Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta is a one pan dinner recipe made with cubed chicken, penne, bacon and cheese in a creamy ranch dressing. Done in 30 minutes!

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.

How to Make Ranch Chicken Pasta in One Pan

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

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

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.

If you have an electric pressure cooker and you want to make a lot of pasta, try my Instant Pot Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta. Or, you can use a larger pot or Dutch oven.

Keep an eye on the pasta, and stir frequently. When the pasta is almost done, stir in your ranch dressing.

I used our favorite homemade ranch dressing, but any ranch dressing will work here. Just use whatever works best for you! If you find the dish is a little on the thick side, just thin it out with a little bit of milk.

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

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!

You can also use your favorite cheese here. I used Monterey jack, but if you want something sharper, try shredded cheddar, instead.

Whatever you do, don’t leave out the bacon. Bacon makes everything better, right? And besides, you kind of need it for a chicken bacon ranch dinner!

My family absolutely loves this easy pasta recipe. If you like ranch dressing and chicken, give it a try!

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Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Recipe

One Pot Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta is a one pan dinner recipe made with cubed chicken, penne, bacon and cheese in a creamy ranch dressing. Done in 30 minutes!

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta, one pot chicken bacon ranch pasta

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 5

Calories: 432kcal

Author: Dee

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

Calories: 432kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 837mg | Potassium: 334mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 2.8mg | Calcium: 129mg | Iron: 1.1mg

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More One Pan Chicken and Pasta Recipes

• One Pot Chicken Alfredo
• One Pot Creamy Chicken Pasta
• One Pot Salsa Verde Chicken Pasta
• One Pot Cheddar BBQ Chicken Pasta
• Creamy One Pot Enchilada Chicken Pasta
• One Pot Creamy Chicken Tortellini Pasta 

Post was originally published in 2017 and has been updated as of May /2020