Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
Ranch seasoning and crisp bacon make creamy chicken pasta a dinner with plenty of familiar appeal. The savory sauce wraps around the pasta, with tender chicken tucked among the pieces. It's easy to enjoy a bowlful while the bacon still brings a little crunch.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Original yield
- Serves 5
- Ingredients
- 11 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Primary protein
- Chicken · Pork
- Cuisine
- American
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 31–60 minutes
- Dish type
- Pasta
A few quick notes
1. Drain the bacon
Lift the browned bacon out with a slotted spoon and let it drain while the onion cooks.
2. Cook flour through
Stir flour into the seasoned chicken and cook until no white remains before adding liquid.
3. Reserve the pasta water
Save some cooking water when draining so you can bring the final sauce together if needed.
Get to know the ingredients
Ranch seasoning
Use dry Ranch seasoning, not bottled dressing, for the chicken before the flour and liquids go in.
Chicken
Cut the breasts into the specified small pieces before cooking them with the softened onion.
Bacon
Chop the thick-cut bacon before browning it so the pieces can return with the drained pasta.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 5. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 6 steps completeMake room for Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Pasta and bacon back together
Combine the drained pasta and reserved bacon with the thickened sauce, loosening with pasta water only as needed.
A little more help as you go
Use the bacon fat
Cook the onion in the bacon fat left in the skillet before adding the chicken pieces.
Freeze cooled leftovers
Cool the pasta fully and freeze airtight for up to three months, thawing overnight before reheating.
A few questions you might have
Which cream should I choose?
Any cream within the given fat range works for the sauce with the low-sodium chicken broth.
Does the garlic cook from the beginning?
Add it with Ranch seasoning after the chicken is cooked, before stirring in the flour.
Must I use all the reserved pasta water?
No, add only enough to bring the sauce together; you may not need any.
How should I reheat the pasta?
Warm it on the stove over low heat until heated through, thawing first if it was frozen.
Will leftover bacon stay as crisp?
The bacon becomes less crisp in stored leftovers, though the pasta can still be reheated and enjoyed.
Any more cooking tips?
Tips: Leftover Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep in mind that the bacon in leftovers won’t be quite as crispy. It will still taste delicious though! To freeze your pasta, cool completely, place in an airtight container, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge if frozen, then warm on the stove on low until heated through.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: thereciperebel.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
