Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

5 from 5 votes

Chicken bacon ranch casserole layers tender chicken, crispy bacon, and penne in a rich homemade ranch sauce under a melty cheese top. An easy comfort food dinner that feeds a hungry family.

Prep Time45

Bake Time25

Total Time1 10

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings (about 1¾ cups each)

Calories: 1042kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

Ingredients

1 pound penne pasta (Barilla brand used)
1 pound package (about 12 slices) bacon cut into ¾-inch pieces
2 pounds (3-4 pieces) boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons dry ranch seasoning mix (2 tablespoons to season the chicken and 1 tablespoon to season the sauce, from a 1-ounce packet)
½ teaspoon salt (plus additional for cooking the pasta)
¼ teaspoon black pepper
5 tablespoons unsalted butter divided (1 tablespoon to cook the chicken and 4 tablespoons to make the sauce)
⅔ cup diced sweet yellow onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ cup all-purpose flour
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
11.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup
½ cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese
8 ounces block mozzarella cheese shredded
1-2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley (garnish)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the penne pasta according to package directions to one minute shy of al dente. The pasta will continue to cook and soften in the sauce as the casserole bakes in the oven. Drain the pasta and set aside. While the pasta is cooking, cook the bacon and prepare the remaining ingredients.
1 pound penne pasta, 1 pound package (about 12 slices) bacon
In a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-low heat, cook the bacon pieces for 22-25 minutes or until all the fat has rendered and the bacon is crispy. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate (reserving ¼ cup of the crispy bacon for the top of the casserole) to drain off all the excess grease. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease from the skillet.
In a large bowl, toss the chicken pieces with 2 tablespoons dry ranch seasoning mix, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated with the seasonings.
2 pounds (3-4 pieces) boneless skinless chicken breasts, 2 tablespoons dry Ranch seasoning mix, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Increase the heat to medium-high, add 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet with the 1 tablespoon of bacon grease. Once the butter has melted, add the seasoned chicken pieces in a single layer and cook for 8-10 minutes or until no pink remains. Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean plate. Drain off any excess moisture from the skillet before continuing.
1 tablespoons unsalted butter
Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and allow it to melt. Add the onions, garlic, Italian seasoning, and dried basil. Cook for 2-3 minutes or just until the onions are soft and translucent.
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, ⅔ cup diced sweet yellow onion, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon dried basil
Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the softened onions and stir to combine until all the flour has been absorbed into the butter and no dry pockets remain.
½ cup all-purpose flour
Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and heavy cream until no lumps of flour remain.
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 1 cup heavy cream
Add the cream of chicken soup and remaining 1 tablespoon dry ranch seasoning whisking until smooth.
11.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup, 1 tablespoons dry Ranch seasoning mix
Cook for 4-6 minutes, or until the sauce starts to bubble and thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Turn off the heat to the skillet and stir in the shredded parmesan cheese until fully melted.
½ cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese
Add the drained pasta, cooked chicken, and all but ¼ cup of the crispy bacon to the sauce. Gently stir to combine all the ingredients until well combined and all the pasta is coated in the sauce.
Transfer to a 9x13 baking dish, top with the shredded mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup crispy bacon.
8 ounces block mozzarella cheese
Bake uncovered for 25 minutes or just until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly around the edges.
Allow the chicken bacon ranch casserole to rest for 2-3 minutes before garnishing with fresh chopped parsley and serving.
1-2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

Video

Notes

Tips:

Cook the penne one minute short of al dente so it does not turn mushy as it finishes cooking in the sauce during the bake.
Drain the skillet after cooking the chicken so the casserole bakes up creamy instead of greasy.
For a shortcut, skip cooking the chicken and stir in shredded rotisserie chicken with the ranch, salt, and pepper.

Storage:

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. I do not recommend freezing this one, because the cream sauce tends to break once it is frozen and thawed, so it is best made fresh.

Nutrition