Chicken, Bacon, Ranch Pasta Bake

Chicken, Bacon, Ranch Pasta Bake

 

I apparently love chicken, bacon, and ranch. Even though I am not a big bacon fan, There is something about the combination. I am always looking for new ways to combine them, and so I tried this new recipe out last night.

It was a BIG hit. My husband had to stop himself from eating too much of it. My INCREDIBLY picky 5-year-old even ate it with only a little complaining…. Plus with the spinach and tomatoes, it looked very festive for Christmas 🙂 HA! Plus it was fairly easy to make and included veggies, which always makes a yummy dish a hit in my opinion! We will be eating this one again for sure!

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 box (13oz or so) of Pasta (I used whole wheat Penne. Rotini or any type you’d like would work)
  • Garlic to taste
  • 1 diced onion
  • 1 14oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1 lb cubed chicken
  • 1/2 pkg. of cooked bacon – cut into small pieces
  • Spinach leaves – either fresh or frozen. I used a box of frozen
  • 1 12 oz can evaporated milk
  • 3 cups cheese – Monterey jack would be great! I used a mexican (cheddar and Monterrey Jack) and some mozzarella I had open.
  • 1/2 cup ranch salad dressing

 

Directions:

Heat oven to 350

Cook your pasta according to package directions. Drain when cooked and return to pot. While boiling, cook your bacon, if not yet done. Then in a skillet, cook your chicken with the garlic and onion (and some olive oil, if needed). Then add in the tomatoes and spinach. If spinach is frozen, cook until water is gone. Add the mixture and cut up bacon to the pasta pot. In the now empty skillet, heat the milk, ranch dressing, and 2 cups of cheese, until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes creamy. Stir the sauce into the pasta, chicken, bacon mixture. Pour the mixture into a 13×9 baking dish, top with more cheese, and bake for about 20 minutes, until heated through.

Yum! Eat and enjoy! I think I shall go eat some leftovers for lunch….
Chicken, Bacon, Ranch Pasta Bake  Chicken, Bacon, Ranch Pasta Bake

 

Chicken, Bacon, Ranch Pasta Bake

Ingredients

  • 1 box (13oz or so) of Pasta (I used whole wheat Penne. Rotini or any type you'd like would work)
  • Garlic to taste
  • 1 diced onion
  • 1 14oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1 lb cubed chicken
  • 1/2 pkg. of cooked bacon - cut into small pieces
  • Spinach leaves - either fresh or frozen. I used a box of frozen
  • 1 12 oz can evaporated milk
  • 3 cups cheese - Monterrey jack would be great! I used a Mexican (cheddar and Monterrey Jack) and some mozzarella I had open.
  • 1/2 cup ranch salad dressing

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350
  2. Cook your pasta according to package directions.
  3. Drain when cooked and return to pot.
  4. While boiling, cook your bacon, if not yet done.
  5. Then in a skillet, cook your chicken with the onion and garlic (and some olive oil, if needed).
  6. Then add in the tomatoes and spinach.
  7. If spinach is frozen, cook until water is gone.
  8. Add the mixture and cut up bacon to the pasta pot.
  9. In the now empty skillet, heat the milk, ranch dressing, and 2 cups of cheese, until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes creamy.
  10. Stir the sauce into the pasta, chicken, bacon mixture.
  11. Pour the mixture into a 13x9 baking dish,
  12. top with more cheese
  13. bake for about 20 minutes, until heated through.
https://mismashedmom.com/2015/12/chicken-bacon-ranch-pasta-bake-2.html