This chicken bacon ranch penne is the ultimate creamy, cheesy, pasta. Chicken, crumbled bacon, cheddar cheese, pasta and cream cheese seasoned with ranch seasoning and garlic is delicious and the whole family will love it! This is a must try for everyone!
Ingredients in Chicken Bacon Ranch Penne
chicken– I used chicken breast. You can also replace with rotisserie or canned chicken and save cooking time.
bacon– pork bacon is what I used but use what you want- turkey bacon, beef bacon, etc. Feel free to use bacon bits as well, about 1/3-3/4 c worth. The sams club brand of bacon bits are good quality.
Ranch- use 1 packet of ranch which is 2 tbsp. Feel free to make your own ranch seasoning. If you need a ranch recipe try this one by my gal the pioneer woman – ranch seasoning recipe.
cream cheese – light cream cheese can be substituted in this recipe if you wish.
chicken broth – use regular chicken broth, homemade or low sodium. Anything works.
minced garlic – I add a heaping tablespoon of this to 80% of the recipes I make. Measure this with you heart.
penne noodles – any brand is fine. The barilla high protein noodles have worked well. Can also use other noodles such as bow tie. I am excited to try these noodles from 3 farm daughters – made in USA, high fiber, low carb plus you are supporting a farmer more directly which is nice sometimes.
Milk- a little bit of milk is nice to have on-hand in case the pasta gets too thick. Or cream. If you don’t have milk on hand use broth.
Chicken Bacon Ranch Penne-only one pot needed, and ready in 30 minutes!
This dish can be cooked in one pan or dutch oven which is a plus for someone who hates doing dishes.To make this dish in under 30 minutes I recommend using canned or rotisserie chicken to avoid cooking chicken yourself. I have also cooked up the chicken in the pan first, and then added the remaining ingredients and it was still quick, simple, one-pan meal.
As a family of 4 (one too little to actually eat) we always have enough for a leftover meal the next day. It tastes great re-heated. You may just need to add a little milk if you don’t like your leftovers super thick.
Serve this dish with a big side salad, or vegetable such as broccoli or carrots.
is chicken bacon ranch pasta freezer friendly?
Yes. There are two ways you could freeze this chicken bacon ranch dish. Cooked and un-cooked.
cooked: just cook until noodles are al dent. You could freeze in any freezer safe container and then reheat individual servings in microwave. Or thaw and reheat in casserole dish in oven. You may need to add more liquid (milk or broth) to prevent dryness.
dump & go: freeze in a gallon freezer bag everything but the noodles. Thaw and cook on low in crockpot 6 hours or high 3-4 hours. Then, remove chicken & shred it. Put back into crock with the noodles and let simmer for 30 minutes or until noodles are done. Have extra liquid on-hand in case it is too thick.
Can I use canned or rotisserie chicken in this pasta?
yep you sure can- that will cut down on your cooking time a lot. Feel free to substitute in equal amounts.
More Recipes
I love one-pot pasta meals for busy week nights. I also love this Skillet Italian Beef Pasta. It is made with ground beef, but another easy one-pan meal that can be ready in no time! Or, try this One-Pot Goulash.
MORE RECIPES + FOLLOW ALONG
Looking for a great dessert recipe to pair with this casserole? Try my moms chocolate chip cookie bars-they are super gooey and delicious!
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I hope you enjoy this ultimate chicken bacon ranch pasta! – Bobbi Jo
Chicken Bacon Ranch Penne
Equipment
- 1 pan or dutch oven
- measuring utensils
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded can use canned
- 2 tbsp ranch seasoning or one packet
- 2 cups penne noodles
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 4 oz cream cheese can use light
- 4 slices bacon cooked & crumbled
- 1 tbsp parsley
- 2-3 tbsp milk if needed to thin out
- 1 tsp minced garlic
Instructions
- If you need to brown chicken, first brown chicken in the pan. If you are using already cooked chicken, skip this step.
- Once chicken is cooked, add ranch seasoning, garlic and combine.
- Have heat on medium and add chicken broth & noodles to the chicken mix. Let boil for about 15 minutes until pasta is cooked to your liking.
- Add cream cheese to the mix and stir until melted.
- Add bacon and shredded cheese. Stir until cheese is fully melted. If the pasta is too thick, add a few tablespoons of milk to thin it out.
- Garnish with parsley if preferred, and enjoy!
Notes
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This recipe is a favorite at our house!