Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole Recipe

One of my favorite dinner recipes to make is this Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole. It combines all my favorite ingredients into one dish that the entire family loves!

Cooked pasta and cubed chicken that have been seasoned with dry Ranch dressing are placed in a baking dish. Then pour a jar of Alfredo sauce on top and toss the pasta and chicken until they are coated in the delicious cream sauce.

Then what takes this casserole over the top on the goodness scale is that two varieties of cheese and cooked and crumbled bacon are sprinkled on top to make the final layer.

Throw it in the oven and you have a family friendly meal ready to eat in only 20 minutes! And who couldn’t use an easy to make dinner recipe during the week?

However this casserole is so good that it can also be served as an elegant meal at a dinner party or as the highlight of your Sunday family dinner. Make a simple garden salad and throw in a basket of Garlic Knots or No Yeast Dinner Rolls and you have yourself a meal that every one will love!

Frequently Asked Questions For Making Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

Although the recipe below is simple and easy to follow, I often will get questions about how the recipe can be adapted based on the ingredients used. Therefore I have included the most common questions and answers below.

1. I have a large container of dry Ranch dressing mix. How much should I use?

If you prefer to buy bulk dry Ranch dressing mix instead of purchasing individual packets, here is the conversion:

1 packet of dry Ranch dressing mix = 2 Tablespoons or 6 teaspoons of bulk Ranch dressing mix

2. Do I need to adjust the cook time if I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?

I prefer to use chicken thighs in this recipe. Not only is the meat more flavorful, but they also are more inexpensive to purchase.

However, if you prefer to use chicken breasts instead of thighs, be sure to cut the meat into thin cubes. This will allow the chicken to cook all the way through in the oven.

Although be sure to brown the chicken in the skillet before adding it to the casserole until you no longer see any pink on the outside surface of the chicken cubes.

3. What type of Alfredo sauce should I buy?

There are so many different flavors of Alfredo sauce on the market. Pick one that is a traditional white cream sauce.

It is okay to have a 3 cheese, garlic or homestyle Alfredo sauce. However, you want to stay away from varieties that include other ingredients that might interfere with the flavor profile of this Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole.

As an example sun-dried tomato and spinach Alfredo sauce will not pair well with the other flavors. Therefore it is best to stick with a plain, cheesy or garlic sauce instead.

4. Can I use a different type of pasta?

You can use whatever type of pasta that you have on hand to make this casserole dish. However, it is best to use one that does well with holding sauce onto the surface.

These varieties include: Rigatoni, Ziti, Shells, Rigate and flat noodles such as Fettuccine and Pappardelle.

5. Can I make this casserole ahead of time?

One of the best things about casseroles in general is that you can often prepare them ahead of time. And this recipe is no different.

Simply prepare the casserole as instructed but instead of putting it in the oven right away, cover it and put it in the refrigerator.

Then when you are wanting to bake it in the oven, allow the dish to come to room temperature (which is especially important if you used a glass baking dish) and bake as instructed.

However you may need to add a couple of minutes to the baking time to get the casserole hot and bubbly.

6. How do I store and reheat leftovers?

Store any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator. To reheat, place the casserole dish in the oven set at 350°F (177°C) for 15 minutes or until heated through.

However, if you are like most of us and want the leftover Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole on the table in less time, use the microwave.

Portion out a serving on each plate and add a few drops of water to the plate. This will help keep the pasta nice and moist. Heat for 2-3 minutes on high power until warmed through.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole Recipe

*Specific measurements and complete recipe instructions are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to continue to read the tips and tricks to making this recipe below.

INGREDIENTS

• 8 ounces penne pasta noodles, uncooked
• 1/2 lb. bacon
• 1 lb chicken thighs or breasts, boneless/skinless, diced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 packet dry Ranch dressing mix
• 14.5-ounce jar of Alfredo sauce
• 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
• Salt/pepper, to taste

*For additional flavor add in a 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper or hot pepper flakes.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Start by preheating the oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease an 8 x 11 baking dish. Set aside.

2. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta to al’ dente consistency based on the package instructions. Each type of pasta will require a different amount of time in the boiling water to become al’ dente.

3. Cook the bacon. Although many of you might like to cook your bacon in the oven or prefer to make Air Fryer Bacon, it is best to do this in a large skillet at the start of this recipe.

Doing so will allow you to cook the chicken in the residual grease, giving your Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole even more flavor.

Therefore, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Then add the bacon strips and cook the bacon until it is crispy.

Once the bacon is nice and crisp, use tongs to remove it to a paper towel lined plate. Then drain the bacon grease from the skillet, leaving only a thin bottom layer.

4. Cut the chicken in small 1/2 inch cube pieces. Then place the chunks of chicken in a gallon size plastic resealable bag. Add olive oil and dry Ranch dressing mix to the bag with the chicken, spreading it as even as possible.

Seal the bag and massage the outside surface so that the chicken is coated evenly in the oil and seasoning.

Brown the Chicken

5. Add the chicken to the same skillet where you cooked the bacon and place it over medium heat. Cook the cubes of chicken until they are no longer pink on the outside.

The chicken does not have to be cooked through as it will finish cooking in the oven.

6. Once the pasta is cooked to al’ dente, drain and add it to the prepared baking dish. Then when the chicken is no longer pink, add it on top of the pasta.

7. Next, pour the entire jar of Alfredo sauce on top of the chicken and pasta and toss to coat.

8. Sprinkle the shredded Mozzarella cheese and Cheddar cheese on top. Crumble and sprinkle the bacon on top of the cheese and add salt and pepper to taste.

9. Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake until the casserole is bubbly around the edges and the cheese is melted and starting to turn golden brown. The cook time will take approximately 15-20 minutes.

Remove the dish from the oven and serve warm.

Enjoy! Mary

To receive our 3 Recipe Articles in your inbox each week, sign up for our free email list located in the middle of each recipe or email me at contact@makeyourmeals.com. You can also follow us on Facebook and Pinterest. This article may contain affiliate links where a small commission is paid if you purchase a product at no additional cost to you.