Description
A comforting chicken and pasta dish featuring crispy bacon, creamy ranch sauce, and lots of gooey cheddar cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- 6 strips bacon
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 small boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 cups uncooked Rotini pasta
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 2 cups half and half
- 2 tablespoons dry ranch dressing seasoning mix
Instructions
- In a large skillet over low heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Set aside and reserve the drippings. Once cooled, roughly chop the bacon.
- Slice the chicken breasts into thinner pieces. Season with salt, pepper, onion powder, and Italian seasoning. Sear the slices in the bacon drippings over medium-high heat until golden and cooked through. Rest the chicken for 1 minute, then cube.
- Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt the butter and sauté the garlic briefly. Add flour and stir to make a roux. Gradually whisk in the half and half. Stir in ranch seasoning and cheese until everything melts.
- Add the drained pasta to the sauce and stir to coat. Toss in the cubed chicken and fold gently. Garnish with the chopped bacon and serve warm.
Notes
For added flavor, don’t skip the bacon drippings, as they enhance the sauce. You can use turkey bacon or vegetarian alternatives as a substitute.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Keywords: pasta, chicken, bacon, ranch, comfort food, easy recipe