Description
This Hidden Valley Ranch Chicken Pasta recipe combines tender chicken breast pieces with a creamy, flavorful ranch sauce and al dente rotini pasta. It’s a quick, comforting dish perfect for busy weeknights, featuring a rich blend of Parmesan cheese, garlic, and ranch seasoning to create a deliciously smooth sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
Pasta
- 8 oz rotini pasta
- Salt for pasta water, to taste
Sauce
- 1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning mix
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces to ensure even cooking and easy eating.
- Cook the chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces, season with salt and pepper, and cook until golden brown and fully cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Cook the pasta: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rotini pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
- Sauté the garlic: In the same skillet, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute, being careful not to burn it.
- Make the sauce: Pour in the heavy cream and stir in the Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning mix. Let the sauce simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes on low heat to blend the flavors.
- Add Parmesan cheese: Stir in the shredded Parmesan cheese until it melts completely and the sauce is smooth. If the sauce is too thick, thin it by adding some reserved pasta water to reach desired consistency.
- Combine pasta and chicken: Return the cooked pasta and chicken to the skillet. Toss everything together carefully to coat the pasta and chicken evenly with the creamy ranch sauce.
- Finish cooking: Cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes to warm all ingredients through and allow the flavors to meld.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle chopped parsley over the top for a fresh touch, if desired. Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- Be careful not to overcook the chicken to keep it tender and juicy.
- Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency easily without diluting flavor.
- Use freshly shredded Parmesan for best melting and flavor.
- You can substitute rotini with penne or fusilli if preferred.
- For a lighter version, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, but the sauce will be less rich.
- Parboiling pasta ahead can speed up the cooking during busy meal prep.
