This easy Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole recipe is a creamy pasta dish with ranch seasoning topped with melted cheese and crispy bacon!
CHICKEN BACON RANCH CASSEROLE
If you want an easy dinner recipe that your whole family will love then this is it! This Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole is guaranteed to be a family favorite!
TIPS FOR MAKING THS EASY DINNER RECIPE:
- This recipe calls for eight ounces of penne pasta. Most boxes of pasta are sold in sixteen ounces. So you'll be making half of a box of pasta for this.
- The pre-packaged real bacon pieces can be used instead of cooking up bacon. The packages can sometimes be found where the salad toppings are located in your grocery store.
- Rotisserie chicken is perfect to use here. Just purchase a family-sized rotisserie chicken and pull the meat off the bone and chop it up. Also some stores, like Costco, now sell pulled chicken that you can buy that's already prepackaged and ready to go. These are such time savers!
- Feel free to add your favorite vegetables to this dish. I think chopped broccoli would be perfect!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
penne pasta
bacon
minced garlic
sour cream
shredded mozzarella cheese
RANCH DRESSING SEASONING MIX
black pepper
Alfredo pasta sauce
cooked chicken
chopped parsley, optional
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN BACON RANCH CASSEROLE:
Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9" x 13" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix sour cream, ranch dressing mix, garlic, pepper, Alfredo sauce and 1 cup mozzarella cheese. 
Gently combine the chicken and penne with the sauce. Pour mixture into pan.
Spread cheese and bacon pieces over the noodle mixture.
Cover with nonstick aluminum foil and bake in oven for 20 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted.
Sprinkle top with parsley and serve immediately with your favorite side.
Enjoy!
CRAVING MORE RECIPES? GIVE THESE A TRY!
CHICKEN BACON RANCH POTATO PASTA SALAD
EASY CREAMY RANCH CHICKEN
CHEESY BACON CHICKEN & POTATOES
CHICKEN BACON AVOCADO SALAD
CHEESY BACON RANCH PULL-APART BREAD
PHILLY CHEESESTEAK CASSEROLE
HOT DOG CORN CASSEROLE
EASY CHICKEN NOODLE CASSEROLE
RITZ CHICKEN CASSEROLE
CROCK POT CHICKEN TATER TOT CASSEROLE
Ingredients
- 8 oz penne pasta, cooked and drained
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided use
- 1 packet ranch dressing mix (2 tbsp)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 (15 oz) jar Alfredo pasta sauce
- 2 cups cooked and chopped chicken
- chopped parsley, for topping, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9" x 13" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In medium bowl, mix sour cream, ranch dressing mix, garlic, pepper, Alfredo sauce and 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
- Gently combine the chicken and penne with the sauce. Pour mixture into pan.
- Spread cheese and bacon pieces over the noodle mixture.
- Cover with nonstick alumium foil and bake in oven for 20 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted.
- Sprinkle top with parsley and serve immediately with your favorite side.
Notes
- This recipe calls for eight ounces of penne pasta. Most boxes of pasta are sold in sixteen ounces. So you'll be making half of a box of pasta for this.
- The pre-packaged real bacon pieces can be used instead of cooking up bacon. The packages can sometimes be found where the salad toppings are located in your grocery store.
- Rotisserie chicken is perfect to use here. Just purchase a family-sized rotisserie chicken and pull the meat off the bone and chop it up. Also some stores, like Costco, now sell pulled chicken that you can buy that's already prepackaged and ready to go. These are such time savers!
- Feel free to add your favorite vegetables to this dish. I think chopped broccoli would be perfect!
This was a huge hit with family, I'll be making this recipe again and again.
Do you just use ranch dressing mix packs sprinkle in
Does the pasta need to be cooked first?
Can't wait to make this for the boys. 🙂
I made this last week with linguine(didnt have penne noodles). Even the children, 4,5 and 6, loved it. Its so quick & easy. Had broccoli & cheese as a side dish but will add the broccoli to the casserole next time. Also added chopped mushrooms to it along with real packaged bacon bits.
Looks so easy to make and looks delicious! Can't wait to try it!
I'm guessing the pasta is all ready cooked when you add it in ?
Correct - it says it up there in the recipe card 🙂
Would this freeze well prior to cooking?
Very easy to prepare and very delicious
This was the bomb diggity!!!! Suuuuperb. It was restaurant quality, deeeelicious and my family loooooved it!!!! I am storing this one and will be trying your other recipes.
AMAZING! I had to double the recipe due to a large family. I do wish sour cream was listed at the top ingredients not just the bottom. ( I had to dash out and grab some ) every one loved and my husband and oldest son have requested it to be added to our dinner rotation!
I made this last night and it was great! I used rotisserie chicken from sams club and it tasted amazing. Easy to put together, I doubled the recipe so it took longer to bake, around 60 minutes. This will definitely be made again.
Love hearing that! Thanks so much Debbie - fantastic shortcut too!