scallion greens. Stir well to coat the chicken in sauce and warm it. Turn off the heat and serve warm.
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 12oz | Calories: 579kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 730mg | Potassium: 762mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 154IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 239mg | Iron: 2mg