This chicken bacon ranch pasta is a family favorite pasta bake with pasta, chicken, and bacon in a creamy ranch sauce, all topped off with cheese and more bacon. It's an irresistible combination everyone loves, and it's ready in just 30 minutes!
Why this Recipe Works
This baked chicken bacon ranch pasta is possibly the perfect chicken pasta bake. The sauce for this pasta casserole is similar to a homemade alfredo sauce, but it combines two additional ingredients everyone loves, bacon and ranch!
The whole family will be asking for seconds of this delicious, creamy pasta casserole. Best of all, it's ready in just 30 minutes, so it's perfect for an easy weeknight dinner!
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken - You can use a rotisserie chicken or make a batch of my Instant Pot Chicken breasts for this dish.
- Pasta - I used rotini pasta to ensure every bite captures some of the delicious ranch sauce. Other shaped noodles like penne, macaroni, or ziti will also work.
- Cheese - I highly recommend grating your own cheese for the best results. The additives in pre-shredded cheese can cause the sauce to be grainy, and it will not melt as well for the topping. You can swap in other varieties, like cheddar, if you'd like.
- Cream - The heavy cream adds richness to the sauce. You can swap in half-and-half if preferred, but I do not recommend using low-fat milk.
- Ranch Seasoning - I use store-bought dry ranch seasoning for this pasta. It's a flavorful mixture of dill, parsley, and chives, along with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Cook the Pasta - Preheat your oven to 375°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente, then drain and set aside.
- Cook the Bacon - While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook the bacon strips, stirring often, for around 5 minutes until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set on paper towels. Carefully drain the grease and wipe clean with paper towels.
- Make the Sauce - In the same skillet, add the butter and flour and cook for 1-2 minutes while stirring constantly, until lightly browned. Add the cream and ranch seasoning and whisk until simmering and slightly thickened, around 3 minutes.
- Add Cheese, Chicken, and Bacon - Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted, then stir in the chicken and around half of the bacon.
- Transfer to Baking Dish - Add the pasta to a 9 by 13-inch baking dish, then pour the sauce over the top and stir to combine. Press into an even layer.
- Add Topping - Top evenly with the mozzarella cheese and the remaining bacon.
- Bake then Serve - Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes until the cheese topping is melted. Let cool for 5 minutes, then garnish with green onions and serve.
Expert Tips
- If you want to make it extra saucy, in step 3, add another tablespoon of butter and flour for the roux. Then, add an extra cup of cream, and another packet of ranch seasoning when making the sauce.
- You can assemble this casserole up to a day ahead, but leave off the topping, then cover and refrigerate. When you're ready to bake the pasta, remove the dish from the refrigerator around 30 minutes before baking. Stir in around ¼ cup of cream, then add the topping and bake. You will need around 5 extra minutes of cooking time.
Serving Suggestions
This chicken bacon ranch pasta casserole is a hearty meal on its own. But you can't go wrong with a salad like my Kale Crunch salad or my apple walnut salad. And for veggies my grilled broccolini is a good choice.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Reheat leftovers in a 325°F oven for 10-12 minutes or until warmed through. You can reheat individual portions in the microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
The dry ranch seasoning mix is stronger than most bottled ranch dressing. But if you prefer to use dressing, swap in 1 cup of dressing for 1 cup of the cream.
If you want to make this dish even quicker, you can use 2 to 2½ cups of store-bought alfredo sauce and mix it with 1 packet of ranch seasoning. Then combine with the noodles, chicken, and bacon, and bake as directed.
More Pasta Bake Recipes
📖 Recipe
Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Casserole Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 ounces dried rotini pasta, or penne
- 6 slices bacon, cut into strips
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups heavy cream, or half and half
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 packet dry ranch dressing seasoning mix, 2 Tablespoons
- 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or cubed
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- salt and pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup chopped green onions, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente, then drain and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook the bacon, stirring often until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set on paper towels. Carefully drain the grease and wipe clean with paper towels.
- In the same skillet, add the butter and flour and cook for 1-2 minutes while stirring constantly, until lightly browned. Add the cream and ranch seasoning and whisk until simmering and slightly thickened.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted, then stir in the chicken and around half of the bacon.
- Add the pasta to a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, then pour the sauce and chicken over the top and stir to combine. Press into an even layer.
- Top with the mozzarella cheese and the remaining bacon.
- Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes until the cheese topping is melted. Let cool for 5 minutes, then garnish with green onions and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
* All nutrition information we provide are estimates based on third party calculators. We encourage you to calculate these on your own for accurate results.
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