Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta is a quick 20-minute dinner recipe with so many delicious flavors! Tender chicken and pasta tossed with crispy bacon and sun-dried tomatoes in a simple creamy sauce. This is always a family-favorite meal!
Who’s ready for a super easy chicken pasta recipe?! This Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta is one you’ll want to keep on hand because you’ll want to make it on repeat. I mean, who can say no to ranch and bacon? I know I can’t.
And it’s easy. SO EASY. Like 20-minutes start to finish easy. In other words, the perfect weeknight dinner recipe. Did I mention it has bacon and ranch? You are going to love it!
What makes this recipe so easy is the sauce. It’s a no-cook sauce made with sour cream, mayonnaise and ranch seasoning. It’s creamy and perfect with the chicken, pasta and bacon. The flavors in this easy chicken pasta are so amazing – I can’t wait for you to try it.
Here’s What You Need to Make It
- Chicken breasts
- Bacon
- Bowtie or penne pasta
- Ranch seasoning packet
- Mayonnaise
- Sour cream
- Chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil (drained)
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
For this recipe, boneless, skinless chicken breasts work perfectly. You want to use fresh ones or you can use frozen ones that have been thawed.
For the pasta, any short type will work but I use penne or bow ties because I usually have those on hand.
How to Make Chicken Bacon Pasta with Ranch
Boil the pasta according to package directions. Once it’s cooked, drain it and toss it with a tablespoon of olive oil to keep it from sticking.
Fry up the bacon in a skillet until it’s nice and crispy. Transfer it to a dish lined with a paper towel and let it cool off.
Heat the olive oil in a pan and cook the chicken breasts for five to seven minutes on each side or until it’s cooked through. I usually do this step while the bacon is cooking in the other skillet.
Once the chicken is done, transfer it to a cutting board and slice it into bite-sided pieces. Go ahead and chop the bacon, too, into pieces approximately ½” big.
In a small bowl, combine the mayo, sour cream, and the ranch seasoning.
Place the pasta, chicken, bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, and sauce in a large bowl. Mix it well and serve immediately.
Different Ways to Switch it Up!
Don’t get me wrong – this chicken bacon ranch pasta is great just the way it is, but you can add a little bit or this or that to change it up. Here are some recipe variations if you want to try them!
- Sometimes I add artichoke hearts – they pair perfectly with the sun-dried tomatoes! You can use canned ones or the ones packed in jars, just be sure to drain them first. Add them at the end when you mix everything together.
- Green peas are a good addition, too, and they add a little pop of color! You can use frozen ones and you can add them at the end. They will thaw out very fast so there’s no need to heat them up first.
- For garnish, add some grated Parmesan cheese or some shredded cheddar cheese. I wouldn’t add a whole lot – just sprinkle some over each serving.
As you probably already know by now, I LOVE the combination of chicken, bacon and ranch and it’s perfect in this easy dinner! You can’t beat a 20-minute dinner and it never lasts long when I make this chicken bacon pasta – everyone always wants seconds. I think it will be a hit at your house, too!
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Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs of fresh chicken breast
- 12 oz package of bacon
- 16 oz box of your favorite such as bow tie or penne
- 1 packet of ranch seasoning
- 1 cup mayo
- 1 cup sour cream
- ¼ cup chopped sun dried tomatoes in oil drained.
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring 6-8 cups of water to a boil, add pasta and cook for 5-7min.
- Meanwhile, cook your bacon over medium heat in a frying pan until crispy.
- While the bacon is cooking, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Once the oil is hot, cook the chicken for 5-7 min on one side, flip and cook for an additional 5-7 min or until the internal temperature reaches 165° F. Remove from heat and cut into 1” bite sized pieces.
- Once the pasta has finished cooking, remove from heat and drain. In a large bowl toss drained pasta with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Set aside.
- Once the bacon is finished cooking, remove from heat and drain on a paper towel. When cooled enough to handle, chop bacon into ½” pieces approximately.
- In a small bowl, add 1 cup of mayo, 1 cup of sourcream and the ranch packet. Mix well.
- Add the chicken, bacon, chopped sundried tomatoes and ranch mixture to the pasta, mix well and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
This Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta uses a no-cook sauce with ranch seasoning. It’s SO SO easy to make and will instantly become a favorite for your family!
Mel is an IT guy turned blogger and is discovering his love of cooking and photography. If you ever have Fantasy Football questions, he's your guy.
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