Recipe Background
A comforting, creamy pasta bake featuring bacon, ranch, and mozzarella.
Rancher's Wife Bake offers a hearty, comforting embrace with every bite. Imagine pasta enveloped in a creamy, garlic-laden sauce that hints of herby ranch goodness. The aroma of sizzling bacon weaves through the kitchen, inviting eager tasters to gather around. Every forkful delivers silky cream cheese, sharp parmesan, and tender shreds of chicken entwined with penne, all finished with a golden, bubbly blanket of mozzarella. A welcome respite after a long day.
An important technique to remember is reserving a cup of pasta water. Stir this starchy liquid into your sauce to create a smooth, cohesive blend that clings lovingly to each piece of penne. This step enhances the overall creaminess and ensures every morsel carries the dish’s full flavor forward.
Perfect for sharing, this bake brings folks together. Bringing the pan to the table, laughter and conversation flow as easily as the dish’s cheesy sauce. The experience is more than just a meal; it weaves together moments of joy and connection. It’s about savoring warmth, both in taste and company, making the simplest weekday night something special.
Ingredients
- 1/2 (16-ounce) package penne
- 4 slices bacon chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese cubed and softened
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1 (1-ounce) packet ranch dressing and seasoning mix
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken shredded
- 2 cups low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook the penne to al dente, according to the package directions.
- Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the rest. Return the cooked penne to the pot.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add the bacon pieces and cook, stirring often, until they are crisp, about 5 minutes.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked bacon pieces to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Reserve the drippings in the skillet.
- In the same skillet over medium heat, add the garlic to the reserved drippings and cook, stirring constantly, until it is fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Whisk the heavy cream and the cream cheese into the garlic. Cook, whisking frequently, until the cream cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Transfer the skillet from the heat. Add the parmesan, the ranch dressing mix, the pepper, and the reserved pasta water to the cream cheese mixture and stir to combine.
- Pour the sauce over the cooked penne and stir to coat.
- Fold the shredded chicken and 1 cup of the mozzarella into the penne mixture.
- Pour the penne mixture into the prepared baking dish and evenly sprinkle with the chopped bacon and the remaining mozzarella.
- Bake the penne bake until it is golden and bubbly, about 20 minutes.
- Serve.
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