Cheesy Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Casserole

Cheesy Chicken Bacon Ranch casserole is the perfect casserole to make when you are wanting a flavorful dish that everyone will love. Chicken breast, bacon, ranch, pasta, and cheese combine to make the most amazing chicken bacon ranch pasta casserole you have ever eaten!

Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

Do you love the combination of Chicken Bacon Ranch? Then you are going to LOVE this Cheesy Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole! Every time I make Chicken Bacon Ranch pasta Casserole for dinner the plates are cleared!

Some may call this a pasta bake because unlike a traditional casserole recipe you do have to cook ingredients before you toss them in the oven. However, this is the Perfect casserole with chicken, bacon, and ranch dressing and It is perfect for when cooler weather hits in the fall months.

When I first made this chicken bacon ranch pasta casserole I had hoped that there would be left overs to enjoy the next day for lunch. However, my family apparently had other plans when they all cleared their plates and then asked for seconds!

If you are looking for a great dish to bring to a gathering or a potluck, this is one that everyone will love. Anytime I have made this for other people they have raved about it and then asked for the recipe.

Ever since the first time I made this chicken bacon ranch casserole it has been loved. I have made it many, many times, and every single time they all clear their plates! It has become my go to recipe when I am wanting something that everyone will enjoy.

If you are looking for the low carb version of this recipe, you can check out the Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole Keto Recipe. It is AMAZING! It is probably my favorite keto recipe ever!

More Chicken Bacon Ranch Recipes

• Chicken Bacon Ranch Soup
• Crockpot Bacon Ranch Chicken
• Chicken Bacon Ranch Fries

What are some good side dishes for a Chicken Pasta Casserole?

When I am making this Chicken pasta casserole I like to go with easy side dishes. We also always serve it with a salad.

• Whole Roasted Cauliflower
• Roasted Asparagus
• Green Beans with Bacon
• Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Variations of this recipe

Add vegetables. You can add vegetables into the pasta bake if you want to, cauliflower and broccoli are the ones we add in the most.

Change up the cheese. Cheddar, Monteray Jack, Pepper Jack are all great choices for the cheese.

Change up the chicken. Short on time? You can use a rotisserie chicken. Want a crunch? Cook some chicken nuggets or chicken tenders in the oven or air fryer and use that instead.

Tips for Making this recipe

Pasta. Cook your pasta till al dente for the best results. I find that Rotini pasta is the best type to use, the swirls in the pasta collect the cheese and flavors.

Use a large dish. You will want to use a large casserole dish when you are making this pasta dish.

Shred the cheese. While shredded cheese is a great time saver, I find that it doesn’t melt as well as freshly shredded cheese.

Tips for Cooking Pasta

You do not want to have soggy pasta so you will want to cook the pasta till it is just under al dente, which is 7-8 minutes of cook time.

It is important that you use a big enough pot and fill it with water so the pasta is fully covered while it is cooking in the boiling water. You will want to use quarts of water for every pound of pasta you are cooking.

Don’t add the pasta until the water is fully boiling. You want the water to be at a rapid and aggressive boil before adding the pasta into the boiling water.

Stir the pasta every few minutes to avoid the pasta from sticking together.

Recipe Short Cuts

Chicken. If you are running short on time, you can substitute the cooked chicken for a rotisserie chicken.

Use Precooked bacon. Bacon that is already cooked will save on time, however we are not fans of it, so we always cook ours fresh.

What type of Ranch should be used?

You can use either homemade dry ranch seasoning or a store bought packet of dry ranch seasoning. Either one will work.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes! You can prep this whole meal ahead of time. To do so cook the pasta for one minute less than al dente. Once bacon, chicken, and noodles are cooked add them to a large bowl. Next, add the ranch dressing packet and the ranch dressing. Mix everything together and make sure it is mixed well. pour into a baking dish. Allow to cool completely and then cover with plastic wrap. Keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. When it is time to bake the pasta casserole, top with the shredded cheese and bake at 350°F for 40 minutes.

How to Store Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

Any leftovers need to be stored in the fridge, allow the pasta casserole to cool completely, and store it in a plastic container or cover with plastic wrap and then store it in the fridge.

Can I freeze Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta?

Yes. This pasta casserole can be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow the pasta casserole to cool completely, and store it in a plastic container or cover with plastic wrap and then store it in the freezer. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole Ingredients

Chicken breast. I cook the chicken breast in the pan after cooking the bacon, but you can change it out and use a rotisserie chicken instead if you want to cut time.

Pasta. I personally like rotini noodles when making this dish, but if you have other noodles like elbow or penne noodles on hand you can use those instead.

Bacon. Use unflavored bacon, the ones with flavoring like maple do not work well flavor wise with this pasta casserole.

Minced garlic. You can either use fresh garlic and mince it yourself or jarred minced garlic.

Bottled Ranch Dressing. Any brand of ranch dressing will work.

Monterey Jack/cheddar mixed cheese. If you don’t have the mixed cheese using cheddar or just Monterey jack will work too.

Dry ranch dressing mix. You can use either homemade dry ranch seasoning or a store bought packet of dry ranch seasoning. Either one will work.

How to Make Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

Start a pot of water and once it is boiling add in your rotini noodles. When noodles are done, drain and set aside.

Cut your chicken into bite sized pieces.

While waiting for the water to boil and noodles to cook, heat a large pan to medium heat on the stove and cook your bacon until crispy.

Once bacon is cooked, remove bacon from the pan and add the chicken.

Cook your chicken in the pan with the bacon grease on the stove until cooked.

About mid way of cooking the chicken add in the garlic.

Once bacon, chicken, and noodles are cooked add them to a large bowl.

Next, add the ranch dressing packet and the ranch dressing.

Mix everything together and make sure it is mixed well.

Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray and pour everything from the bowl into the baking dish.

Sprinkle the cheese on top of the baking dish.

Bake at 350 until the cheese is melted.

Easy Pasta Recipes

• Olive Garden Chicken Pasta
• One Pot Chicken Alfredo
• Stuffed Manicotti
• Shrimp Alfredo
• Chicken Asparagus Alfredo Pasta
• Easy Baked Ziti

17 Weight Watchers SmartPoints per serving

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• Chicken Fried Steak
• Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip
• Green Chili Chicken
• How To Cook a Sweet Potato in the Microwave

Do yourself a favor and print out the How Many Quarts in a Gallon? and other liquid measurements printable to help you with your measurements in the kitchen!

It has you covered with everything, from cups, to pints and more! I have mine hanging on my fridge. It makes a super easy cheat sheet for whenever I am cooking and need to use liquid measurements.