Creamy Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta is a creamy ranch and bacon flavored pasta that is so yummy, you’ll family will want seconds. Make a double batch! In the time it takes to cook the pasta, this dish is done! It’s a great way to use up leftover chicken.
Putting these flavors together just HAS to be good right? This is comfort food!
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Creamy Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
The key to this yummy pasta dish is the flavorful sauce. It’s seasoned with Ranch dressing (powder,) Parmesan cheese and bacon! The peas give it a little sweetness and the chicken makes it hearty. This is a comfort food pasta dish your family will love!
When I don’t know what to make for dinner, I usually think of pasta. Italian Sausage and Spinach with Ziti comes to mind because I like any dish I can make in the time it takes to cook the pasta. And when you have chicken to use up, what better way to use it than to throw it in with pasta for a quick dinner?
Creamy Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
Making this pasta dish goes really quick if you already have cooked bacon and chicken. But, if you don’t have it, you can quickly poach a chicken breast by boiling it in some water. Meanwhile, cook your bacon in the oven and avoid a messy stove to clean up while you are cooking the pasta.
Then, make the cream sauce with heavy cream, frozen peas, Ranch dressing (powder, grated Parmesan cheese and black pepper. Add the cooked, shredded chicken to reheat it.
Next, add the cream sauce mixture to the cooked and drained pasta along with the chopped bacon. That’s it! It’s easy!
I took this recipe to Meal Plan Monday and Weekend Potluck .
Creamy Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 oz Ziti pasta
- 8 oz heavy cream
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 8 strips bacon
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
- 1 tbsp Ranch dressing (powder)
- ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- Cook bacon for 10-15 min either stove top or in a 375F oven on a cookie sheet. Drain fat and drain on paper towel.
- In a medium sauce pan on med/high, add heavy cream, ranch dressing (powder) grated Parmsan cheese and peas. Cook for 5-10 min or until peas are tender and cream has thickened. Add chicken and cook another 10 min or until chicken is heated through.
- Return cooked and drained pasta to its pot. Add cream sauce and bacon. Stir together.
Hi Claudia.
I have not tried this recipe with milk however, I often will substitute half and half with milk to make similar sauces such as this one. I do think this recipe needs some cream. For example, you could do 4 oz of half and half (dairy coffee creamer) and 4 oz of whole milk or possibly 2% but, know that will definitely affect the taste.
Option 2 would be to make a roux. That could possibly work too. You’d need 4 tbsp of butter and 4 tbsp of flour and then add the 8 oz milk. This would render a different taste but, I’d love to know how it turns out. I don’t think I’d try the cornstarch with milk for this recipe but, again, if you choose that option, I’d be interested to know how it turns out. Thanks for your very good question!
Have you ever tried this with milk instead of heavy cream and if it doesnt thicken, would a small amount of roux or a cornstarch / flour slurry help?
Hi Julie! Thanks for visiting.
This looks delicious! I will have to make this soon. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Mollie!
Thanks Annie!
Thanks Jovina.
Thanks Shanika!
Thanks Mollie.
OMG! This pasta looks amazing! I need to have a few bowls of this for sure!
That is straight up a big bowl of yum! 🙂
Mollie
Yummy, indeed.
You are speaking my language here! Love this recipe – never thought to try ranch with pasta – brilliant! 🙂