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Chicken Ranch Pasta

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken and Pasta
  • 1 large chicken breast Chicken breast cut into small bite-sized pieces.
  • 8 ounces of penne Pasta rotini, or bow-tie pasta.
  • 1 tablespoon for cooking the chicken Olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper Season the chicken to taste.
For the Ranch Sauce
  • 1 packet or about 2 tablespoons of ranch seasoning mix Ranch seasoning
  • 4 ounces Cream cheese softened.
  • ½ cup Chicken broth
  • Pasta water Reserve about ½ cup before draining the pasta.
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cloves Garlic minced.
  • Fresh parsley Optional for topping.
  • Bacon Optional, but cooked crumbled bacon is great if you want extra flavor.

Method
 

  1. Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente according to the package directions.
  2. Reserve pasta water: Before draining, save about ½ cup of the cooking water.
  3. Season the chicken: Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and season lightly with salt and black pepper. The ranch seasoning will add more seasoning later.
  4. Cook the chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through. Remove it from the skillet and set aside.
  5. Cook the garlic: Lower the heat to medium and add the minced garlic to the same skillet. Cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
  6. Start the sauce: Pour in the chicken broth and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
  7. Add the ranch seasoning: Stir in the ranch seasoning until it is evenly mixed into the broth.
  8. Make it creamy: Add the softened cream cheese and stir until it melts into a smooth sauce.
  9. Add the pasta: Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss it through the sauce.
  10. Loosen the sauce: Add a little reserved pasta water at a time until the sauce reaches the creamy consistency you want.
  11. Add Parmesan: Stir in the Parmesan cheese and let it melt into the sauce.
  12. Return the chicken: Add the cooked chicken back to the skillet and toss everything together.
  13. Finish the dish: Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Stir in cooked bacon at this point if using.
  14. Serve: Top with a little extra Parmesan and fresh parsley before serving.