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    Meals » Recipes » Main Dishes

    Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure for more information. Published: Mar 30, 2022 by Dee

    Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta is an easy dinner recipe made with chicken breasts, crispy bacon and penne pasta in a creamy ranch dressing. Your whole family will love this easy meal that cooks in 30 minutes! via @meamel

    Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta is an easy dinner recipe made with chicken breasts, crispy bacon and penne pasta in a creamy ranch dressing. Your whole family will love this easy meal that cooks in 30 minutes!

    Jump to Recipe -
    Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta in a skillet on the table

    All you need is one skillet to make this quick and easy chicken and pasta recipe. Chances are, you probably have everything you need in your fridge, freezer or pantry!

    We eat chicken more than any other meat, so I'm always dreaming up new and different ways to cook chicken. Some people dream of winning the lottery, but I dream about easy chicken recipes.

    So, I took a basic one pan recipe for chicken and pasta recipe and added some good old ranch flavor to it. To make it even better, I added bacon and Monterey Jack cheese to the mix.

    If you love chicken bacon ranch pasta recipes, try my Instant Pot Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta or Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad. Or skip the pasta and try Crock Pot Chicken Bacon Ranch Sliders!

    Ingredients

    You only need a few simple ingredients for this chicken bacon ranch pasta recipe. You should be able to find everything online or in your local grocery store:

    • Olive oil
    • Boneless skinless chicken breast -- cubed
    • Sea salt
    • Ground black pepper
    • Garlic powder
    • Dried minced onions
    • Italian seasoning
    • Penne pasta
    • Water or chicken broth
    • Ranch dressing -- try my homemade ranch dressing
    • Monterey Jack cheese
    • Sliced cooked bacon -- crumbled
    • Chopped fresh parsley

    How to Make Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

    First, chop up your chicken breasts into cubes. Then, heat some olive oil in a large skillet.

    Toss the chicken into the skillet. Next, season the chicken, and cook on medium heat until no longer pink.

    cubed chicken breasts in non stick skillet

    Now, toss in your uncooked penne pasta and water. We're only using 2 cups of pasta here so that you can fit everything into one skillet.

    penne pasta, water and chicken in skillet

    Cook Time

    Keep an eye on the pasta, and stir frequently. The pasta takes about 10 minutes to cook to al dente texture.

    When the pasta is almost done, stir in your ranch dressing.

    Then, stir in the shredded cheese. When it's nice and creamy, add some cooked, crumbled up bacon bits.

    The total cook time is around 20 to 25 minutes.

    If you find the dish is a little on the thick side, just thin it out with a little bit of milk.

    chicken with pasta, ranch and monterey jack cheese in a skillet

    Bacon makes everything better, right?! Toss in some chopped parsley if you want for an extra pop of color.

    That's all there is to it. Now, you're ready to eat this delicious pasta dish for dinner tonight!

    chicken bacon ranch pasta on wooden spoon

    Variations

    There are a few different ways to customize this easy ranch chicken pasta.

    If you don't want to use Monterey Jack, add your favorite cheese to make the creamy cheese sauce instead. Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, and Colby Jack cheese are great options.

    You can also use whatever type of pasta you like, instead of penne.

    To make this easy pasta dish even easier, use rotisserie chicken instead of cooking chicken breasts.

    Skip the seasoning by using a ranch dressing mix instead.

    How to Store and Reheat

    Store any leftover chicken pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where it'll keep for 3 to 4 days.

    For longer storage, freeze leftovers in a freezer safe container,

    Reheat individual portions of the pasta in the microwave.

    ranch chicken pasta with bacon on a wooden spoon

    Post was originally published in 2017 and has been updated as of March 2022

    Recipe

    chicken bacon ranch pasta in skillet with parsley

    Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

    Published by Dee
    Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta is an easy dinner recipe made with chicken breasts, crispy bacon and penne pasta in a creamy ranch dressing. Your whole family will love this easy meal that cooks in 30 minutes!
    5 from 9 votes
    Print Recipe Share by Text Share by Email
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 25 minutes mins
    Course Main
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6
    Calories 432 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast cubed
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon dried minced onions
    • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
    • 2 cups penne pasta
    • 2 cups water
    • 1 cup ranch dressing
    • 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese
    • 4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
    • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

    Instructions
     

    • Add the olive oil to a large skillet, add chicken and season chicken with sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, onions and Italian seasoning, and cook over medium high heat until no longer pink
    • Add pasta and water, cover, and cook over medium high heat until pasta is nearly al dente and water is mostly absorbed, stirring frequently
    • Lower heat to medium or low, stir in ranch dressing and cheese, and cook until pasta is done, and cheese is melted and creamy
    • Stir in bacon and parsley, and serve

    Notes

    I use homemade ranch, but you can use any kind. If dressing is very thick, you may need to add some milk or water to the skillet so that the sauce will be creamy.
    You can use cheddar or Colby Jack cheese instead of Monterey Jack, but flavor will be slightly different.

