Creamy Ranch Chicken Pasta
Ranch flavor is one of my favorites, you might have noticed on the blog, there are soooooo many recipes, below is a list of all the ones you can use once you make that Onion Ranch Seasoning that is straight up addictive. When we were up in Colorado earlier this summer, we made a point to eat at the house twice a day to reduce costs and a little healthier. One night, I grabbed a bag of this pasta skillet and I was very impressed with the flavor but knew I could make it even better at home.
So a couple weeks after we got home, I made this and it was a huge hit with the whole family. It literally took 30 minutes and made a big batch for leftover lunches. Packed with vegetables, I felt good giving it to my family. Below are my swaps to make it perfect for your family!
Vegan - leave out the chicken and use some white beans for protein. Use vegan cream cheese and parmesan
Low carb / Keto - Leave out the pasta or use zucchini noodles
Dairy free - use plant-based cream cheese and parmesan
Gluten free - use GF pasta
Want to try some other recipes with a Ranch flavor bomb? Start with the Onion Ranch Seasoning in this Slow Cooker Onion Ranch Chicken
Creamy Ranch Chicken Pasta
1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1” cubes
1 small onion, diced
1 Tablespoon oil
3 carrots, sliced
2 bell peppers, sliced
2 cups broccoli florets
2 Tablespoons Onion Ranch Seasoning
1 1/2 cups corn
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup milk of choice
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
1 lb pasta
- Fill a large pot with water for boiling pasta, start on high temperature. Once boiling, add a good amount of salt and drop in the pasta. Cook until al dente, drain. Make the sauce during this process and reserve a ladle of pasta water.
- Heat another large pot on medium-high heat, when it is hot, add the chicken, onion, and oil. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper and cook until the chicken is browned and the onions are softened.
- Add the carrots and peppers, stir, and cook for several minutes, until the carrots are slightly softened. Sprinkle in the Onion Ranch Seasoning and stir to coat evenly. Drop in the corn and broccoli and stir all together.
- Now for the sauce, pour in the milk, the block of cream cheese, and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese. Stir and make sure the cream cheese and parmesan are melted and smooth. The sauce is ready when the broccoli is tender, less than 10 minutes with the sauce.
- Pour in the reserved pasta water along with the cooked pasta and stir. Serve!
A rainbow of vegetables, lean protein, some pasta, and the easiest cream sauce you have ever made. Look at my swaps at the top to make it suit your dietary needs!
Bright colors help my kids eat vegetables and this array is all of their favorites, vegetables I don’t need to beg them. Use the vegetables your kids love in this to make it a meal without fights.
Just throw the chicken and onions in the pot with some oil, salt, and pepper and you are started. Make sure to get your pot of water going, it will take about the same amount of time for the water to get up to a boil and the pasta to cook as it does to make this sauce!
Chicken cooked and onions soft, now to get those colors in there!
Carrots and peppers into the pot, stir it up!
Sprinkle on that Onion Ranch Seasoning you know I love, once those carrots get a little soft.
Once that seasoning is mixed in, drop in the last of the vegetables, I use frozen corn and make the broccoli into little florets for easy eating.
Stir it all together!
Now for the easiest cream sauce, no flour needed, just milk (I used almond milk), cream cheese, and some parmesan. Save a little parm for the top.
And just pop it all into the pot! I mean seriously, how easy? The only other thing you need is a little pasta water to bring it all together!
So creamy and delicious
Pasta!
All goes together and ready to chow down!
