Comforting Crack Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Tender chicken and crispy bacon tossed with penne in a rich ranch-cheddar cream sauce.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta & Chicken

01 - 12 oz penne or rotini pasta
02 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
03 - 5 slices bacon, chopped

→ Sauce

04 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
07 - 3/4 cup chicken broth
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - 1 packet ranch seasoning mix

→ Cheese

10 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
11 - 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

→ To Finish

12 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
13 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped bacon and cook until crispy, about 5-7 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, leaving approximately 1 tablespoon of rendered fat in the skillet.
03 - Add butter to the bacon fat in the skillet. Once melted, add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
04 - Reduce heat to medium-low. Add softened cream cheese and stir until melted. Pour in chicken broth, heavy cream, and ranch seasoning packet. Whisk continuously until mixture is smooth and fully combined.
05 - Stir in shredded cheddar and grated parmesan cheese. Continue stirring until completely melted and sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
06 - Add cooked chicken and half the crispy bacon to the sauce. Stir gently to combine and heat through for 2-3 minutes.
07 - Add drained pasta to the skillet. Toss thoroughly until every piece is evenly coated with the creamy sauce. Divide among serving plates and top with reserved bacon, sliced green onions, and freshly ground black pepper.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Its the kind of dinner that makes people linger at the table long after theyve finished eating, just to scrape up every last drop of sauce
  • You probably have most ingredients in your fridge right now, and it comes together in under 45 minutes
  • The ranch and cream cheese combo creates this insanely velvety sauce that coats every single piece of pasta perfectly
02 -
  • The sauce thickens rapidly as it cools, so if it looks too thick while cooking, add a splash of pasta water to loosen it up
  • Dont skip the step of letting the cream cheese soften completely, or youll spend twenty minutes whisking out lumps
  • This pasta reheats surprisingly well, but add a splash of cream or milk when warming it up to restore that silky texture
03 -
  • Cook your bacon in the oven instead of a skillet for perfectly even crispy bits without all the splatter mess
  • Double the sauce recipe and freeze half for those nights when cooking feels like climbing a mountain
  • Use freshly shredded cheese instead of pre-shredded bags, which contain anti-caking agents that prevent smooth melting

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