Description
A lighter, creamy chicken bacon ranch pasta made with whole grain pasta, turkey bacon, Greek yogurt, and fresh herbs. Quick stovetop method with an easy crockpot option.
Ingredients
12 oz whole grain penne or rotini
1.25 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, diced
4 slices turkey bacon, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup plain 2% Greek yogurt
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella or reduced-fat cheddar
1.5 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
2 cups small broccoli florets or 1 cup peas (optional)
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or dill
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Cook pasta in salted water until al dente; reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
2. Crisp turkey bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat; transfer to a plate.
3. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and paprika; add oil to the skillet and sear chicken 5–7 minutes until cooked through.
4. Pour in broth to deglaze; simmer 2 minutes and lower heat.
5. Whisk yogurt with 2 tbsp warm broth to temper; off heat, stir yogurt into skillet with garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, and dried parsley.
6. Return skillet to low heat; add cheese and stir until smooth without boiling.
7. Add pasta, bacon, and vegetables (steam broccoli 2–3 minutes or use thawed peas); toss, adding reserved pasta water to loosen.
8. Adjust salt and pepper; top with fresh herbs and serve warm.
9. Crockpot option: Add chicken, broth, garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, and dried parsley to slow cooker; cook on Low 4–5 hours or High 2–3 hours.
10. Stir in cooked al dente pasta, tempered yogurt, cheese, and bacon; cover 10 minutes on Warm, then garnish with herbs.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes