This chicken bacon ranch pasta combines crispy bacon, golden brown chicken breasts, onion, and garlic in a creamy cheese sauce with a touch of ranch seasoning. Make this quick and easy pasta any night of the week and enjoy the accolades.
This is a family favorite and rightfully so. It is hearty, creamy, and delicious. The ranch seasoning is subtle yet flavorful without overpowering the dish. I love to serve this with an arugula salad or Olive Garden copycat salad.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Pasta: This recipe works with any short pasta shape, including penne, rotini, elbow macaroni, farfalle, fusilli, and cellentani pasta.
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
- Butter: You can use unsalted or salted butter.
- Milk: Whole milk works best with this recipe for a creamy cheese sauce.
- Cheddar: Use mild, regular, sharp, extra sharp, or smoked cheddar.
- Ranch seasoning: This can be found in the dressing aisle at most grocery stores
How To Make Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
Cook the pasta al dente according to the package instructions and drain well. Brown the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain on paper towels. Cook the chicken breasts in the residual bacon grease until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the cooked chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm.
Add the onion and cook until tender. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, cooking for a minute while stirring. If needed, add a little fat to the pan. You need two tablespoons of fat left in the pan. Sprinkle the onions with the flour and cook over low heat for two minutes. Slowly stir in the milk and cook over medium-low heat until thickened. Stir in the cheese until melted. Then, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Stir in the ranch seasoning, cooked pasta, bacon, and chicken.
Preparation Tips
- Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. An instant-read meat thermometer is a valuable kitchen tool.
- Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water to thin the sauce if it gets too thick.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
What to Serve With It
Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked penne pasta
- 6 slices uncooked bacon, chopped
- 1¼ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons butter see notes
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk warmed
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning
- salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta al dente according to the package instructions and drain well.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the bacon. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon to paper towels to drain.
- Cook the chicken breasts in the residual bacon grease until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. Remove the cooked chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Add the onion to the skillet over medium heat and cook until tender. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, cooking for 1 minute while stirring. Add enough butter to have 2 tablespoons of liquid fat in the skillet. Sprinkle in the flour and cook over low heat for 2 minutes.
- Slowly stir in the milk and cook over medium-low heat until thickened. Stir in the cheese until melted. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Stir in the ranch seasoning, cooked pasta, bacon, and chicken. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Notes
- Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water to thin the sauce if it gets too thick.
- When you are done cooking the onion and garlic in step #4, see how much fat you have left in the skillet. Melt enough butter so you have 2 tablespoons of fat in the skillet.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
Jerry
This recipe is a total comfort-food home run, Such an indulgently satisfying weeknight dinner. Your tips on using any short pasta shape and simple prep steps make it easily achievable and family-friendly.
Lisa
Yum! What a tasty dish and I like that it’s easy to prepare and doesn’t need a lot of ingredients. I have the grandkids this weekend, I think I’m going to try this recipe out.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Lisa! Enjoy!
Joy
Such a delicious combination! Thanks for the great recipe.
Angela
This chicken bacon ranch pasta turned out so delicious! It was easy to prepare and the entire family loved it. I can’t wait to make it again…YUM!!!
Vidhya
You combined so many great ingredients here. The pasta that with flavor AND texture. Wow! We loved it.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Vidhya!