Weight Watchers – Chicken Ranch Pasta

I love rotisserie chickens! There’s a grocery store where I live, and you can get 2 of them for only $10.00. I think that’s a steal. I like using them to make easy recipes like this Chicken Ranch Pasta. The chicken is already cooked, so all I had to do was make the sauce and boil the noodles. Super simple.

I was really tempted to put this pasta in a casserole dish and make it into a mac and cheese casserole, but the sauce was super yummy I didn’t want to wait any longer to eat it. I tried making this first with some left over bacon grease in the pan (I really strained much of it) and a pepper jack cheese, but the sauce ended up being really gross and griny. I made it again with out the bacon grease and it was much better. This pasta dish has two of my favorite ingredients in it that pretty much can make anything better: ranch and bacon! I’d like to try making this again, but a mac and cheese version of it instead. Another recipe winner I found on pinterest.

Points Plus: 10

Recipe from Just a Pinch

Weight Watchers – Chicken Ranch Pasta

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★★★★★

4.7 from 3 reviews

• Author: Jenna
• Yield: 6 1x

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Ingredients

• 1/2 lb whole wheat penne pasta
• 4 slice bacon, diced
• 1/2 Tbsp light butter
• 1 large chicken breast, boneless & skinless, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 Tbsp all purpose flour
• 1/2 pkg ranch dressing mix ( 1/2 oz)
• 1 c fat free milk
• 1/2 c fat free shredded cheddar cheese
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 scallions, chopped (optional) 

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Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions in boiling salted water; drain, return to pot, and keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Drain all but 1/2 tablespoon of bacon drippings from the pan.
3. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add the butter to the reserved bacon drippings, then add the chicken to the same skillet. Cook until tender, no longer pink, and slightly browned.
4. Sprinkle the flour and ranch dressing mix over the chicken, stirring to coat evenly. Stir in the milk, and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and bubbly. Stir in the cheddar cheese and half of the reserved bacon; cook and stir until the cheese is melted. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
5. Serve each plate of pasta with more bacon sprinkled over the top. Garnish with green onions (optional) 
6. Makes 6 servings, 1 cup serving size.

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Notes

myWW points

Blue Points: 7; Green Points: 7;  Purple Points:7

• Category: Medium
• Method: Stovetop

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cup
• Calories: 284
• Sugar: 2
• Saturated Fat: 2
• Fiber: 4
• Protein: 24

Keywords: chicken ranch pasta

Want more chicken recipes? Give these a try….

Weight Watcher’s Unfried Chicken 6 points plus

Orange Chicken Salad 9 PP per serving