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Why You’ll Love My Recipe

Rich, creamy, and satisfying, this chicken bacon ranch casserole is sure to be a hit for family dinners. Serve it alongside your favourite salad or vegetable dish.

Make sure to make your very own Cream Cheese Alfredo Sauce for this recipe! If this casserole isn’t quite what you’re craving, try making this Crock Pot Lazy Pierogi Casserole or a Shipwreck Casserole for dinner instead.

A white baking dish filled with creamy penne pasta topped with chopped bacon, set on a marble surface. Small bowls of shredded cheese and fresh parsley are nearby.

Karlynn’s Recipe Notes

Skill Level: This is an easy recipe.
Total Time: Making this casserole will take approximately 40 minutes from start to finish.
Variations: Try making your own Homemade Ranch Dressing to use in this recipe. Test out different combinations of cheeses, add a splash of hot sauce, or a pinch of dried chili flakes. Dice up some pickled jalapenos or banana peppers to add a bit of heat and crunch. Maybe even try using a different variety of ranch dressing, like one with bacon or cheese.
Tools Needed: For this recipe, you’ll need a large pot, a colander, a large skillet, a 9×13 baking dish, some paper towel, a cutting board, a knife, a large bowl, a mixing spoon, and a cheese grater.

A baked pasta casserole topped with melted cheese and chopped parsley sits in a white baking dish on a marble surface. Nearby are a small bowl of parsley, plates with forks, a pepper shaker, and a glass of water.

What You’ll Need For Ingredients

Chicken: Boneless, skinless, chicken breasts or chicken that has been packaged as stewing chunks will work the best for this recipe. You could also use boneless skinless chicken thighs. Whichever chicken you choose, make sure to cook it thooughly.

Bacon: Obviously, freshly cooked bacon will taste the best here, but if you want to use premade bacon bits or some sort of turkey bacon instead you can absolutely do so.

Pasta: This recipe calls for penne, but you can use other pasta that is a similar size. Rotini or cavatappi would also work well. You could even try this with elbow macaroni, though it won’t hold on to the delicious sauce quite as well.

Cheese: If you’d like to play around with different cheese options for this casserole, consider a Tex-Mex blend or something else that has some hot peppers or spices mixed in.

Overhead view of ingredients on a white marble surface: cooked penne pasta, cooked bacon, olive oil, grated mozzarella, grated cheddar, parsley, ranch dressing, Alfredo sauce, and diced raw chicken on a cutting board.

How To Make Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

This is a brief overview of the recipe. The full list of ingredients and step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.

A cast iron skillet with cooked chicken pieces is surrounded by bowls of cooked penne pasta, shredded cheese, chopped bacon, white sauce, ranch dressing, and fresh parsley on a marble countertop.

A glass bowl with cooked penne pasta and diced chicken on a marble countertop, surrounded by small bowls of shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, sauce, and fresh parsley, with a wooden spoon and a striped towel nearby.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Strain, put back into the pot, and toss with olive oil to keep it from sticking together. Set aside.
In a large pan, fry the bacon over medium-high heat until it’s crispy and easy to crumble. remove rom pan and set aside on paper towel.
Prepare one batch of 5 Ingredient Cream Cheese Alfredo Sauce.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil 9×13 pan and set aside.
Heat vegetable oil in a large pan over medium heat. Slice chicken into 1/2 inch cubes and cook in the pan until there is no pink left, about 8-10 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix chicken, pasta, sauce, ranch dressing, and 3/4 of the crumbled bacon. Mix thoroughly.
Pour mixture into 9×13 pan, spread evenly, and sprinkle with grated cheese and remaining bacon.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, until bubbly and heated through.
Serve hot.

A wooden spoon lifts a cheesy, baked pasta with chicken from a white casserole dish. Melted cheese stretches from the dish, and chopped herbs are sprinkled on top. Bottles and jars are blurred in the background.

Karlynn’s Tips and Tricks for Making Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

Getting Crunchy: Try sprinkling some breadcrumbs on top of the casserole to absorb some of the oil from the cheese and make the topping even crispier. If you’d like to the topping to be extra golden and bubbly, you could use the broil setting on your oven for the last minute or two of the baking time. Just make sure to pay close attention as the casserole broils, and only use the broil setting if the casserole dish you are using can handle that level of heat.

Serving Suggestions: Why not make a salad with ranch dressing and bacon bits to serve on the side and mirror the flavours of this casserole? Something with kale or spring mix would help to balance out the richness of the dish. Or, try some Sautéed Green Beans or Garlic Balsamic Sauteed Mushrooms and Onions to round out this meal. Honey Butter Skillet Corn is another great option.

A close-up of a baked pasta casserole topped with melted cheese and herbs in a white dish. In the background are plates, glasses, salt and pepper shakers, and a jar of olive oil on a white counter.

Storage Instructions

Fridge: Once the casserole is fully cooled, you can store the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave.

Freezer: Once fully cooled, freeze this casserole as a whole or in individual portions. It should be fine in the freezer for several months. Defrost thoroughly before reheating in the microwave or oven.

More Delicious Casserole Recipes

Looking for more easy casserole dishes to try out?

Make this John Wayne Casserole for even more cheesy goodness.

Or try this simple Hamburger Hotdish Tater Tot Casserole.

For an easy recipe with a fancy name, try a Classic Chicken Divan.

There you go, everyone. A delicious mix of pasta, chicken, and creamy sauce. Try it out and let me know what you think.

Happy Cooking!

Karlynn