Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta is a delicious pasta bake that combines creamy ranch cheese sauce, pasta, chicken, and bacon into one hearty dinner recipe.
Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta is a tasty pasta casserole recipe that combines creamy sauce, pasta, chicken, and bacon into one delicious pasta dinner. This is total comfort food!
It’s the kind of easy pasta dish that the whole family can enjoy!
I’ve included some shortcut ideas (like using rotisserie chicken in place of cooking chicken breasts and using precooked bacon) in the ingredient section below to make this an easy dinner for busy weeknights.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Pasta: You can use another type of pasta, like penne pasta or medium shells, if you prefer.
- Butter: I use salted butter.
- Milk: Any milk from skim to whole milk will work. Using whole milk will give you a creamier sauce.
- Ranch dressing mix: You can use a 1 ounce packet or make your own ranch seasoning blend with this recipe.
- Sour cream: Full-fat or lite sour cream will work. I don’t recommend using fat-free sour cream. Whole-milk, 2%, or nonfat plain Greek yogurt will also work.
- Chicken: Rotisserie chicken works well. You can also cook and shred the chicken or use any other leftover cooked chicken in this recipe.
- Bacon: You can either cook raw bacon or just reheat the precooked type of bacon.
- Cheese: If you don’t like cheddar cheese, you can use a similar mild cheese (like Monterey Jack cheese) in place of the cheddar.
How to make chicken bacon ranch pasta
Cook pasta to almost al dente (about 1 minute less than the package calls for). Drain pasta and set aside.
Meanwhile in a large pot, melt butter; whisk in flour until smooth. Whisk in milk and ranch seasoning.
Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in 2 cups of shredded cheese until melted.
Reduce heat to low; fold in sour cream until blended.
Remove sauce from heat.
Add chicken, crispy bacon, and cooked pasta; toss to coat in cheese sauce.
Pour pasta mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Top with remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese.
Bake until melted, about 5-10 minutes. Serve sprinkled with additional Parmesan if desired.
Serving suggestions
This pasta is pretty rich. To help balance that out, I serve it with a fresh green salad.
The pasta also goes well with steamed broccoli or cooked spinach.
More easy pasta dinner recipes!
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Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 ounce package rotini pasta
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 ounce packet ranch seasoning mix
- 2 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 ½ pounds chicken cooked and shredded
- 4 strips bacon cooked and crumbled
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese plus more for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Set aside.
- Cook pasta to almost al dente (about 1 minute less than the package calls for).12 ounce package rotini pasta
- Drain pasta.
- Meanwhile in a large pot, melt butter; whisk in flour until smooth.2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Whisk in milk and ranch seasoning.2 cups milk, 1 ounce packet ranch seasoning mix
- Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
- Stir in 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese until melted and combined.2 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Reduce heat to low; fold in sour cream until blended.1 cup sour cream
- Remove sauce from heat.
- Add chicken, bacon, and cooked pasta; toss to coat in cheese sauce.1 ½ pounds chicken, 4 strips bacon
- Pour pasta mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
- Top with remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese.¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- Bake until just melted, about 5-10 minutes.
- Serve sprinkled with additional Parmesan if desired.
Notes
- Pasta: You can use another type of pasta, like penne or shells, if you prefer.
- Butter: I use salted butter.
- Milk: Any milk from skim to whole milk will work. Using whole milk will give you a creamier sauce.
- Ranch seasoning: You can use a 1 ounce packet or make your own ranch seasoning blend with this recipe.
- Sour cream: Full-fat or lite sour cream will work. I don’t recommend using fat-free sour cream. Whole-milk, 2%, or nonfat plain Greek yogurt will also work.
- Chicken: Rotisserie chicken works well. You can also cook and shred the chicken or use any other leftover cooked chicken in this recipe.
- Cheese: If you don’t like cheddar cheese, you can use a similar cheese in place of the cheddar.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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Originally published 4/17/14. Updated with new photos, tips, and information 6/15/21.
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Comments & Reviews
Kim says
The Family Really Loved This Pasta Donna and I served it with Asparagus. So Delicious Thank You So Much
Kate says
Thank you!
Jenny says
Delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Kate says
Thank you!!
Stephanie says
I’ve been making this recipe for years. It’s so yummy and it’s very forgiving. I never leave a comment but I had to let you know how good this is.
Kate says
Thanks! I love to hear that!