This easy chicken bacon ranch pasta is loaded with crispy bacon, tender rotisserie chicken, and a rich, cheesy ranch sauce, all ready in just 30 minutes!

Easy chicken bacon ranch pasta topped with crispy bacon and fresh parsley in a shallow bowl.

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30-Minute Chicken Ranch Pasta

This creamy chicken bacon ranch pasta is the easiest weeknight dinner you’ll make all week! Tender rotini gets tossed with rotisserie chicken, crispy bacon, and a simple homemade ranch cheese sauce that comes together right in the skillet. The bacon and pasta cook at the same time, and the sauce only takes a few minutes, so dinner is on the table in about 30 minutes.

If you love the flavors of bacon ranch pasta salad served cold, you’re going to love this warm, comforting version even more. It’s also a great next step if you’re a fan of chicken bacon ranch pizza or Parmesan ranch chicken.

Ingredients Notes

Chicken, bacon, ranch, cheddar cheese, pasta, milk and seasonings on the counter.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Cooked rotisserie chicken: Use shredded store-bought rotisserie chicken or prepare your own easy shredded chicken on the spot.
  • Rotini pasta: I love when the sauce gets caught in the nooks and crannies of rotini, but use whatever medium pasta you’ve got on hand.
  • Dry ranch dressing powder: The powder makes instant dressing.
  • Bacon: I’d usually suggest making bacon in the oven; however, this time we’re cooking it in the skillet to use the leftover fat for flavor.
  • Cheddar cheese: Freshly grated cheddar from a block will be much more flavorful and melt more easily than pre-shredded cheese from a bag.
  • Whole milk: I use whole milk for extra rich consistency and thickness.

How to Make Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

Start by getting your pasta water boiling and your bacon going at the same time, that’s the key to keeping this under 30 minutes.

Chop the bacon into small pieces and cook it low and slow in a large skillet. You want it crispy. Once it’s done, move it to a paper towel-lined plate but keep about a tablespoon of that bacon grease in the pan. Don’t skip this, it adds so much flavor to the sauce.

Chopped bacon frying in large pan.
Creamy cheesy ranch mixture in pan.

Melt butter into the bacon grease, then sauté the garlic for about a minute until it smells amazing. Sprinkle in the flour and stir it around for another minute to cook out that raw flour taste.

Heat milk in microwave for 30 seconds to warm it up a bit. Tempering the milk this way helps to prevent sauce from curdling and clumping. Slowly pour it into the flour mixture and cook until just gently boiling, continuing to stir constantly.

Adding chicken, pasta and bacon to creamy ranch mixture.

Stir in the ranch seasoning and cheddar cheese and definitely grate your own cheddar from a block. The pre-shredded stuff has anti-caking agents that make the sauce gritty instead of silky. Once everything is melted and smooth, toss in the cooked pasta, bacon, and rotisserie chicken. That’s it, dinner’s ready!

Stirring together chicken bacon ranch pasta.

Turn It Into a Casserole

Transfer everything to a baking dish, top with extra cheddar or a mix of breadcrumbs and melted butter, and bake covered at 350°F for 30 minutes.

Recipe Tips

  • Cook the pasta to al dente in boiling salted water for extra flavor.
  • Save some pasta water before draining. A splash can thin the sauce out if it gets too thick.
  • If you prefer to cook your bacon in the oven or use precooked bacon, just use butter in the skillet instead of bacon grease.
  • No rotisserie chicken? Dice 2 small chicken breasts, season with onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, and sear in olive oil until cooked through.
  • Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan and a side of garlic bread for a complete meal.
Chicken bacon ranch pasta in a shallow bowl with a gold fork.

Also try crockpot crack chicken recipe, ranch chicken tacos and homemade ranch dressing!

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Easy chicken bacon ranch pasta topped with crispy bacon and fresh parsley in a shallow bowl.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

5 from 3 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
This creamy, hearty, and zesty chicken bacon ranch pasta dish is loaded with a classic combination of tender pasta, chicken, and bacon in a cheesy cream sauce!
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Video

Ingredients 

  • 2 cups cooked rotisserie chicken , chopped
  • 2 cups uncooked rotini pasta
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons flour
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 ½ Tablespoon dry ranch dressing powder
  • ½ cup cheddar cheese , shredded
  • 6 pieces bacon , cut into small pieces
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper

Instructions

  • Boil the pasta: Boil pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain completely when done cooking.
  • Sauté bacon: Meanwhile, sauté the 6 pieces chopped bacon in a large skillet over medium-low heat until crispy and well cooked. Move bacon from pan to a paper towel with a slotted spoon to drain grease. Reserve about 1 Tablespoon bacon grease in the pan.
  • Cook sauce: Melt 1 Tablespoon butter in the skillet with the bacon grease. Over medium heat, sauté 1 Tablespoon minced garlic for about 1 minute. Add 2 Tablespoons flour and stir until it thickens, about 1 minute.
  • Temper milk: Heat 2 cups whole milk in the microwave for 30 seconds, just enough to warm it up a bit. Slowly add it to the skillet while stirring. Cook the sauce until it is just gently boiling, stirring constantly. Add 1 1/2 Tablespoon ranch dressing powder and stir well. Follow with 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and stir.
  • Add pasta, bacon, and chicken: Stir pasta, bacon and chicken into the sauce and serve!

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Cook your own chicken: Chop up 2 small chicken breasts. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and some salt and pepper. Sear chicken in skillet with 1 Tablespoon oil over medium high heat until cooked through.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. I don’t recommend freezing.

Nutrition

Calories: 437kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 32g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 114mg, Sodium: 1003mg, Potassium: 227mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 293IU, Vitamin C: 0.4mg, Calcium: 176mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.