Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

Name: Bacon Chicken Ranch Casserole
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 3 to 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, (cut into bite-size pieces (about 2 pounds)); 1½ teaspoons salt, (divided into ½ teaspoon and 1 teaspoon); ½ teaspoon pepper; 3 tablespoons ranch seasoning mix, (divided into 2 tablespoons and 1 tablespoon); 8 tablespoons butter, (divided in half); 1 tablespoon olive oil; ⅔ cup onion, (chopped); 2 teaspoons minced garlic; ½ cup flour; 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning; 1 teaspoon dried basil; 3 cups chicken broth; 1 cup heavy cream; 1 can cream of chicken soup; ½ cup shaved parmesan cheese; 12 slices bacon, (cooked and chopped, divided into 8 slices and 4 slices); ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, (patted dry (if oil-packed) and chopped); 6 cups penne pasta, (cooked and drained (about 4 cups dry)); 3 cups Italian-style cheese; ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons of dried parsley, (optional)

This easy chicken bacon ranch casserole is loaded with tender pasta, cheese, bacon, and creamy sauce to create a delicious, homemade meal your whole family will love!

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Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
Ranch Chicken Bacon Casserole Ingredients
Substitutions And Additions
How To Make This Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole Recipe
How To Serve This Bacon Ranch Chicken Casserole
How To Store Bacon Chicken Ranch Casserole
How To Reheat This Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole Recipe
Chicken Bacon Casserole FAQs
More Recipes You’ll Love
JUMP TO RECIPE

Chicken bacon ranch casserole proves that pasta is better when it has loads of cheese, crispy bacon, and zesty ranch seasoning to top it off. Best of all, this creamy pasta casserole is a quick and easy dinner meal for those busy nights at home.

close up shot of Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole in a baking dish

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

Chicken bacon ranch casserole is loaded with crispy bacon, melted cheese, tender pasta, and chicken, and baked until bubbling to create the ultimate comfort food meal.

Ranch Chicken Bacon Casserole Ingredients

Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole raw ingredients that are labeled

You’ll need:

3 or 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds), cut into bite-size pieces
1½ teaspoons of salt, divided into ½ teaspoon and 1 teaspoon
½ teaspoon of pepper
3 tablespoons of ranch seasoning mix, divided into 2 tablespoons and 1 tablespoon
8 tablespoons of butter, divided in half
1 tablespoon of olive oil
⅔ cup onion, chopped
2 teaspoons of minced garlic
½ cup of flour
1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon of dried basil
3 cups of chicken broth
1 cup of heavy cream
1 can of cream of chicken soup
½ cup of shaved parmesan cheese
12 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped, divided into 8 slices and 4 slices
½ cup of sun-dried tomatoes, patted dry (if oil-packed) and chopped
6 cups of penne pasta (about 4 cups dry), cooked and drained
3 cups of Italian-style shredded cheese
¼ cup of chopped fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons of dried parsley (optional)

PRO TIP:

Be sure NOT to use pre-shredded cheeses. They have additives added in the bags to prevent clumping, and they do not melt as well as a block of cheese that you shred yourself.

Substitutions And Additions

PASTA: You can use any style of noodle that’s similar to penne pasta in this cheesy casserole. Stay away from long noodles like spaghetti or linguine. Some other great options include bowties, shells, rigatoni, cavatappi, or rotini pasta.

PROTEIN: It technically wouldn’t be chicken bacon ranch casserole without the chicken and bacon, but if you prefer, you can swap out the protein. For example, you could try using turkey in place of the chicken. You could also use store-bought bacon bits instead of fresh bacon if desired.

CHEESE: Shaved parmesan and Italian-style cheese work best for this recipe. Italian blend cheese has Parmigiano-Reggiano and pecorino romano. Some blends also include mozzarella and provolone, so you get a really nice flavor mix.

However, if you prefer, you could also use just mozzarella or provolone instead. Or, you can create your own cheese mix.

How To Make This Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole Recipe

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

You can prepare this casserole the night before and keep it covered in the fridge until you are ready to bake it.

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish.

STEP TWO: In a medium bowl, combine chicken with ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and 2 tablespoons of ranch dressing mix.

chicken, salt, pepper and ranch dressing mixed in a bowl

STEP THREE: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 4 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add chicken to the pan and put the lid on.

Cook for about 3 minutes, then check the inside of a chicken bite. Once finished, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

melted butter, oil chicken stirred in a pot

STEP FOUR: Reduce the oven heat to medium. Saute the onions in the pan drippings until soft and translucent. Add garlic and saute for 1 more minute.

garlic and saute onion added to the melted butter mixture in a pot

STEP FIVE: To the same pan with the onion and garlic, add 4 tablespoons of butter. When the butter is melted, add the flour, Italian seasoning, basil, remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, and remaining 1 tablespoon of ranch dressing mix. Stir.

butter, flour, Italian seasoning, basil, salt, ranch dressing mix folded in a pot

STEP SIX: Using a whisk, gradually add the chicken broth (¼ to ½ cup at a time), stirring to combine well with the flour mixture.

