• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Cooking With Karli

food with a little life

  • Recipe Box
    • Instant Pot
    • Crockpot
    • Main Dish
    • Sides
    • Dessert
    • Kids cooking
  • Work With Me
    • Work with Me: For Brands
    • Work with Me: For Bloggers
  • Shop
    • Checkout
    • Cart
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

Home » Instant Pot » Instant Pot Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

Instant Pot Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

Apr 26, 2018 · 19 Comments

Share
Pin
Share
Email
Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe

Instant Pot Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta is creamy, cheesy and full of the classic chicken bacon ranch flavor! Making this in the Instant Pot couldn’t be easier, this is a Dump and Start pasta dish that will be ready to eat in 20 minutes flat!

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta is make in the Instant Pot.

Chicken Bacon Ranch BLISS

If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you probably know that I worked at Subway while in high school. (Side note: you HAVE to try my copy cat version of their Raspberry Cheesecake Cookies. To-die-for.)

Every shift we could buy one item half off. Early on, the Chicken Bacon Ranch became a favorite of mine. A coworker even bet that I couldn’t down an entire Chicken Bacon Ranch footlong in my 15 minute break.. you know I wouldn’t bring that up if my barely-over-5-foot high school self didn’t succeed, right? 😉

As I was cooking the other day, some 8 years later (I don’t know how it’s been so long), an idea struck; Chicken Bacon Ranch PASTA. Aka marrying my favorite carb with my favorite sandwich.

The results were phenomenal.

This picky eater friendly meal is made in the Instant Pot, full of chicken chunks, bacon bits and ranch flavor.

Dump and Start Instant Pot Meal

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta falls into one of my favorite categories: Dump and Start.

Dump and Start meals are the best because there is NO prep work involved. You literally dump everything into the Instant Pot and go.

My Creamy Ziti recipe, which is a Dump and Start meal, is the most popular recipe on my site as of right now. That meal is seriously tasty, too.  Just like Olive Garden’s 5 Cheese Ziti… Okay, I am getting side tracked here. 🙂

Bacon bits on top of a made from scratch ranch alfredo sauce covered linguine pasta with chunks of chicken all cooked in the Instant Pot.

Tips for Successful Instant Pot Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

There are a few tips, must do’s, can not’s and just info that will make your life a little easier while making this Instant Pot Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta. Read on.. 🙂

  • The chicken is cooked in the pot right alongside the pasta. Make sure the chicken is cut into 1 inch cubes to insure even cooking through all chicken chunks.
  • The chicken chunks all do much better on the BOTTOM of the pot, underneath the pasta. If the chicken sits on top, the pasta directly underneath is pushed down and can’t move around and cook properly.
  • Make sure that all pasta is COVERED with liquid. If it isn’t covered, it won’t cook properly.
  • No, you can’t use regular milk or half ‘n half. If you are looking for a lighter alternative, check out this Skinny Alfredo recipe- just add ranch dressing mix, chicken and bacon!
  • Microwave bacon has come a long way, buy some. Use it in this recipe. It will make your live a million times easier.
  • Only use Shredded Parmesan Cheese- that is the real stuff. NOT Grated (powdered) Parmesan Cheese. The cheese is used to thicken the sauce at the very end, the powdered cheese won’t thicken the sauce at all. It would just result in lumpy, soupy pasta. Aka yucky.
  • If you have any questions at all, comment below! I will comment back as soon as humanly possible. 😉

Heavy Cream, broth, garlic and ranch dressing mix make up this delicious from scratch sauce.

Instant Pot Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

(Printable Recipe Below)

Instant Pot Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta is creamy, cheesy and full of the classic chicken bacon ranch flavor! Making this in the Instant Pot couldn’t be easier, this is a Dump and Start pasta dish that will be ready to eat in 20 minutes flat!

Ingredients

  • 1 chicken breast cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tsp minced garlic dried
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 lb linguine noodles broken in half
  • 2 tbsp dry ranch mix
  • 3/4-1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup bacon prepped and crumbled

Instructions

  1. Combine broth, heavy cream, garlic, salt and pepper in the liner of the Instant Pot.
  2. Put the 1 inch cubes of chicken into the broth and cream mixture in the  Instant Pot liner. Take care to distribute the chunks evenly around the liner.
  3. Place the broken pasta on top of the chicken in the liquid. MAKE SURE ALL NOODLES ARE COVERED WITH LIQUID. Move the pasta around until they are all covered.
  4. Secure lid in place, make sure the knob is set to seal. Cook on manual HIGH for 6 minutes NPR for 6 minutes and then QR.
  5. The sauce at this point will be very runny, don’t be scared. It is supposed to be that way. 🙂
  6. Stir in the dry ranch dressing mix, mix thoroughly.
  7. Gradually add in the shredded parmesan cheese. Add in small amounts at a time, stirring in-between each addition.
  8. Serve in bowls and top with crispy bacon bits. Enjoy!

