Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
A creamy, tangy, and savory chicken bacon ranch pasta recipe that comes together in 30 minutes. Perfect for weeknight dinners or family gatherings.
Ingredients
- 3¾ cups uncooked rotini pasta
- 4 thick-cut bacon slices
- 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon dry ranch dressing mix
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 ½ cup 2% milk
- ½ cup reserved pasta water (optional)
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 5 teaspoons dry ranch dressing mix
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook rotini until tender yet firm, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Place bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat; cook until crispy, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels, leaving the bacon grease in the skillet.
- Sprinkle chicken pieces with 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning. Add to the skillet with bacon grease; cook until golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from skillet.
- Rinse out the skillet. Melt butter over medium heat, whisk in flour until smooth, about 2 minutes. Slowly add milk, whisking until smooth. Add pasta water if sauce is too thick.
- Stir cream cheese into sauce until melted. Mix in remaining 5 teaspoons ranch seasoning and salt. Add cooked pasta and chicken; toss until coated.
- Chop cooked bacon and mix into pasta. Garnish with parsley if desired.
