Description
Enjoy the creamy goodness of White Cheddar Ranch Chicken Pasta, featuring tender chicken, rich cheese, and perfectly cooked cavatappi. This dish is easy to prepare and perfect for a comforting family dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 ounces cavatappi pasta
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup (½ stick / 57 g) unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- ¼ cup (31 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 tablespoons (about 1 packet / 1 ounce) dry ranch seasoning
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cups (226 g) white cheddar cheese, shredded
- fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook the cavatappi pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and set it aside along with the reserved water.
- In a pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the chicken breasts. Season with paprika and black pepper; cook until the chicken is fully cooked and no longer pink inside, about 7-8 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and let it cool before slicing into strips.
- In the same pan, melt the unsalted butter and add the minced garlic. Sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Sprinkle in the all-purpose flour and whisk continuously for about 2 minutes to create a roux.
- Gradually add the whole milk while continuing to whisk until the mixture thickens and is smooth.
- Stir in the ranch seasoning and crushed red pepper flakes, mixing well.
- Add the shredded white cheddar cheese and stir until melted and creamy. If the sauce is too thick, add some reserved pasta water to reach the desired consistency.
- Combine the cooked pasta and sliced chicken with the cheese sauce, stirring to coat both evenly. Serve warm, garnished with fresh parsley.
Notes
For added flavor, you can marinate the chicken in the ranch seasoning before cooking.
Feel free to substitute with other types of pasta if cavatappi is not available.
This dish can be made ahead of time and reheated; just add a bit of milk to loosen the sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg