Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

Ingredients

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces ( (about 1/2-inch))
• Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 6 bacon strips, chopped ((about 1/2-inch pieces))
• 8 ounces fusilli pasta
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 2 tablespoons dry Ranch seasoning
• 1 cup low sodium or regular chicken broth
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Season chicken: Place the chicken in a bowl and season it with salt, pepper, garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Toss and set aside.

2. 2

   Cook bacon: In a large pan or skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy. With a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Discard all but about 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings from the pan.

3. 3

   Cook Chicken: Increase the heat to medium-high and in the same skillet, cook the chicken for about 5-6 minutes or until cooked through, stirring as needed. Transfer the chicken to a plate (for less clean up, you can remove the paper towels from the plate with the bacon, push the bacon to one side, then transfer the chicken to the same plate)

4. 4

   Boil pasta until al dente: In a pot, cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the pasta cooking water.

5. 5

   Make a roux: While the pasta is cooking, in the same skillet where you cook the bacon and the chicken, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the flour and Ranch seasoning and cook for about a minute, stirring constantly.

6. 6

   Continue making the sauce: Slowly, whisk in the broth and the half and half. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Lower the heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes or until the sauce thickens up a bit.

7. 7

   Toss with pasta: Return the chicken to the skillet and add the cooked pasta. Toss well to coat the ingredients evenly. If the pasta looks a bit dry, add some of the pasta water and toss well.

8. 8

   Serve: Add the shredded cheese and toss to combine. Remove from the heat and garnish with the crispy bacon and chopped parsley. Serve immediately.