Add the heavy cream. Add the cream of chicken soup. Continue to stir, heating until bubbly. Add the parmesan and stir until the cheese is melted. Remove from the heat.

chicken broth, cream, cream of chicken soup, and parmesan stirred in a pot

STEP SEVEN: Add 8 slices of chopped bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, chicken, and pasta to the sauce, and combine.

bacon, sun dried tomatoes, chicnken and pasta added to the sauce in a pot

STEP EIGHT: Pour mixture into the greased pan. Sprinkle with the remaining 4 pieces of chopped bacon. Top with the Italian blend cheese. Then, sprinkle with dried parsley or fresh chopped parsley if desired.

bacon, Italian cheese and parsley sprinkled on top of the pasta mixture in a baking dish

STEP NINE: Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the edges are bubbly.

PRO TIP:

Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your casserole as the suggested baking time approaches.

How To Serve This Bacon Ranch Chicken Casserole

This creamy and cheesy casserole is sure to be a new family favorite. Serve it alongside a Caesar salad and dinner rolls for a hearty and comforting meal on a busy weeknight.

We have quite a collection of casserole dishes. If you’re looking for some other easy meals to try out, then look no further. Pizza casserole, cheeseburger casserole, and Mexican casserole are three of our favorites.

MORE CASSEROLE RECIPES

Side Dishes

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans

Casserole Ideas

Cheesy Potato Casserole

How To Store Bacon Chicken Ranch Casserole

IN THE FRIDGE: Storing this pasta dish in the fridge is so simple! I usually make it in a dish that comes with a lid. Then, when we are finished with dinner, all I have to do is pop the lid on and put it in the fridge.

You can also cover it with plastic wrap if your dish doesn’t have a lid. Reheating leftovers is easy, and I actually think this casserole is even better leftover and reheated.

IN THE FREEZER: This chicken casserole recipe is totally freezable and makes for a great freezer meal. To do so, follow the instructions up to the point when you would be baking the casserole. At this point, cover your pan with tin foil and put in the freezer.

When ready to bake, simply let the pan thaw in the fridge overnight and bake at 350°F for about 30 to 40 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the edges are bubbly.

close up shot of a spoon with a piece of Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

How To Reheat This Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole Recipe

You can reheat individual portions in the microwave by adding a tablespoon of milk and heating on high until heated through.

This comforting chicken bacon ranch casserole is always a huge hit for family dinners. The melted cheese sauce, mixed with crunchy bacon and ranch dressing, makes for the ultimate pasta casserole. It’s a quick and easy meal that everyone loves!

Chicken Bacon Casserole FAQs

What is the best kind of chicken to use for this recipe?

Either chicken breasts or chicken thighs would give you tender pieces of chicken in your cheesy casserole.

Can I add additional veggies to the casserole?

If you would like to add extra vegetables, green peppers or mushrooms would be a great option.

Can I make this casserole ahead of time?

You can prepare the casserole the night before and store it covered in the fridge until you are ready to bake.

What goes with a chicken casserole?

Great side dishes to serve with this chicken casserole include Caesar salad, tomato cucumber salad, or cucumber salad, and dinner rolls to mop up the creamy sauce in the bowl.

Is it OK to put raw chicken in a casserole?

For this casserole, the chicken should be cooked as the heating time is not long enough to cook the chicken through.

How do you keep chicken from drying out in a casserole?

Salting the chicken before cooking it and adding it to the casserole will help to keep it moist in the oven while baking the casserole.

More Recipes You’ll Love

Bacon Chicken Ranch Casserole

5 from 3 votes

This easy chicken bacon ranch casserole is loaded with tender pasta, cheese, bacon, and creamy sauce to create a delicious, homemade meal your whole family will love!

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings

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Ingredients

3 to 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces (about 2 pounds)
1½ teaspoons salt, divided into ½ teaspoon and 1 teaspoon
½ teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons ranch seasoning mix, divided into 2 tablespoons and 1 tablespoon
8 tablespoons butter, divided in half
1 tablespoon olive oil
⅔ cup onion, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
½ cup flour
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon dried basil
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
½ cup shaved parmesan cheese
12 slices bacon, cooked and chopped, divided into 8 slices and 4 slices
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, patted dry (if oil-packed) and chopped
6 cups penne pasta, cooked and drained (about 4 cups dry)
3 cups Italian-style cheese
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons of dried parsley, optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
In a medium bowl, combine chicken with ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and 2 tablespoons ranch dressing mix.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 4 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Add chicken to the pan and put the lid on. Cook for about 3 minutes, then check the inside of a chicken bite. Once finished, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium. Saute onion in pan drippings until soft. Add garlic and saute for 1 more minute.
To the same pan (with the onion and garlic), add 4 tablespoons of butter. When the butter is melted, add the flour, Italian seasoning, basil, remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, and remaining 1 tablespoon of ranch dressing mix. Stir.
Using a whisk, gradually add chicken broth (¼ to ½ cup at a time), stirring to combine well with the flour mixture.
Add heavy cream. Add cream of chicken soup. Continue to stir, heating until bubbly.
Add parmesan and stir until cheese is melted. Remove from heat.
To the sauce, add 8 slices of chopped bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, chicken, and pasta.
Combine the pasta with the sauce.
Pour the pasta mixture into the greased dish.
Sprinkle with the remaining 4 pieces of chopped bacon. Top with Italian cheese. Sprinkle with dried or fresh chopped parsley, if desired.
Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the edges are bubbly.

Video

Notes

Be sure NOT to use pre-shredded cheeses. They have additives added in the bags to prevent clumping, and they do not melt as well as a block of cheese that you shred yourself.
You can prepare this casserole the night before and keep it covered in the fridge until you are ready to bake it.
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your casserole as the suggested baking time approaches.

Nutrition

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Chicken Bacon Ranch Bake