The other night I was craving cheesy homemade macaroni, so I was anxious to not just have it as a side. Instead wanted to make it a meal. I looked in the fridge for some inspiration. I found some bacon that needed to be used soon. After some thought, I decided to do Chicken, Bacon, and Ranch mac & cheese. However, when I looked in the pantry there was NO macaroni! The orzo that I bought months ago and haven’t figured out how to use it was staring back at me. So there ya go. I decided to give it a shot.
This turned out so delicious. Creamy. Full of flavor.
Servings: 6-8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
1 lb. chicken
1 lb. bacon
4 cups of Colby Jack cheese, shredded
8 oz. Orzo Pasta
1/2 cup of Ranch dressing powder
1 can of cream of mushroom or chicken
1 1/2 cup of milk
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Cook orzo. Follow directions on box.
3. Place bacon on cookie sheet and put in oven for about 15 minutes.
4. Brown chicken in a little olive oil. Cook till brown and chopped to bite size or smaller.
5. After bacon gets to the level of crispiness you like, pull out of oven, remove bacon and place on paper towel to soak up grease. Chop bacon.
6. Empty soup can into sauce pan along with milk. Bring to a simmer, but make sure to stir constantly to ensure it doesn’t burn on the bottom. Stir in 1/4 cup of Ranch dressing powder. Once it’s simmering, add 2 cups of shredded cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Pull pan off heat.
7. Put chicken in a bowl and stir in other part of Ranch dressing powder. Mix together with bacon.
8. Pour orzo into bowl. Then, stir in cheese mixture. Then, add the chicken and bacon. Pour into baking dish.
9. Top with rest of the cheese and bake for about 20 minutes.
- 1 lb. chicken
- 1 lb. bacon
- 4 cups of Colby Jack cheese, shredded
- 8 oz. orzo
- ½ cup of
- Ranch dressing powder
- 1 can of cream of mushroom or chicken
- 1½ cup of milk
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Cook orzo. Follow directions on box.
- Place bacon on cookie sheet and put in oven for about 15 minutes.
- Brown chicken in a little olive oil. Cook till brown and chopped to bite size or smaller.
- After bacon gets to the level of crispiness you like, pull out of oven, remove bacon and place on paper towel to soak up grease. Chop bacon.
- Empty soup can into sauce pan along with milk. Bring to a simmer, but make sure to stir constantly to ensure it doesn't burn on the bottom. Stir in ¼ cup of Ranch dressing powder. Once it's simmering, add 2 cups of shredded cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Pull pan off heat.
- Put chicken in a bowl and stir in other part of Ranch dressing powder. Mix together with bacon.
- Pour orzo into bowl. Then, stir in cheese mixture. Then, add the chicken and bacon. Pour into baking dish.
- Top with rest of the cheese and bake for about 20 minutes.
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