The Best Homemade from Scratch Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
The best recipe for a Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta bake dish that is a hit with everyone. The chicken is cooked to perfection.
Equipment
- 9 X 13-inch bake dish
- Sink Colander
- 6-Quart Pot
- Medium Saucepan
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken Breast
- 10 oz Renne
- 1 package Bacon
- 1/3 cup Ranch
- 1/4 cup Butter
- 1/4 cup Flour
- 2 cups Milk
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
- 7 oz Cheddar shredded
Instructions
- Fill a 6 quart pan with water and then cook Penne pasta for 10-12 minutes.
- Drain when done in a sink colander.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees and then line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick spray.
- Place the bacon on the aluminum foil and cook until browned, around 5-7 minutes.
- Keep an eye on it so you don't have burned bacon!
- Adjust cooking time depending on your oven.
- When bacon is done, remove from the oven and use a fork to place the cooked bacon on a paper towel lined plate to soak up any fat.
- Let it cool before cutting, then turn down the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
- Spray a 9 X 13-inch baking pan with non-stick spray and then set aside.
- Put cooked and drained pasta in the sprayed pan.
- Heat up a pan and then cook the chicken.
- If desired, sprinkle ranch seasoning on the chicken before cooking.
- When chicken is cooked, remove it from the pan and let sit for a few minutes before cutting.
- In a saucepan, melt 1/4 cup butter and then add 1/4 cup flour.
- Stir with a whisk until all of the butter is mixed into the flour, making sure to cook the flour in the butter for 1-2 minutes.
- Slowly pour the milk into the flour mixture and whisk until blended and smooth.
- Add 1/3 cup ranch to the milk and then mix well.
- Add 1/2 tsp garlic and 1/2 tsp onion powders to the milk and stir until combined.
- Remove the pan from the heat and then add 1/3 of the shredded cheese and stir to combine.
- Finish the sauce by adding the next 1/3 cheese. Leave 1/3 of the cheese for topping for the Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta.
- Pour the cheese sauce over the penne in the baking pan and then gently stir with a spatula to combine.
- Slice the chicken in 1-inch strips and then place it on top of the penne.
- Slice the cooled bacon into 1–2-inch pieces and then place on top of the chicken and penne.
- Sprinkle the tops of the bacon and chicken with the remaining 1/3 cheese.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Pro-Tip: Use block cheese and shred it for this sauce. Pre-shredded has an added powder to not stick and will make the sauce not creamy and grainy.