Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole Recipe

This chicken bacon ranch casserole is the perfect comfort food! It combines the classic flavors of ranch seasoning with a creamy mac and cheese sauce, al dente noodles, shredded rotisserie chicken, and crispy bacon. It’s all baked together for a cozy weeknight dinner your whole family will love!

 

Easy Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole Recipe

• The flavors of this casserole are perfect! Chicken, bacon, and ranch is a timeless trifecta of flavors and this casserole has them all! The ranch seasoning mixes beautifully into the creamy cheese sauce – adding just the right amount of herb and garlic flavor. Pair that with shredded chicken and crispy bacon and it’s game over.
• The ingredient list is short and sweet! A handful of common ingredients is all it takes to make this casserole – including a creamy cheese sauce made from scratch! Don’t worry, it’s not as hard at all and I’ll walk you through it step by step!
• There’s no jarred alfredo sauce! Most chicken bacon ranch casserole recipes use jarred alfredo sauce. And while there is a time and place for that, this casserole isn’t it! A creamy scratch-made cheese sauce cooked with the ranch seasoning adds tons more flavor. And it’s SO easy!

Ingredients for Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

• Pasta: Use your favorite short cut of pasta for this recipe. Rotini, rigatoni, penne, and elbow macaroni all work well. The pasta I used is called trotolle.
• Butter: Unsalted or salted butter will work well for this recipe.
• Garlic: I prefer freshly minced garlic for the best flavor. But you can use jarred minced garlic or substitute 3/4 of a teaspoon of garlic powder for the fresh garlic.
• Flour: Flour combines with the butter to create a roux that thickens the cheese sauce. All-purpose flour works best.
• Dry Ranch Seasoning Mix: Any brand of ranch seasoning will work. I typically use Hidden Valley.
• Half and Half: Half and half gives the creamy mac and cheese sauce the perfect consistency. Don’t use fat-free half and half for this recipe. It will not taste as good and the texture of the sauce will be different.
• Shredded Cheese: I love the combination of shredded cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese. It adds that bold, rich cheesy flavor with a bit of nuttiness from the Parmesan.
• Bacon: Use your favorite brand of bacon. Thick-cut and center-cut are two of my favorite cuts.
• Rotisserie Chicken: Rotisserie chicken is the perfect shortcut to getting this delicious dinner on the table in about 30 minutes. Check the refrigerated deli section of your grocery store for pre-shredded rotisserie chicken to save even more time!
• Fresh Herbs: The fresh herbs are optional of course but I find that their fresh, bright flavor really balances out the richness of the pasta.

How to Make Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

Cook pasta just until al dente. Saute garlic in butter. Add flour and ranch seasoning and cook.

Whisk in half and half and cook for a few minutes to thicken. Add cheddar cheese and Parmesan.

Cook until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth and creamy. Add cooked pasta, most of the bacon (reserve some for topping), and shredded chicken.

Toss to coat everything evenly.  Cook until everything is warmed through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to this 9×13 white baking dish or this enameled cast iron pan.

Top pasta with remaining shredded cheddar cheese and bacon.

Cover and bake for about 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the pasta is warmed through. 

Garnish with parsley, green onion, and chives, and enjoy!

Tips for Making Chicken Ranch Casserole

• Salt your pasta water! This is the first chance you have to season the pasta and it makes a big difference in the overall flavor of the dish.
• Cook the pasta al dente since you’ll be baking it in the oven.
• If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of half and half, milk, heavy cream, or broth.
• If the sauce is too thin, cook it over medium-low heat for another minute or two and it will thicken right up.
• Be mindful of salt as you’re cooking. The ranch seasoning and Parmesan cheese both have a decent amount of sodium, so wait until you’ve melted the shredded cheese into the sauce before adding salt to taste. And then make sure you actually taste it! You can always add more salt but it’s hard to balance the flavors if you’ve added too much.
• Shred the cheese yourself so it melts better. The fastest way to shred cheese is with a food processor. Mine has a shredding attachment that allows me to shred a block of cheese in about 10 seconds!

Make Spicy Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

To make this chicken bacon ranch casserole spicy, simply add in some chili powder, chipotle powder, red pepper flakes, or cayenne along with the ranch seasoning. 

Make Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole Ahead of Time

• Prep the casserole as instructed but before baking, cover it tightly with foil and place in the fridge for up to 2 days.
• When you’re ready to bake it, let it sit out on the counter for about an hour, then bake according to the recipe instructions.
• Plan to add an extra 10-15 minutes of baking time to account for the colder temperature.

Storing Leftover Chicken Pasta

Store chicken pasta leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Freezing Leftover Chicken Bacon Casserole

• Cover the casserole tightly with foil and place inside a large freezer-safe Ziploc baggy.
• Freeze for up to 3 months.
• Thaw overnight in the fridge.
• Let sit out on the counter for 1 hour before baking.
• Plan to add an extra 15-20 minutes of baking time to account for the colder temps.

Reheating Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

• Reheat chicken casserole in a 350-degree oven until warmed through.
• Or cook it in the microwave in 30-60 second increments until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

Try these pasta recipes next!

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