Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
on Jul 14, 2023
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This Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole is every ranch lover’s dream dinner. Made with ranch-seasoned chicken, bacon, pasta, mozzarella, and a creamy ranch alfredo sauce, this is one extraordinary casserole!
Smoky, salty, savory, and creamy, this chicken bacon ranch casserole is an ultra-satisfying and comforting dinner! It’s rich and saucy without being too heavy. Plus, it features just the right amount of herby ranch flavor.
Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
One of the best parts about this casserole is that it can be made in just under 45 minutes! Simply cook the chicken, boil the pasta, mix everything together, and bake! It’s the perfect meal for unexpected dinner guests or busy weeknights.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken Breasts—Diced into bite-sized pieces.
- Bacon—Chopped and cooked to your preferred crispiness.
- Alfredo Sauce—Jarred or your favorite homemade version.
- Ranch Dressing—I prefer Hidden Valley ranch, but you can use your favorite ranch dressing.
- Rotini—Cooked al dente and drained.
- Mozzarella Cheese—Shredding your own mozzarella will give this casserole a ton of gooey flavor.
- Ranch Powder—Adds a ton of tangy, herby flavor to this rich pasta dish.
- Olive Oil—To help sear the outside of the chicken.
How to Make Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
- Heat the oil in a large skillet before adding the diced chicken and ranch powder. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink.
- Add the alfredo sauce and ranch dressing. Stir to combine.
- Transfer the chicken mixture to a greased baking dish and add the cooked rotini. Gently fold everything together.
- Top the pasta mixture with the mozzarella cheese and bacon. Bake until bubbly and warmed through. Serve hot and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Whether the chicken bacon ranch dish is a pasta, wrap, or casserole, you can be sure that it’ll likely include some type of chicken, cheese, bacon, and ranch sauce or dressing. For instance, this casserole is made by combining ranch-seasoned chicken, crispy bacon, rotini pasta, shredded mozzarella cheese, and a creamy alfredo ranch sauce.
We like to bake this chicken bacon ranch pasta in a 9×13” glass baking dish. That way, the casserole cooks evenly and quickly. You can bake this casserole in almost any kind of baking dish, just keep an eye on it; the cooking time may change a bit.
This chicken bacon ranch casserole is a pretty fool-proof recipe. However, my number one piece of advice would be to not over-boil your pasta. Overcooked pasta will turn mushy when baked in the oven. Cooking your pasta to al dente before adding it to the casserole will ensure the perfect texture every time!
How to Serve and Store Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
Chicken bacon ranch casserole is a rich and creamy dish that is best paired with lighter sides. I recommend serving this casserole alongside some lemon pepper asparagus, fruit salad, air fryer brussels sprouts, or a garden salad.
Leftover chicken bacon ranch pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. I find it easiest to reheat this casserole in a 350°F oven until a thermometer inserted into the center of the dish reads 160°F. Alternatively, you can reheat your chilled chicken bacon ranch casserole in the microwave in 45-second increments.
Recipe Variations
Not a fan of ranch dressing? You can make this pasta-based casserole with any kind of sauce you like. I particularly like swapping out the ranch for buffalo sauce, pesto, barbecue sauce, or marinara sauce.
Out of pasta? You can make this chicken bacon ranch casserole with rice instead. Simply cook your rice according to package directions before mixing it in with the rest of your ingredients. Bake, serve, and enjoy!
Sneak some extra nutrients into this dish by adding a few veggies. Steamed broccoli, snow peas, cauliflower, or green beans would all be tasty additions to this casserole.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Give this casserole a pop of color by garnishing it with some fresh parsley, dill, or chives.
- Don’t love rotini pasta? You can use almost any shape of pasta in this dish! Penne, bowtie, and cavatappi are a few of my favorites.
- If you don’t have a ranch seasoning packet on hand, you can instead season your chicken with a mixture of parsley, dill, onion powder, dried chives, salt, and pepper.
More Recipes
- Chicken Kiev
- Baked Chicken Parmesan
- Lemon Chicken
- Slow Cooker Chicken Legs and Baked Potatoes
- Chicken Fajitas
If you’ve tried this Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole recipe or any other recipe on Bless This Mess, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some pictures of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories.
Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound rotini, cooked and drained
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 large chicken breasts, diced
- 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning, store-bought or homemade
- 16 ounce can alfredo sauce
- ½ cup ranch
- 1 ¼ cup mozzarella cheese
- ¾ cup chopped bacon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large skillet or pan, combine the olive oil, chicken, and ranch powder. Cook the chicken over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Once the chicken is cooked all the way through, add the alfredo sauce and ranch. Stir to combine.
- Dump the pasta into a 9×13 inch glass baking dish. Add the chicken mixture and fold to combine, ensuring the pasta is fully coated in the sauce.
- Top the pasta dish with mozzarella and bacon. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- You can serve this casserole as is or top it with some fresh parsley or chives. Both of these pair wonderfully with the ranch flavor in the casserole.
- Freshly shredded mozzarella cheese will melt better, but you can use pre shredded cheese as well.
- Store your leftover casserole in the fridge for up to 4 days. Simply cover the pan with plastic wrap or transfer the casserole to an airtight container. Your casserole can be reheated in the microwave for about 1 ½ minutes.
- In addition to using rotini, you can use penne, bowtie, etc. Other than spaghetti and fettuccine, the type of pasta you use will not have a big effect on the outcome of the dish.
Nutrition
This chicken bacon ranch casserole is so savory and delicious that everyone always asks for seconds! Great for families looking for an easy dish that kids will love.
