Description
This bacon and ranch chicken pasta is so very good! I came up with this one night when I had all was chicken to cook. Hope you enjoy this as much as our clan did!
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 (1 ounce) package dry ranch dressing mix (such as hidden valley ranch®)
- 1 (16 ounce) package penne pasta
- 1 cup milk
- 1 (8 ounce) package bacon
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, or more to taste
Directions
- Place chicken in a slow cooker. Coat with kosher salt, seasoned salt, black pepper, pepper flakes, and thyme. Pour chicken broth in and around the chicken. Cook on Low for 5 to 6 hours.
- Shred chicken and place back into the broth. Add cream cheese and stir well to dissolve. Stir in ranch dressing. Add pasta and milk. Stir, place lid back on, and cook on High for 30 minutes.
- In the meantime, place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon slices on paper towels.
- Mix Cheddar cheese into pasta; crumble in bacon and stir to combine. Cook until cheese is melted and pasta is tender yet firm to the bite, about 10 minutes more.
