Chicken Ranch Mac & Cheese

Despite our ever present nostalgia for the foods of childhood, tastes and recipes are always evolving. I came across this recipe in a Taste of Home magazine recently. It has all the flavors of a favorite casserole come together in the comfort of ‘mac & cheese’.

During the Great Depression era, the idea for boxed macaroni and cheese was born when a salesman used a rubber band to pair packets of the then newly developed, grated Kraft cheese with boxes of pasta and convinced stores to sell them. In 1937, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese (known as Kraft Dinner in Canada) was introduced with the slogan ‘make a meal for four in nine minutes for the cost of around nineteen cents’. It was an immediate success in the USA & Canada.

Traditional mac & cheese is a casserole baked in the oven, however, it may be prepared in a saucepan on the top of the stove. This particular casserole recipe takes the whole idea to a new level. Chicken, bacon, macaroni, three cheeses and Ranch dressing! I had tasted ranch dressing on chicken and bacon pizza so why not? Brion and I loved the end result making it a ‘keeper’ in our meal rotation.

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Chicken Ranch Mac & Cheese

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Rating: 5
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Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

American, European

Servings

MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
• 3 Tbsp butter,
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 cup milk
• 170 grams cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
• 60 grams Swiss cheese, grated
• 3/4 cup Ranch Salad dressing
• 2 cups cooked chicken, coarsley chopped

Topping

• 1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 2 Tbsp butter, melted
• 10 bacon strips, cooked & crumbled
• 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced

Course Main Dish Cuisine American, European Servings MetricUS Imperial Ingredients 1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked 3 Tbsp butter, 2 Tbsp flour 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 1 cup milk 170 grams cheddar cheese, grated 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated 60 grams Swiss cheese, grated 3/4 cup Ranch Salad dressing 2 cups cooked chicken, coarsley chopped Topping 1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs 2 Tbsp butter, melted 10 bacon strips, cooked & crumbled 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced

Votes: 1 Rating: 5 You: Rate this recipe!

Instructions

1. In a large pot, cook macaroni to al dente stage; drain & return to pot. Lightly butter a 13 x 9-inch baking pan; set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 F. In a medium saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, salt & pepper until smooth; gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook & stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cheeses until blended. Stir in ranch dressing. Add chicken & sauce to macaroni, tossing to combine. Transfer to baking dish.
3. Toss bread crumbs with melted butter; sprinkle over macaroni. Top with bacon. Bake, uncovered, 30-35 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Sprinkle with minced parsley.

Recipe Notes

• Recipe adapted from tasteofhome.com