Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

A wooden spoon holding some pasta on it from the skillet pan below.

Enjoy a cheesy, creamy, and savory delight for dinner with our Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta recipe. This flavorful easy dinner idea combines tender chicken, crispy bacon, spiral pasta, and a creamy ranch sauce that's sure to be loved by the entire family.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword chicken bacon pasta, chicken bacon ranch pasta, ranch chicken pasta

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings

Calories 683kcal

Author Jessica - Together as Family

Equipment

Ingredients

1 box (16 oz) rotini pasta
6 strips bacon cooked & chopped
4 tablespoons butter
1 small yellow onion finely diced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2½ tablespoons ranch seasoning mix (from a packet)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
3 cups half and half
2 cups freshly shredded white cheddar cheese (or cheddar cheese)
3 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken

Instructions

Prep : Cook and crumble the bacon. Set aside for later. Cook the pasta according to the box directions. When the pasta is done, drain it in a colander (do not rinse it), and reserve it for later.
^{* I add about 1 teaspoon kosher salt in with the dried pasta to help flavor the bland pasta while cooking.}
1 box (16 oz) rotini pasta, 6 strips bacon
In a large skillet pan, over medium heat, add the butter and diced onion. Cook until the onion is soft and translucent and the butter has melted; about 5 minutes.
4 tablespoons butter, 1 small yellow onion
Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until very fragrant.
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Add the flour, ranch seasoning mix, salt and pepper into the skillet pan. Use a silicone coated whisk to whisk until it forms a smooth and a thick paste; it will be thick and that's ok.
1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 2½ tablespoons ranch seasoning mix, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Slowly pour in the half and half, while whisking constantly, and mix well.
Turn the heat up to medium-high and let the mixture simmer, while stirring frequently, until it starts to lightly boil around the edges of the pan and it has thickened. This takes about 10 minutes.
3 cups half and half
Once thickened, turn the heat off, and add in handfuls of the shredded cheese and mix thoroughly after each one.
2 cups freshly shredded white cheddar cheese
Stir in the cooked bacon (reserve some for the topping if wanted), cooked pasta, and cooked chicken until well combined.
^{* You may not use all the cooked pasta. I use about 3 cups of it only.}
3 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken

Notes

Salt Note : There is a small amount of additional salt added into the recipe, but the salt content can be varied greatly depending on ingredients used. Use salted butter or unsalted butter, add some salt to the boiling water pasta or leave it unsalted, and remember that the ranch seasoning mix does have sodium/salt in it so keep that in mind. I like to use unsalted butter (If I have it) and then salt the pasta water (about 1.5 teaspoons of kosher salt to the boiling water along with the pasta) and add the salt as called for in the recipe.

Reserve Bacon Fat : If you are cooking the bacon in a skillet pan, reserve some of the bacon grease from the pan and use it instead of the butter when cooking the onion. The bacon fat will make the dish slightly greasier but it will give the dish a big bacon flavor as well. I recommend using half bacon fat + half butter.

Don't Add The Cheese All At Once : Adding the cheese all at once can make the creamy saucy really gummy. Drop the cheese in by several smaller handfuls and mix after each one very well before adding in any additional cheese.

Ranch Seasoning : This can definitely be intensified if wanted. Use the entire packet for more ranch flavor. You could even try using a spicy ranch seasoning packet or fiesta ranch seasoning packet instead.

Cheese : Buy a block of cheese and use a cheese grater to shred it yourself. It will make a huge difference in how smooth and creamy it melts into the sauce. I don't recommend using the bagged shredded cheese. Your favorite cheese can be used; cheddar cheese, white cheddar, Pepper Jack, or Monterey Jack are all great choices.

Nutrition