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About This Recipe
Who doesn’t love a chicken, bacon and ranch combo? Add it to mac and cheese and you have the ultimate comfort food combo!
This Chicken Bacon Ranch Mac and Cheese is seriously so good you won’t believe it’s lightened up and has only 4 grams of fat per serving! It’s perfect to whip up on busy weeknights when you want something simple and easy that will instantly be a family hit.
This mac and cheese is a great option when you want something simple that is still full of delicious flavors. This mac and cheese can be prepped in just 10 minutes and uses simple-to-find ingredients at the grocery store!
Just pop in the oven for 20 minutes and you have a meal on the dinner table in just 30 minutes!
Looking for more family-friendly mac and cheese recipes? Try my Healthy Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese, Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese or Mac and Cheese Bites for the ultimate party snack!
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Bacon Ranch Mac and Cheese
- Ummm do we need to spell the title out?! Chicken. Bacon. Ranch. Mac and Cheese… YUM!
- Lower in fat than traditional mac and cheese! Only 4g of fat and 215 calories per serving.
- There is cheesy goodness in each bite!
- High in protein to keep you feeling satisfied! Amazing recipe to meal prep!
- The whole family will love it, even your most pickiest of eaters!
- Chicken
- Elbow macaroni – I just used normal elbow macaroni! Which is one of my favorite pastas. Nothing beats classic elbow macaroni noodles and cheese.
- Ranch seasoning – or sub for your favorite seasonings.
- Cauliflower – again optional, but for me, I love it and it adds volume so I love including it! I just used the frozen because it is easy. Using fresh would work fine, I would just recommend cooking it before using it for this recipe.
- Bacon – I cooked beforehand. Extra crispy just how I like it! The kind I used had 2.5g of fat per slice.
- Campbell’s Condensed Healthy Request Cheddar Cheese Soup – an easy way to add a lot of cheesy flavor throughout./
- Cheese – I used shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese but you can use any cheese you want!
- Crispy chicken! Cook chicken in air fryer instead of the skillet!
- Mix up the cheeses! Use your favorite cheese like Pepperjack for a little kick or goat cheese for extra creaminess!
- Different shape noodle! I used classic elbow macaroni noodles but feel free to get creative with your favorite shape pasta.
How To Make
The full printable recipe is below, but let me walk you through the process so you know what to expect when you’re making it!
1. Preheat oven to 400 °F. Bring a small pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta. When done, drain and set aside.
2. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and set to medium-high heat. Add the chicken and ranch seasoning. Toss/stir until the chicken is evenly coated, about 7-8 minutes. Add the cauliflower, pasta and other half of the ranch seasoning. Toss to combine.
3. Then, add the bacon and cheddar cheese soup to the skillet and stir until until everything is mixed evenly.
4. Transfer the mac and cheese mixture to a 13×9″ baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with the shredded cheeses. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is to desired brownness.
What To Pair Mac and Cheese With
I mean really, is there a wrong way to eat Mac and Cheese? I think not. Still, here are some of the ways I have been eating this Chicken Bacon Ranch Mac and Cheese to help give you ideas:
- With a a huge salad – red onions, feta or goat cheese, pickled red onions and honey mustard. My go-to!
- With a piece of toasted sour dough bread. I like to dip my bread in the Mac and Cheese. It is pretty much the best thing ever.
- With skinny noodles. Lol. Sounds weird, but it just adds more “noodles” to the mix. And with the elbow pasta and flavors of this dish, it’s basically a more voluminous version of the already yumminess.
- With a side of Upside Down Egg White Pizza. Yep. Life is good when combo happens.
How do I store this bacon ranch mac and cheese?
Store this mac and cheese in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Why is my mac and cheese sauce watery?
Be sure not to overcook your cauliflower in your mac and cheese. This can sometimes cause the sauce to be watery. Also make sure your pasta is cooked al dente so it won’t be mushy as it mixes with the cheese sauce or when you reheat.
What pairs well with this bacon ranch mac and cheese?
I love pairing this main dish with a side of green beans, broccoli or a side salad!
More Mac and Cheese Recipes You’ll Love
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure leave a review, tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @LaurenFitFoodie or hashtag #LaurenFitFoodie so I can see your creations!
Chicken Bacon Ranch Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
Ranch Chicken:
- 1.25 lb. chicken breast (20oz) cut into bite size pieces
- 1/2 packet ranch seasoning (15g)
Bacon Ranch Mac and Cheese:
- 1 + ½ cup elbow macaroni (168g) or pasta of choice
- 1 (10.8oz) bag frozen cauliflower microwaved and cut into bite size pieces (I used Birds Eye Steamfresh)
- 1/2 packet ranch seasoning (15g)
- 2 bacon slices crumbled (I used thick sliced uncured smoked bacon with 2.5g of fat per slice)
- 1 (10.75oz) can Campbell’s Condensed Healthy Request Cheddar Cheese Soup
- ¼ cup 2% shredded mozzarella cheese (28g)
- ¼ cup 2% shredded cheddar cheese (28g)
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 °F.
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta. When done, drain and set aside.
- Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and set to medium-high heat. Add the chicken and ranch seasoning. Toss/stir until the chicken is evenly coated, about 7-8 minutes.
- Add the cauliflower, pasta and other half of the ranch seasoning. Toss to combine.
- Then, add the bacon and cheddar cheese soup to the skillet and stir until until everything is mixed evenly.
- Transfer the mac and cheese mixture to a 13×9" baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with the shredded cheeses.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is to desired brownness.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition is hand-calculated and accurate. No autocalulations! However, note that values can vary based on the brands you use and if you substitute ingredients.
