Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

Add chopped beef bacon to a cold skillet.

Turn the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crispy.

Using tongs, remove the crispy bacon from the skillet and set aside, leaving the rendered bacon fat in the pan.

Season the chicken thighs with garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper.

Place the seasoned chicken in the hot bacon fat and sear on both sides until golden brown.

Transfer the seared chicken to an oven or air fryer to finish cooking through.

While the chicken cooks, prepare the sauce. In the same skillet, pour in the heavy cream, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

As the cream warms, whisk in the ranch seasoning mix.

Once the sauce begins to gently bubble, add the cooked bacon back into the skillet.

Stir in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese until melted and the sauce is smooth.

Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve about a cup of pasta water before draining.

Add the drained al dente spaghetti to the sauce. Pour in a splash of reserved pasta water and toss everything together until the pasta is well-coated and the sauce has thickened.

Once the chicken is fully cooked, slice it into thin strips.

Arrange the sliced chicken on top of the pasta.

Garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving.