Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
This chicken bacon ranch pasta combines tender chicken and smoky bacon with a rich, creamy sauce loaded with the bold flavor of ranch.
Servings: 8
Calories: 603kcal
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.
Video
Notes
Storage
- Refrigerate for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- Freezing is not recommended due to the cream used in the sauce.
- Reheat the entire amount in a skillet over medium-low heat until warm, or microwave individual portions at 1-minute intervals.
- Cook the bacon on medium to medium-high heat. This is the sweet spot for bacon, producing 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 603kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 1360mg | Potassium: 422mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1381IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 284mg | Iron: 1mg
