Reasons to Love This Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
- Perfect for busy weeknights
- Ready in 30 minutes
- One pot = less cleanup
- Uses simple pantry ingredients
- Family-friendly flavors
- Great for meal prep and leftovers
For more family favorite pasta dishes, try garlic parmesan chicken pasta, one skillet lemon chicken orzo, or one pot taco pasta.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Bacon: use pre-cooked bacon to save time
- Chicken breast: swap for rotisserie or leftover shredded chicken
- Short-cut pasta: rotini, penne, or shells work best
- Ranch seasoning packet: use your favorite brand or homemade mix
- Milk or cream: heavy cream makes it richer, milk keeps it lighter
- Cheddar + parmesan: freshly shredded melts best
How to Make One Pot Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
- Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-low heat until crispy. Transfer it to a paper towel to drain, leaving the bacon fat in the pan to cook the chicken.
- Season the chicken with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Sear it in the bacon grease until golden brown, 3-4 minutes.
- Boil the pasta. Add the uncooked pasta, chicken broth, and ranch dressing mix. Bring it to a boil over high heat then reduce to low and simmer, covered until al dente, 12-14 minutes.
- Make it creamy. Reduce the heat to medium-low, then add milk, cream cheese, cheddar, and parmesan. Stir until melted and smooth. Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes to thicken slightly. Stir in most of the chopped bacon, reserving some for topping.
Molly’s Tips
- To avoid grease splatter, throw some water in the pan before cooking the bacon.
- Cook pasta according to the package directions and stir 2-3 times while it’s boiling to ensure it isn’t sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- If pasta thickens more than you’d like, stir in a splash of warm milk before serving to loosen the sauce.
Cooking Shortcuts
- Use rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken. Add the chicken seasoning to the broth with the ranch seasoning instead.
- Make it a casserole. Mix up the pasta, transfer it to a casserole dish, and top with cheese. This is great to do in advance!
- Have it with pre-cooked bacon and add a different fat like olive oil or butter to the pan to cook the chicken. Or try a bacon substitute!
Reader Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “This recipe is SO GOOD!!!! Will be in the rotation at our house. Pretty easy. Serious flavor. Such a win!” — Mara
Storing & Reheating
Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
I reheated this recipe and found that the noodles absorbed the pasta sauce as it chilled in the fridge. To make it ultra creamy again, heat it on the stovetop and add some milk and a tablespoon or 2 of cream cheese to make it ultra creamy. Reheating in the microwave still works though!
More Chicken and Pasta Recipes
One Pot Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
This one pot chicken bacon ranch pasta is the ultimate comfort food. Juicy chicken, creamy pasta sauce, crispy bacon bits, and a flavorful blend of herbs and spices—all cooked up in one dish.
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Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 12 oz bacon
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 3 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 1 lb short cut pasta like rotini or penne pasta, gluten-free if needed
- 1 (1-oz) packet Ranch seasoning
- 1 cup whole milk or heavy cream for richer texture
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley and parmesan cheese for topping
Instructions
- Cook the bacon: Working in 2-3 batches, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy, 6-8 minutes. Transfer it to a paper towel to drain, leaving the bacon fat in the pan to cook the chicken.12 oz bacon
- Sear the chicken: Sprinkle the cubed chicken with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Sear it in the bacon grease until golden brown, 3-4 minutes. It doesn't need to be fully cooked because it will continue to cook with the pasta.1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, Pinch of red pepper flakes
- Add the broth: Add the broth and ranch seasoning and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, scarping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan.3 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- Cook the pasta: Add the uncooked pasta and turn the heat down, cover, and simmer, covered, for 12-14 minutes, until the pasta is al dente. Check the pasta package directions as pasta cook times may vary. Stop to stir 2-3 times to make sure the pasta isn't sticking to the bottom of the pan.1 lb short cut pasta
- Make it creamy: With the pasta over medium-low heat, stir in the milk, cream cheese, cheddar, and parmesan and stir until melted and thick. Simmer for 2-3 minutes to reduce slightly.1 (1-oz) packet Ranch seasoning, 1 cup whole milk, 4 oz cream cheese, 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Serve: Chop the crispy bacon and stir it into the cooked pasta and creamy cheese sauce, reserving some for topping when you serve. Taste and add more salt as needed. Serve with more crispy bacon bits, parmesan cheese, and fresh chopped parsley.Fresh parsley and parmesan cheese for topping
- Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review letting us know how it was!
Notes
Note 1. Chicken. You can use leftover shredded chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken instead to save time. Add the chicken seasoning to the broth with the ranch seasoning instead.
Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole: Follow the directions through step 4. Spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray then transfer the creamy pasta and chopped crispy bacon to the casserole dish. Add an additional cup of shredded cheese to the top. At this point you can cover the casserole overnight to make it ahead of time. Bake the casserole uncovered at 400°F for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 806kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 1250mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 558IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 235mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
FAQs
Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Yes. Skip searing raw chicken and stir shredded rotisserie chicken into the broth with the ranch seasoning. Simmer as directed.
Why is my pasta dry the next day?
Pasta continues absorbing sauce as it chills. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of milk and 1–2 tablespoons of cream cheese to bring back the creamy texture.
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This recipe is SO GOOD!!!! Will be in the rotation at our house. Pretty easy. Serious flavor. Such a win!
Thank you so much Mara!
What is all the red in the picture?????
Hi Julie! It’s the bacon! 🙂
Made this for dinner tonight!! It was delicious, great comfort meal!!
Thank you!!