Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Bake
A complete meal in one dish – chicken, pasta, bacon, tomatoes and spinach with a creamy ranch sauce baked to bubbling perfection under a layer of gooey cheese.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups dry penne pasta
- 3 Tbsp. butter
- 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1 pkg. (1-oz.) dry ranch dressing seasoning
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 2 cups shredded co-jack cheese, divided
- 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
- ½ cup chopped cooked bacon
Directions:
- Heat oven to 375°F. Butter or spray a 2-quart baking dish; set aside.
- Cook pasta according to package directions to al dente. Drain; set aside.
- In a 4-quart sauce pan over medium heat melt butter; whisk in flour and ranch seasoning. Cook 4-5 minutes stirring constantly. Slowly add milk while whisking constantly until smooth. Continue cooking, stir occasionally, until mixture is thickened. Remove from the heat and add 1 cup cheese. Carefully stir in pasta, chicken, spinach, tomatoes and bacon. Top with remaining cheese.
- Bake 20-25 minutes until bubbling and cheese is starting to brown. Refrigerate leftovers.
Tip:
A rotisserie chicken from the deli section of the store is a quick and easy way to get cooked chicken for the recipe.