Instant Pot Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta is creamy, cheesy and full of the classic chicken bacon ranch flavor! Making this in the Instant Pot couldn't be easier, this is a Dump and Start pasta dish that will be ready to eat in 20 minutes flat! |Cooking with Karli| #pasta #instantpot #recipe #dumpandstart #chicken #bacon #ranch

Try these other Dump and Start Instant Pot meals!

Dump and Start Instant Pot Creamy Ziti is saucy, cheesy and delicious. 20 minutes is all you need to make this creamy red sauce and pasta dish!Dump and Start Creamy Ziti
Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches are sandwiches made from shredded beef with melted cheese served on toasted chibatta rolls and dunked in the flavorful Au Jus just before eating.French Dip Sandwiches
No prep Alfredo made in the Instant Pot in under 20 minutes! A dream come true!Dump and Start Alfredo

I love connecting with my Readers!! Come over and find me on Facebook and Instagram!

FREE 5 DAY INSTANT POT COURSE!!

From unboxing to PRO in just 5 days!! Get comfortable with your Instant Pot, do the water test & GET COOKING!! Full Recipes and exclusive Q&A support included. 🙂 

Instant Pot chicken Alfredo

You have Successfully Subscribed!

I wont send you spam, PROMISE! I hate it as much as you! After the 5 day course, I typically send 1 email per week. Unsubscribe at any time.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta is make in the Instant Pot.

Instant Pot Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

Instant Pot Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta is creamy, cheesy and full of the classic chicken bacon ranch flavor! Making this in the Instant Pot couldn't be easier, this is a Dump and Start pasta dish that will be ready to eat in 20 minutes flat!
Follow me on YouTube!Find all of my videos and don't forget to subscribe!!!
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Author: Karli Bitner

Ingredients

  • 1 chicken breast cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tsp minced garlic dried
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 lb linguine noodles broken in half
  • 2 tbsp dry ranch mix
  • 3/4-1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup bacon prepped and crumbled

Instructions

  • Combine broth, heavy cream, garlic, salt and pepper in the liner of the Instant Pot. 
  • Put the 1 inch cubes of chicken into the broth and cream mixture in the  Instant Pot liner. Take care to distribute the chunks evenly around the liner.
  • Place the broken pasta on top of the chicken in the liquid. MAKE SURE ALL NOODLES ARE COVERED WITH LIQUID. Move the pasta around until they are all covered.
  • Secure lid in place, make sure the knob is set to seal. Cook on manual HIGH for 6 minutes NPR for 6 minutes and then QR.
  • The sauce at this point will be very runny, don't be scared. It is supposed to be that way. 🙂 
  • Stir in the dry ranch dressing mix, mix thoroughly. 
  • Gradually add in the shredded parmesan cheese. Add in small amounts at a time, stirring in-between each addition.
  • Serve in bowls and top with crispy bacon bits. Enjoy!

Notes

You can garnish with fresh parsley if you'd like. 🙂
Tried this recipe?Post on social media and tag @cookingwithkarli !!
  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Karli Bitner
Follow me
Karli Bitner
This blog is a little glimpse into my kitchen, family & life. I hope you’ll giggle the days away with me and enjoy the craziness that goes on at my house. There isn’t ever a shortage of crazy. I can promise you that! Buckle up, keep your hand and legs inside at all times and enjoy the ride!
Karli Bitner
Follow me
Latest posts by Karli Bitner (see all)
  • Valentine’s Day Muddy Buddy Mix - January 19, 2021
  • Tortilla Folding Recipes | TikTok Tortilla Hack - January 15, 2021
  • Best Buttermilk Pancakes - January 12, 2021
Share
Pin
Share
Email

Chicken, Dump and Start, Instant Pot, Main Dish, Pasta

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Carrie says

    May 15, 2018 at 5:42 pm

    5 stars
    made this tonight ~ it was excellent – even cheated more, used rotisserie chicken
    I remember reading someones comments about the volcano of milk pouring out on release (it happened tonight) – how do I avoid that in the future.

