Chicken, bacon, ranch, and pasta all come together for this one tasty dish. Eat it as a main meal or serve it on the side as a hearty and creamy side dish. Either way, someone is going to ask for seconds.
Having a filling dish that contains all of these favorited ingredients is definitely a great way to win at dinner time.
Making such a tasty meal in the instant pot is just another great perk. Fewer dishes, less mess, less time, maximum flavor and deliciousness.
If you think you’ll like this dish, you should also try this BBQ Ranch Pasta Salad
What's in Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta?
- 8oz Penne Pasta
- 6 Slices Cooked Crumbled Bacon
- 1 Lb Chicken Breasts Cubed
- 1 Tbs Crushed Garlic
- 1 ¾ Cups Chicken Broth
- 1 Cup Heavy Cream
- ¾ cup Parmesan Cheese
- ½ cup Mozzarella Cheese
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
How to make Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta for Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker
- Cube Chicken and season with salt and pepper
- Add packet of Ranch Dry Seasoning and Toss Cubed Chicken in seasonings
- Set Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker to Saute until it reads "Hot"
- Add 2 Tbs Olive Oil to hot Pressure Cooker
- Add Chicken and cook until no longer pink, add garlic
- Stir chicken
- Remove Chicken from Pressure Cooker
- Add Chicken Broth or Water and Deglaze Pot by scraping and removing/lifting any stuck pieces
- Pour 8oz Penne Pasta in Pressure Cooker / Instant Pot and make sure pasta is evenly distributed under liquid
- Add 1 Cup Heavy Cream and do not stir
- Place browned chicken cubes on top
- Set Pressure Cooker / Instant Pot for Manual High Pressure for 6 minutes
- Allow a 4 minute Natural Release and then Quick Release
- Stir Pasta and Chicken
- Add Crumbled Bacon
- Stir in Parmesan Cheese
Another option is to reserve ¼ cup of Mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese for the top.
You can then pour the casserole into an oven-safe pan, sprinkle the reserved cheese on top and broil for a few minutes until golden and melted. Enjoy!
What's the Best Way to Cook Bacon?
For this recipe, we like the idea of having an easy time and not needing to do a lot of dishes. One of the best ways to do that is by cooking the bacon that you’ll need inside your oven.
Cooking bacon in your oven is incredibly easy and the mess and dangers of splattering grease are practically nonexistent.
Cover a large cooking sheet with foil and lay your bacon strips down. Bake at 400 degrees for up to 15 minutes and then remove them.
Thanks to the foil, your pan will be easy to clean and thanks to the oven, your bacon will be crispy and flat, making it much easier to chop.
Can I freeze Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta?
With this dish, if you chose to freeze it, it would be best to freeze after the cooking has been completed. Pour it into an oven (and freezer) safe container and then top with cheese.
Place in the freezer and when you’re ready to eat it, take it out the night before and let it thaw in the fridge or place it on the counter in the morning. Bake until heated through and enjoy.
Can I substitute Rotisserie Chicken?
Yes! Save yourself even more effort and enjoy the fruits of someone else’s labor by using a store-bought rotisserie chicken instead of cubing your own!
Simply shred, cube, or cut up the cooked chicken and toss it in with the crumbled bacon at the end. It will warm up pretty fast!
Which Pasta is Best?
For this recipe, we are using a Penne Pasta. However, you can substitute your favorite pasta but keep in mind that some pasta will cook at different times in your Pressure Cooker.
Rotini and Bowtie Pasta are good substitutions where you won't have to adjust the time.
Remember: It's important to remember if you adjust the time for your pasta to make sure your chicken is fully cooked. Chicken needs to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees
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Chicken Casseroles are a perfect Family Dinner. Make sure to check out these other great Casserole Recipes that are kid friendly too.
- Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
- One Pot Creamy Chicken Carbonara
- Chicken Taco Alfredo
- Skinny Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
- Tuna Casserole
- Meatball Enchilada Casserole
- Turkey Tetrazzini
- Fiesta Chicken Casserole
- Creamy Chicken Divan with Broccoli
Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb Chicken Breast Cubed
- Ranch Dressing Dry Packet
- 2 Tbs Olive Oil
- 1 Tbs Crushed Garlic
- 1 ¾ Cup Chicken Broth
- 8 oz Penne Pasta
- 1 Cup Heavy Cream
- ¾ Cup Parmesan Cheese
- ½ Cup Mozzarella Cheese
- 6-8 Slices cooked Crumbed Bacon
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
Instructions
- Cube Chicken and season with salt and pepper
- Add packet of Ranch Dry Seasoning and Toss Cubed Chicken in seasonings
- Set Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker to Saute until it reads "Hot"
- Add 2 Tbs Olive Oil to hot Pressure Cooker
- Add Chicken and cook until no longer pink, add garlic.
- Stir chicken
- Remove Chicken from Pressure Cooker
- Add Chicken Broth or Water and Deglaze Pot by scraping and removing/lifting any stuck pieces
- Add 8oz Penne Pasta and make sure pasta is evenly distributed under liquid
- Add 1 Cup Heavy Cream and do not stir
- Place browned chicken cubes on top
- Set Pressure Cooker / Instant Pot for Manual High Pressure for 6 minutes
- Allow a 4 minute Natural Release and then Quick Release
- Stir Pasta and Chicken
- Add Crumbled Bacon
- Stir in Parmesan Cheese
Morganne
You mention no where when to use the 1/2 cup mozzarella. And you completely forget to put the dry ranch seasoning packet on the ingredient list!!
Devour Dinner
Hi Morganne, I'm sorry you didn't easily find these directions. Please look at the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full list of ingredients and directions. The mozzarella as well as the ranch packet are both listed. Hope this helps!
Carla
I have a 6 quart instantpot. Is it safe to double recipe or is that too much considering it is 1 pound of pasta or will I have a big mess on my hands?
Devour Dinner
Hi Carla, This recipe can easily be doubled in a 6qt without problems! I cook 1 lb of pasta all the time and I eyeball how much chicken I want to use for the double batch. You will be just fine! Good Luck!