Description
This Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta is a creamy, cheesy, and flavorful casserole featuring shredded chicken, crispy bacon, and a savory ranch dressing seasoning. Perfect for a comforting family dinner, it combines tender penne pasta with a rich sauce made from sour cream, cream of chicken soup, and mozzarella cheese, baked until bubbly and golden.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked and shredded chicken (rotisserie recommended)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
- 2 tablespoons Ranch Dressing Seasoning mix
- 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup (10.75 ounces)
- 1 cup sour cream (230 grams)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 7 slices bacon, cooked, drained, and crumbled, divided (about 3-4 tablespoons reserved for topping)
- 8 ounces penne pasta, cooked and drained
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the casserole evenly.
- Mix Ingredients: In a 9x13 inch casserole dish, combine the shredded chicken, minced garlic, ranch seasoning mix, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese. Reserve about 4 tablespoons of the crumbled bacon for topping and add the remaining bacon to the mixture. Stir well to blend all ingredients.
- Add Pasta: Add the cooked and drained penne pasta to the casserole dish, gently stirring to coat the pasta evenly with the creamy sauce mixture.
- Top and Bake: Evenly spread the mixture in the casserole dish, then top with the remaining mozzarella cheese and the reserved crumbled bacon. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes until the casserole is hot, bubbly, and the cheese is melted with a slightly crispy topping.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and serve the Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta warm for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- You can substitute rotisserie chicken with cooked chicken breasts or thighs shredded.
- Using bacon bits instead of cooked bacon slices can save time.
- For a lower-fat option, use light sour cream and reduced-fat mozzarella cheese.
- Covering the casserole while baking will keep it more moist; baking uncovered adds a crispy cheese topping.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven or microwave.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
