This cheesy chicken bacon ranch casserole is an easy, dump and bake weeknight meal that the whole family will love. Pasta, chicken, bacon, and peppers are mixed with a delicious alfredo ranch sauce, then baked with cheese until hot and bubbly.
Serve this pasta dinner bake recipe next to a fresh cucumber salad and some garlic bread or Irish soda bread for the perfect weeknight dinner!
Why We Love It
This easy casserole recipe is loaded with ranch flavor and cheesy goodness.
No need to boil and drain the pasta, it cooks right in the sauce. This adds flavor and keeps things easy!
This ranch chicken casserole is comfort food heaven, and takes about 10 minutes of prep.
How To Make Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
The beautiful thing about dump and bake recipes is how easy they are when you need a quick meal. To make this easy chicken bacon ranch pasta bake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Whisk together alfredo sauce, ranch dressing, chicken broth, and ranch mix. I like to use reduced fat alfredo, and any store bought jar will work. The sauce will be runny, but thicken while the pasta cooks.
- Add the uncooked pasta, chicken, peppers, and bacon to a 9×9 casserole dish. Pour the ranch mixture over the pasta.
- Cover with tin foil or a lid, and bake for 35 minutes or until the pasta is cooked through. If the pasta isn’t fully cooked, place it back into the oven until it’s ready.
- Top the casserole with both cheeses and remaining bacon, then broil it for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbling.
How To Reheat Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
Leftovers? This casserole is the perfect school or work lunch! To reheat it, add a tablespoon of milk per cup of pasta, and reheat it for a couple minutes in the microwave.
If you’re reheating quite a bit, cover and add it to the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes or until hot.
Can You Freeze Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole?
I wouldn’t suggest freezing this chicken bacon ranch bake. Pasta gains a grainy, unpleasant texture when frozen and defrosted.
It will last up to 3 days in the fridge, stored in airtight containers or covered with plastic wrap.
Tips For Making Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
- This is the perfect meal for leftover chicken. Rotisserie chicken works super great too! If you don’t have leftover chicken, whip up some air fryer chicken thighs or old bay chicken. You could even whip up some air fryer chicken breast from frozen. They’re delicious in this recipe!
- We like to make this dish in a 9×9″ casserole dish, but it would work in a large skillet or dutch oven too!
- There will still be a little liquid in the casserole once the pasta is fully cooked, but it will thicken during the broiling and while sitting before serving.
- If you have other leftover veggies, add them in! Some of my favorite vegetables to add to chicken bacon ranch casserole are jalapenos, celery, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, and green onions.
- Use whatever pasta you have on hand! We love making this with bowtie pasta, macaroni, shells, and penne. You may need to adjust the baking time a little bit depending on the pasta you use.
- For a chicken bacon ranch casserole with rice, just substitute the pasta with 1 ½ cups uncooked rice and use 2 ½ cups of chicken broth instead of 3 cups.
- Candied bacon makes a delicious chicken bacon ranch casserole topping! Try sprinkling some over the casserole when cheese is added.
- If you’re making this casserole ahead of time, cover and store it in the fridge until ready to bake!
More Easy Chicken Dinners
- Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Peruvian Chicken (Pollo A La Brasa)
- Cilantro Lime Chicken
- Korean Fried Chicken
- Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta
- Lemon Chicken Piccata
Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 cups chicken cooked and cubed
- 1 16 ounce box rotini pasta uncooked
- 2 cups alfredo sauce jarred
- 3 cups chicken broth low sodium
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing
- 1 packet ranch seasoning mix
- 1 red pepper diced
- 8 slices bacon cooked and chopped
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine chicken broth, alfredo sauce, ranch dressing, and ranch seasoning.
- Add pasta, cooked chicken, red pepper, and 1/2 of the bacon. Dump into a 9x9" glass baking dish. Bake covered with aluminum foil for 35 minutes.
- Stir dish and ensure that pasta is fully cooked. If it needs longer, cover and return to oven until pasta is al dente. The casserole will still have a bit of liquid.
- Sprinkle mozzarella, cheddar, and remaining bacon on the dish, and return to oven to cook uncovered for an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Rest for 10 minutes, then garnish with parsley before serving.
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