Make a hearty chicken Bacon Ranch casserole anyone will love while enjoying a quick 20 minute prep time. The incredible flavor combinations in this easy chicken bacon ranch bake will have your family asking for seconds come dinnertime.
That’s why this Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole is so perfect—it combines everyone’s love for pasta, chicken, and casseroles into one easy-to-make dish. Ready in just about forty-five minutes, it’s sure to become one of your family’s favorites.
How do you make Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole?
Making this dish is super easy, thanks to a few store-bought shortcuts. Start by cooking some bacon, then cook the onions and garlic in the flavorful bacon drippings. After that, cream cheese and milk get mixed together with dry ranch seasoning mix to form the creamy base of this delicious casserole. Next, in goes the pasta, rotisserie chicken (so easy!), pimientos, and green onion, before being topped with bacon and cheese; then bake for just 15 minutes.
What kind of chicken do you use in Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole?
This recipe call for 4 cups of rotisserie chicken, which is about how much chicken can be pulled from a standard deli-roasted bird. If your family prefers all white meat, get two rotisserie chickens, use leftover cooked chicken, or saute 4 cups chopped boneless-skinless chicken breast in olive oil until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
Also Read: The Best Sesame Soy Broccoli Salad
Can you use bottled Ranch dressing in this recipe?
This recipe calls for dry ranch seasoning mix, which is more concentrated in flavor than a standard bottle of prepared salad dressing. However, if that’s all you have on hand, substitute 1 cup of the milk with 1 cup of prepared ranch dressing, and add additional salt and pepper, if you like. For even more flavor, whip up a batch of Ree Drummond’s Homemade Ranch Dressing to drizzle over the top—because you can’t have too much ranch!
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 slices bacon, diced
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs*, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Ranch Seasoning and Salad Dressing Mix, or more, to taste
- 8 ounces rotini
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
FOR THE ALFREDO SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream, or more, to taste
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9×9 baking dish or coat with nonstick spray.
2. To make the alfredo sauce, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Gradually whisk in heavy cream. Cook, whisking constantly, until incorporated, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in Parmesan until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add more heavy cream as needed; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
3.Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat; reserving 1 tablespoon in the skillet. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
4.In a gallon size Ziploc bag, add chicken, 1 tablespoon olive oil and Ranch Seasoning, shaking to coat thoroughly. Add chicken to the skillet and cook, flipping once, until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes on each side; set aside.
5.In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
6.Add pasta to the prepared baking dish and layer with chicken and alfredo sauce; sprinkle with cheeses and bacon. Place into oven and bake until bubbly and heated through, about 15-20 minutes.
7.Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.
