This Chicken bacon ranch pasta combines the bold flavor of bacon and ranch with the sensibilities of chicken alfredo to create a rich, creamy, and bold pasta dish that will leave everyone asking for the recipe.
If you've been reading Golden Grace Kitchen for any length of time, you know I love rich, creamy pasta dishes. They're always so delicious, full of flavor, and everyone loves that creamy, cheesy texture.
I routinely serve dishes like my cream cheese shrimp pasta, steak pasta alfredo, and Marry Me shrimp pasta for dinner, and now I've added a new recipe to my rotation. This chicken pasta is loaded with smoky bacon with a touch of ranch flavor for the ultimate dinner.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Ranch Bacon Chicken Pasta
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Video
- Ingredients
- Flavor Variations
- How to Make This Bacon Ranch Chicken Pasta Recipe
- Hint
- Storage
- What to Serve with Bacon Ranch Chicken and Pasta
- Tips for the Best Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
- More Chicken Recipes
- FAQ
- Related
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Why You'll Love This Ranch Bacon Chicken Pasta
- Simple Ingredients: This recipe uses simple ingredients found in any kitchen or grocery store.
- Easy: The entire recipe only takes about 30 minutes from start to finish.
- Big, Bold Flavor: Every bite of this pasta dish is full of tender chicken, smoky bacon, and creamy sauce with a touch of ranch flavor.
- Versatile: This is a great recipe for an easy family dinner or to bring to your next potluck.
Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Video
Ingredients
Chicken
- Bacon: Bacon adds a smoky, salty flavor to the dish and renders the grease in which the chicken will be cooked.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: I use Springer Mountain Farms boneless skinless chicken breasts because they don't use antibiotics or hormones and never feed their chicken animal by-products.
- Seasonings: A blend of ranch, paprika, and garlic powder gives the chicken big, bold flavor.
Sauce
- Pasta: Shells are perfect for this recipe because they really hold the sauce.
- Aromatics: Shallots and minced onions give the sauce classic aromatic flavor that combines a bit of sweetness with a little bite.
- Seasonings: Ranch, garlic powder, and chicken bouillon powder give the sauce a rich, deep flavor with a bold kick.
- Heavy Cream and Chicken Broth: Heavy cream and chicken broth create a rich, flavorful base for the sauce.
- Parmesan and Cheddar Cheese: A blend of parmesan and cheddar gives the sauce a deep, cheesy flavor.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for a full list of ingredients and their exact amounts.
Flavor Variations
- Meat: The bold flavor of this sauce pairs well with chicken breasts or thighs, beef, or pork. I don't recommend seafood, as it may not stand up to the bold flavors in the sauce.
- Cheese: You can use any kind of cheddar cheese you like. Any of your other favorite bold cheeses will work, as well.
- Pasta: Any short, texture noodle will work in this recipe.
- Spicy: Add red pepper flakes or cayenne for a spicy version.
How to Make This Bacon Ranch Chicken Pasta Recipe
Chicken
1: Boil the pasta according to the directions for al dente. Then, drain it and set it aside.
2: Add the chicken and all the chicken seasonings to a bowl and toss or stir until evenly coated.
3: Cook the bacon medium-high until crispy. Then, remove the bacon, leaving the grease in the pan.
4: Add the chicken and cook while stirring until the chicken is cooked through and registers 165 degrees with a meat thermometer. Remove the chicken.
Sauce
1: Lower the heat to medium and add butter to the same pan. Then, cook the shallots, onions, and seasonings in the melted butter until fragrant.
2: Add flour and cook until the mixture is smooth. Then, add the heavy cream and chicken broth and cook until it begins to bubble slightly.
3: Add both cheeses and lower the heat to medium and cook until the sauce has thickened. Then, add the chicken, bacon, and cooked pasta and gently stir. Serve with fresh parmesan cheese.
Hint
It's important to season the chicken before beginning the recipe. This gives the chicken time to absorb the flavors and ensures the seasonings adequately cling to the chicken.
Storage
Refrigerate this dish for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Don't freeze it. Cream sauces like this one always break when defrosted.
What to Serve with Bacon Ranch Chicken and Pasta
I like to keep things simple with this recipe. I usually pair it with some gluten-free garlic bread and a salad.
Because the pasta is so hearty, I like to pair it with a lighter dessert like cinnamon roll bundt cake, Reese's Pieces Peanut Butter cookies, or grape cake.
Tips for the Best Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
- Cook the bacon on medium to medium-high. This is the sweet spot for bacon and produces crispy bacon without a burned flavor.
- Cook the chicken in the bacon grease for an extra kick of flavor.
- Be sure the pasta is cooked to al dente and no further. This prevents the pasta from breaking apart when it's stirred into the sauce.
- Dice the chicken into 1-inch cubes for even cooking and easy eating.
More Chicken Recipes
FAQ
Whether you're cooking whole breasts or diced chicken, the only way to be truly sure it's fully cooked is to use a meat thermometer. When the temperature registers 165 degrees, it's fully cooked.
Cook your bacon on medium to medium-high heat and turn it frequently. This temperature gets the bacon crispy without burning it.
Pasta that breaks apart when mixed into a sauce is almost always the result of overcooking. Cook your pasta to al dente and no further. This helps it stand up to being mixed into the sauce.
Related
★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below! I would love to hear back from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and TikTok for more delicious recipes.
📖 Recipe
Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
Ingredients
Chicken
- 6 slices bacon diced small
- 1 lb chicken breast boneless/skinless; diced small
- 1 ½ tablespoon ranch seasoning
- 1 ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Sauce
- 12 oz gluten free shells
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon dry shallots
- 2 tablespoon minced onion
- 1 tbsp ranch seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
- 2 tablespoon 1:1 gluten free flour
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup parmesan cheese
- ¾ cup cheddar cheese
Instructions
Chicken
- Boil the pasta according to the directions for al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Add the diced chicken, ranch seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, and salt to a large bowl and toss or stir to evenly coat.
- Cook the bacon in a large skillet on medium-high heat until crispy. Remove it from the pan, leaving the grease.
- Add the chicken to the pan and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees. Remove the chicken from the pan.
Sauce
- Reduce the heat to medium and melt the butter in the pan. Cook the shallots, onion, ranch, garlic powder, salt, and chicken bouillon for a minute while stirring.
- Add the flour and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
- Add the heavy cream and chicken broth and cook, stirring constantly, until it begins to bubble slightly.
- Add both cheeses and cook until the sauce has thickened.
- Gently stir in the chicken, bacon, and pasta. Serve with fresh parmesan.
Comments
No Comments