🧀 Chicken & Bacon Ranch Pasta
⏱ Time
30 minutes
👥 Serves
4–6
🧾 Ingredients
-
400 g (14 oz) pasta (penne, rotini, or farfalle work great)
-
2 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded
(grilled, baked, or rotisserie) -
6 slices bacon, chopped
-
2 tbsp butter
-
2 cloves garlic, minced
-
1 cup heavy cream
-
½ cup milk
-
1 packet (or 2 tbsp) ranch seasoning
-
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
(or cheddar + mozzarella blend) -
Salt & black pepper, to taste
-
Fresh parsley or green onions (optional)
👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Cook the pasta
-
Boil pasta in salted water until al dente.
-
Drain and set aside.
2️⃣ Cook the bacon
-
In a large pan, cook bacon until crispy.
-
Remove bacon and set aside.
-
Leave 1–2 tbsp bacon fat in the pan.
3️⃣ Make the sauce
-
Add butter to the pan.
-
Sauté garlic for 30 seconds (don’t brown).
-
Pour in cream and milk.
-
Stir in ranch seasoning.
-
Simmer gently for 3–4 minutes.
4️⃣ Combine
-
Add chicken and cooked pasta to the sauce.
-
Stir until well coated.
-
Add cheese and mix until melted and creamy.
5️⃣ Finish
-
Stir in crispy bacon.
-
Taste and adjust seasoning.
-
Garnish with parsley or green onions.
🔥 Optional Add-ins
-
Broccoli or spinach 🥦
-
Mushrooms 🍄
-
Sun-dried tomatoes 🍅
-
A pinch of chili flakes 🌶️