Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta: Creamy Ready in 50 Minutes

Instructions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water (using 2 teaspoons salt) to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
2. Add the chopped bacon to a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Render the fat until the bacon is crisp and golden brown. Remove the bacon pieces with a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the rendered bacon fat in the skillet. Reduce heat slightly. Add the butter and minced garlic to the bacon fat and sauté for 60 seconds until fragrant.
3. Whisk the flour into the garlic-butter mixture (creating a quick roux) and cook for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer.
4. Pour in the heavy cream and sprinkle in the dry ranch seasoning mix and black pepper. Stir until the sauce is smooth and just beginning to bubble around the edges. Reduce the heat to low.
5. Gradually stir in the Parmesan cheese and the shredded Monterey Jack/Mozzarella until completely melted and the sauce is smooth and glossy. Stir in the cooked chicken and the reserved crispy bacon. Toss the drained pasta into the sauce until fully coated. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water until the desired consistency is reached.
6. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh chives or parsley.