Ranch Chicken and Pasta with Crispy Bacon

Ingredients 0/14

Step 1

Steam the broccoli: put it in a microwave-safe bowl with a little water, cover, and microwave on high for about 3 to 4 minutes until it’s tender. Drain any extra water and set the broccoli aside. While that’s happening, toss the chicken, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of ranch dressing mix into a large zip-top bag. Seal it up and give it a good massage so the chicken gets nicely coated.

Step 2

Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a big pot over medium-high heat. Add the pasta shells and let it come back to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook, stirring now and then, until the pasta is just about done—around 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, but save half a cup of the cooking liquid for later.

Step 3

Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Then, heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in batches so it browns evenly, about 7 minutes, then transfer it to a plate.

Step 4

In the same skillet, pour in the milk and stir in the Alfredo sauce mix and the remaining 2 tablespoons of ranch dressing mix. Bring it to a boil, then turn off the heat. Add the chicken back in along with any juices, the cooked pasta, steamed broccoli, sour cream, the reserved pasta water, and season with salt and pepper. Stir everything together well, then pour it all into your prepared casserole dish.

Step 5

Sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese and crispy bacon, then bake for about 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve it up warm and enjoy!