Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

5 from 2 votes

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta is the ultimate comfort food, featuring seasoned chicken, crispy bacon, and creamy ranch sauce.

Prep Time10

Cook Time8

Total Time18

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 961kcal

Cook the pasta according to the manufacturer's directions, drain, and reserve for later.
16 ounces box of rotini pasta
Add the butter and diced onion in a large skillet or cast iron and cook on medium-low with a rubber spatula until translucent and soft, about 3-5 minutes.
¼ cup unsalted butter, 1 small yellow onion
Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Mix in the flour, salt, pepper, and ranch seasoning packet. Stir until combined and smooth. The mixture will be thick; that's okay.
¼ cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, 2½ tablespoons ranch seasoning packet
Pour in the half and half and mix well. Turn the heat up to medium-high, stirring frequently until the mixture begins to simmer.
3 cups half and half
Simmer for 1-2 minutes or until the sauce begins to thicken.
Turn the heat off and add in the shredded white cheddar cheese by handfuls.
2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese
Stir in ¾ of your reserved bacon and combine well.
6 slices cooked and chopped bacon
Mix in the 3-4 cups of cooked pasta and reserved chicken. Stir to incorporate.
3 cups chopped or shredded rotisserie chicken
Sprinkle the remaining ¼ bacon on top and serve warm.
6 slices cooked and chopped bacon

Storage:

To Store: Allow the Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta to cool before placing it in an airtight refrigerator-safe container. Leftovers will stay good for 3-5 days if stored properly.
To Freeze: You can freeze leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
To Reheat: Defrost in the refrigerator before reheating in a skillet or microwave.

Tips:

I used pre-minced garlic for this recipe to save time but feel free to use freshly minced garlic.
Adding in your cheese too fast can make your sauce gummy. Drop by small handfuls and mix very well before adding in additional cheese.
Feel free to bulk up the meal by adding in a variety of vegetables. You can cook them in the skillet at the same time as the onion. Try diced bell peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, asparagus, peas, spinach, or any of your other favorites.
You can try mixing a half a block of softened cream cheese to make this pasta dish extra creamy.