Today, I was back to work after (a/another) long weekend. We packed it allllll in this weekend. The weekend, perhaps, seemed even longer because I didn’t follow my usual routine of meal planning and grocery shopping. We’re going to either clean out the freezer OR Mark’s in charge, seeing as he’s on furlough this week.
P.S. He assures me his blog post is coming yet this week. Stay tuned.
When I walked in the door this evening, he didn’t have a dinner plan, however. I knew this would be the case but our plentiful garden yield makes the decisions for us here lately. Tonight was BLTs, utilizing one gorgeous, GIANT heirloom tomato.
With the prep of bacon, along came the questions from the girls. The topic of meat dominates the dinner table lately. And if it’s not meat, it’s “coronavirus”. Hearing 3-year-olds talk about coronavirus is really something. This year, I tell you…BE GONE.
Last week, when we had steaks, Shea was emphatic in learning why they’re called steaks and not just “cow”. I mean…what does one say? I bored her some with learning about different parts of the cow and how they’re prepped, trying to help her understand some of the differences between the parts of the cow. We’ll see how much that stuck the next time beef of any kind graces our dinner table.
Tonight, however, was bacon…on those gorgeous BLTs. BLTs + guacamole in place of mayonnaise – if you’ve never tried it, please do so.
Shea wanted to know why bacon smells SO good when it’s cooked and also why it’s called “bacon”. I haven’t yet Googled that one. Piper, though, in asking for seconds, was unsure as to whether she should be asking for more pig or more bacon. Because, “Mom, pigs are pink and bacon is brown.”
What I can easily explain is that bacon is always delicious and pasta is always well-received in my house. Therefore, this Instant Pot Ranch Chicken Pasta, while not the epitome of healthy eating, is a recipe we all enjoyed. AND, it’s super easy to make. Enjoy!
Instant Pot Ranch Chicken Pasta
Creamy and rich. There's nothing not to love about pasta, bacon, and ranch! A family-pleaser!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups 2% milk
- 1 (1 oz) package Hidden Valley Original Ranch dressing mix
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
- 8 oz reduced fat cream cheese
- 1 lb penne pasta
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Place diced chicken in the Instant Pot and season with black pepper.
- Add the chicken broth, milk, and ranch seasoning; stir to combine. Add pasta and stir, burying the noodles in the liquid.
- Secure the lid and pressure cook on high for 4 minutes. Quick release the value and open.
- Stir in the cream cheese and bacon. Allow the pasta to cool for 5-10 minutes; the sauce will thicken. Serve hot.
Notes
Recipe from Tastes Better from Scratch
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 7 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 558Total Fat: 19.1gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 98mgSodium: 962mgCarbohydrates: 59.4gFiber: 1.1gSugar: 7.1gProtein: 37.0g
Want more bacon? How about ranch? Check out these recipes!
- Shrimp Tacos with Jalapeno Ranch
- Bacon and Avocado Quinoa Bowl with Buttermilk-Chive Drizzle
- Ranch-Cheddar Chicken
- Sweet Potato Coins with Gorgonzola and Bacon
- Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken Tacos
Be well,
