Oven-Baked Chicken with Bacon and Ranch Pasta

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons water
• 3 tablespoons ranch dressing mix, divided
• 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 (48 ounce) container chicken broth
• 1 (16 ounce) package small shell pasta
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 ¾ cups milk
• 1 (1.6 oz) package dry Alfredo sauce mix (such as Knorr®)
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 slices cooked and crumbled bacon

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.

Step 2

While that’s cooking, toss the chicken with 1 tablespoon of ranch seasoning and some pepper inside a large zip-top bag. Seal it up and give it a good shake so the chicken gets evenly coated.

Step 3

Bring a big pot of chicken broth to a boil, then add the pasta shells. Cook them until they’re just about done, stirring now and then, which should take around 10 minutes. Before draining, save half a cup of the pasta water and then drain the rest.

Step 4

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken on all sides, working in batches if needed, which should take about 7 minutes. Once browned, set the chicken aside.

Step 5

In the same skillet, pour in the milk, Alfredo sauce mix, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of ranch seasoning. Bring it to a boil, then turn off the heat. Stir in the chicken with any juices, the pasta, broccoli, sour cream, reserved pasta water, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 6

Transfer everything to your prepared casserole dish, sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese and bacon, then bake for about 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve it warm and enjoy!