Bacon Ranch and Chicken Mac and Cheese

(Courtesy of Cooking Lightly)

Ingredients:
8 oz. uncooked elbow macaroni
1 applewood-smoked bacon slice
8 oz. skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. fat-free milk
1/3 c. condensed 45% reduced-sodium 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
3/4 c. (3 oz.) shredded six-cheese Italian blend 
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh dill
1/2 tsp. salt
Cooking spray
1/2 c. (2 oz.) shredded colby-jack cheese

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp.  Remove back from pan, reserving drippings in pan.  Finely chop bacon; set aside.  Increase heat to medium-high.  Add chicken to drippings in pan; saute 6 minutes or until done.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; sprinkle flour evenly into pan.  Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk.  Combine milk and soup, stirring with a whisk; gradually add milk mixture to saucepan, stirring with a whisk.  Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until thick.  Remove from heat; let stand 4 minutes or until sauce cools to 155 degrees.  Add Italian cheese blend and next 4 ingredients, stirring until cheese melts.  Stir in pasta and chicken.

Preheat broiler.  Spoon mixture into an 8 inch square baking dish coating with cooking spray.  Sprinkle evenly with reserved bacon and colby-jack cheese.  Broil 3 minutes or until cheese melts.  

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