Description
This Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole is a creamy, cheesy pasta dish loaded with shredded rotisserie chicken, crispy bacon, broccoli, and a flavorful ranch cheese sauce. Perfect for a comforting dinner that can be assembled ahead and baked when ready.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Vegetables
- 1 pound cavatappi, rigatoni, or penne pasta
- 3 cups broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
- 1/2 onion, diced (or 1/2 teaspoon onion powder)
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped (optional)
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
Meat and Cheese
- 1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 2 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 2 cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups half and half (or substitute with milk whisked with 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch)
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 (1 oz) packet dry ranch dressing seasoning mix (2 tablespoons) or DIY below
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup sour cream (optional for extra creamy)
DIY Ranch Seasoning (Optional)
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons dried dill
- 2 teaspoons dried chives
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and lightly spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
- Cook broccoli: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add broccoli and cook for 5 minutes until tender-crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
- Cook pasta: In the same pot, cook pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside, avoiding overcooking as it will bake later.
- Sauté aromatics: In a large saucepan, melt butter with olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onions and sauté for 4 minutes until softened. Add bell peppers (if using) and minced garlic, sauté an additional 3 minutes until fragrant and soft.
- Make roux and sauce base: Sprinkle in the flour and cook while stirring for 2 minutes to form a roux.
- Whisk in liquids and seasonings: Reduce heat to low. Gradually whisk in half and half, chicken broth, ranch seasoning, salt, dried basil, ground mustard, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking often until sauce thickens moderately, about 5-10 minutes.
- Add cheeses and sour cream: Lower heat to low and whisk in 1 cup shredded cheddar followed by 1 cup mozzarella until melted and smooth. Blend in sour cream until combined.
- Combine protein and veggies: Stir in shredded chicken, broccoli, and half the crumbled bacon, mixing until evenly coated with the sauce. Then add the cooked pasta and combine thoroughly. If your pan is too small, mix everything in a large pot.
- Taste and adjust seasoning: Season with additional salt, pepper, or cayenne pepper as preferred.
- Assemble casserole: Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese.
- Bake: Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes.
- Add topping and finish baking: Remove casserole from oven, sprinkle remaining bacon over the top, then return to oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes until hot and bubbly.
- Rest and serve: Let the casserole stand for 5 minutes before serving to thicken and cool slightly.
Notes
- Do not prepare the ranch seasoning as a dressing; add it dry directly to the sauce to maintain flavor intensity.
- To make half and half, combine equal parts milk and heavy cream (1 1/2 cups each).
- Flour can be substituted with gluten-free flour for a gluten-free option.
- Sour cream can be replaced with full-fat plain Greek yogurt; nonfat Greek yogurt is possible but may split when baked.
- If the sauce becomes too thick, stir in milk or chicken broth to reach the desired consistency before assembling the casserole.
- For crispy bacon: bake on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet at 400 degrees F for 20-30 minutes depending on thickness.
- To halve the recipe, use an 8x8 inch baking dish and adjust ingredient quantities accordingly.
- You can assemble the casserole a day ahead, refrigerate covered without baking, then bake when ready. Let sit at room temperature 30 minutes before baking.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Reheat in microwave or oven until heated through.
- Freeze unbaked casserole wrapped tightly and bake from frozen at 350 degrees F for 1 hour covered, then 10-15 minutes uncovered until hot.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
