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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.
Looking for another chicken pasta recipe? Try creamy one pot buffalo chicken pasta, garlic parmesan chicken pasta, or one skillet lemon chicken orzo next time.
One Pot Wonder
Some of our favorite recipes are all cooked in one pot. They minimize the steps to prep the meal and the effort on dishes to clean. They’re perfect for busy weeknights when you need something easy.
As a mom of littles, I also need easy recipes the entire family can get behind. There’s nothing more defeating than spending time and effort on a meal you enjoy but the kids (literally) toss aside. There’s something about that creamy ranch and savory, crispy bacon that the kids will eat right up.
So if you’re not sure what to have for dinner tonight, this one’s a great option for you!
Reasons to Love this Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
- Easy meal for busy weeknights.
- The whole family will love it (todder-approved!)
- Simple one pot meal
- It tastes just as good as leftovers!
- Simple ingredients that are easy to grab at the grocery store.
How to Make One Pot Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
Here are the basic steps, with images, for this delicious pasta dish. Skip down to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe.
Cook the Bacon
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.
Success tip: To avoid grease splatter, throw some water in the pan before cooking the bacon.
Season and Sear the Chicken
Sprinkle 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.
Success tip: 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.
Make it Creamy and Serve
With the pasta over medium-low heat, stir in the milk, cream cheese, cheddar, and parmesan, and stir until melted and thick. Chop the crispy bacon and stir it in, reserving some for topping when you serve. Taste and add more salt as needed. Serve with more bacon, parmesan cheese, and fresh parsley.
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!
Serving Suggestions
Add a side to this ultimate comfort food to make it a complete meal.
- Have a side salad like la scala chopped salad or brussels sprouts caesar salad.
- Bake a loaf of frozen garlic bread.
- Make 10-minute air fryer asparagus.
- Grab more of the ranch and dip into it with these crispy carrot fries.
Storing Tips
Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheating: 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!
Creamy Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Recipe
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Ingredients
- 12 ounces bacon
- 1 lb chicken breasts cubed (Note 1)
- 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 pasta like rotini or penne pasta gluten-free if needed
- 1 ounce (1 packet) Ranch seasoning
- 1 cup milk or heavy cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Cook the pasta: Add the uncooked pasta and turn the heat down, cover, and simmer 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.
- 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?
- 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.
- Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