    Reply
    • karlibitner says

      May 15, 2018 at 5:50 pm

      So strange! Did you NPR for 6 minutes? Did you double the recipe by chance? I haven’t ever had that happen before.

      Reply
  2. Kena says

    May 24, 2018 at 10:56 am

    Can you double this?

    Reply
    • karlibitner says

      May 24, 2018 at 11:13 am

      Yes! You sure can! Everything gets doubled, the cook time stays the same. ?

      Reply
  3. Marissa James says

    July 31, 2018 at 9:11 pm

    5 stars
    If a divorce wasn’t so much paperwork I think my husband would already be down on one knee proposing to you. We ate dinner 5 hours ago and he’s still raving about how delicious it was and what a shame it is I didn’t have enough heavy cream on hand to double the recipe from the get go. Even the picky 3 year old ate it with no complaining. It came to pressure really quickly since I use hot water to reconstitute my (real) chicken broth and from plugging in to eating was less than 20 minutes. A definite winner that’ll be making reappearances at our house!!

    Reply
    • karlibitner says

      July 31, 2018 at 9:13 pm

      Literally laughing out loud over here, Marissa!! I am sooo glad it was a hit and that it will be making an appearance from time to time at your house. ? thanks for taking the time to comment!

      Reply
  4. Renee says

    August 3, 2018 at 3:27 pm

    Every time I make a dish with heavy cream, half and half, milk etc it always curdles. How do I prevent this, is there a trick or does this happen to everyone?

    Reply
    • karlibitner says

      August 3, 2018 at 3:37 pm

      Heavy whipping cream has enough fat to stabilize the cream while under pressure so it should not curdle. I haven’t ever had an issue when using heavy cream. Half and half, milk and other substitutes do not have enough fat in them and they will curdle under pressure. Hope this helps a bit!

      Reply
  5. Stacee says

    November 28, 2018 at 6:24 pm

    How many servings are in this recipie?

    Reply
    • karlibitner says

      November 30, 2018 at 3:16 pm

      4-6, depending on how large of servings. ?

      Reply
  6. Nancy says

    January 25, 2019 at 9:46 am

    How many servings will this make?

    Reply
    • karlibitner says

      January 25, 2019 at 11:20 pm

      4-6 servings.

      Reply
  7. Erica says

    February 25, 2019 at 7:28 am

    Can you use other types of pasta with this recipe? I’ve already got some rotini pasta at home and was hoping to use it up, just unsure if the cooking time would need to be changed.

    Reply
    • karlibitner says

      February 26, 2019 at 12:13 am

      Rotini would work great with this recipe. 🙂 No need to change the cook time.

      Reply
  8. Rebecca says

    April 28, 2019 at 7:11 am

    5 stars
    We absolutely loved this! Delicious! Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply
  9. Dean says

    June 10, 2019 at 2:40 pm

    I’m a IP noob. Can this be made in a 3 quart mini? It doesn’t seem like it would overload it but again, I’m a newbie. Can’t wait to try this!

    Reply
    • Karli Bitner says

      June 17, 2019 at 10:32 pm

      Hi Dean, so sorry it has taken me a while to respond! I have been out of town on business. This will work in your 3 qt! I would suggest doing a controlled quick release of the pressure (turn the knob back and forth quickly while releasing the pressure) instead of just turning the knob and letting the pressure release. Pasta tends to bubble up and get foamy, this will help eliminate any problems. Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  10. Rachel says

    July 21, 2019 at 12:38 pm

    How can I do this with frozen chicken? Or does it have to be fresh?

    Reply
    • Karli Bitner says

      July 24, 2019 at 8:38 pm

      Hi Rachel- you can actually toss frozen chicken tenderloins on top of the pasta and cook everything at the same time. No need to change the cook time. 🙂 Hope you enjoy it!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

About Karli

karli bitner

This blog is a little glimpse into my kitchen, family & life. I hope you’ll giggle the days away with me and enjoy the craziness that goes on at my house.

More about Karli

Join the Newsletter

Subscribe to get our latest content by email.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

We wont send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.

Footer

Disclosure and Privacy Policy | Work With Me | About Me | THEME: Seasoned Pro

Copyright © 2021 · Cooking with Karli - Website Development by PUSH 25 Creative Solutions