    Nutrition information is estimated. Please do your own calculation to fit special diets.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 432kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 21gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 66mgSodium: 837mgPotassium: 334mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 180IUVitamin C: 2.8mgCalcium: 129mgIron: 1.1mg
    Tried this recipe? Please comment and rate it! Show me your dish on Instagram!Mention @meatloafandmelodrama or tag #meatloafandmelodrama!

    I hope you enjoy this cheesy chicken bacon ranch pasta as much as my entire family does! It's one of my favorite recipes for a busy weeknight!

    For more easy recipes, family favorite dinners, and delicious recipe ideas, be sure to subscribe to the newsletter and follow me on social media!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Suzy says

      May 19, 2020 at 9:36 am

      We love to make one pot meals! So quick and easy! This pasta is so tasty!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        May 28, 2020 at 3:15 pm

        So glad you liked it! Thanks, Suzy.

    2. Kevin says

      May 18, 2020 at 12:20 pm

      I have to make this for dinner! I love how easy cleanup will be too!5 stars

      Reply
    3. Jacque Hastert says

      May 18, 2020 at 10:11 am

      I love this easy and cheesy dinner recipe! I have added it to my menu for next week.5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        May 24, 2020 at 8:57 pm

        I hope you like it, Jacque!

    4. Toni says

      May 17, 2020 at 10:44 am

      This is perfect for dinner any night of the week!5 stars

      Reply
    5. Catalina says

      May 17, 2020 at 4:43 am

      Pasta is always a favorite in our house! I will make this recipe for dinner tonight!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        May 18, 2020 at 9:36 pm

        Thanks! Hope you enjoy it, Catalina.

    6. Erin says

      May 15, 2020 at 7:26 pm

      This Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta looks totally awesome!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        May 30, 2020 at 8:29 pm

        Thanks a bunch! Hope you get a chance to try it!

    7. Beth Pierce says

      May 15, 2020 at 5:51 pm

      I made this last week! It was absolutely delicious! Thanks for the great recipe!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        May 16, 2020 at 12:26 pm

        Thank you so much, Beth! I'm happy you liked it!

    8. Deanna Hagy says

      April 18, 2020 at 5:46 pm

      This was really good. However, I started out with 1 cup of water and the pasta started to burn on the bottom and I ended up having to add almost 3 cups of water. That was just about right. Nice and flavorful though. My husband is also a ranch freak, LOL and he loved it. 🙂

      Reply
      • Dee says

        May 15, 2020 at 2:27 pm

        I just updated the recipe, so it should be better. Thanks for letting me know and glad you liked it!

    9. Miz Helen says

      July 31, 2017 at 11:22 am

      What a great pasta dish that we will love. Thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday. Have a great week and come back to see us real soon!
      Miz Helen5 stars

      Reply
    10. Maribeth Alexander says

      July 28, 2017 at 7:15 am

      Looks delicious! I'm always looking for one pot meals!

      Reply
      • Dee says

        July 30, 2017 at 10:26 am

        One pot meals are the best. Thanks, Maribeth! 🙂

    11. Lauren @ Hall Nesting says

      July 22, 2017 at 11:39 am

      Yes I am a 30 yo kid who still loves dipping everything in ranch. My son picked up my habit too so I know this dish would be a winner in our family.

      Reply
    12. Maryanne | the little epicurean says

      July 21, 2017 at 3:47 pm

      All my favorite flavors in one pot! This is definitely going into my family's dinner rotation!

      Reply
    13. Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet says

      July 21, 2017 at 10:50 am

      My family will absolutely love this pasta! Bacon and ranch make for a delicious combo!

      Reply
    14. Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      July 20, 2017 at 10:58 pm

      That sounds delicious, such great comfort food!

      Reply
    15. Amanda | The Chunky Chef says

      July 20, 2017 at 5:33 pm

      I'm totally all about the one pot meals these days!

      Reply

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    I’m the blogger, cookbook author, chief cook, recipe developer and photographer behind Meatloaf and Melodrama. I absolutely love to create easy, budget-friendly, homemade meals and treats for my family. I also love to think of new ways to repurpose leftovers so that my family will actually eat them!

    More about me →

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