Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

This Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole is a flavorful, satisfying and easy dinner recipe that your family will love! Pasta, chicken, broccoli and other veggies come together in an herb-seasoned Alfredo sauce. Finish the chicken ranch casserole with crispy bacon and shredded cheese, and serve it alongside a simple green salad and a loaf of crusty bread. It’s a quick, make-ahead option for busy nights!

Cheesy Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

Casseroles are so convenient for easy, family-friendly dinners! This chicken bacon ranch casserole recipe is particularly well-suited for choosy little ones, thanks to its familiar flavors and ingredients. You’ll love the convenience of store-bought Alfredo sauce, which gets its Ranch flavor from a variety of herbs and spices that you probably already have in your pantry.

Use a store-bought rotisserie chicken to cut down on the prep time, or boil your own meat for this dish. Swap out the broccoli for peas, zucchini, carrots, or your kids’ other favorite vegetables. The meal is flexible and can easily be adapted to suit your family’s preferences…making weeknight dinners smoother and more pleasant for everyone at the table!

Ingredients

This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for Chicken Broccoli Bacon Ranch Casserole. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.

• Pasta: I use rotini, but penne or other similar short pasta shapes will also work.
• Bacon: center-cut bacon gets nice and crispy, and provides just the right amount of drippings for the pan (not too much).
• Onion, celery, and garlic: create a classic flavorful, savory base.
• Chicken: I use shredded rotisserie chicken for a shortcut, but see my notes below for other options as well.
• Broccoli: use thawed frozen baby broccoli florets for an easy option that doesn’t require any extra prep work. They’re perfectly bite-sized (no chopping necessary) and they’re already soft as soon as they thaw (no parboiling necessary). See my note below if you prefer to start with fresh broccoli.
• Alfredo sauce: the creamy binder for the casserole. Use your favorite store-bought sauce, or prepare about 3 ½ cups of homemade Alfredo.
• Dried parsley, dill weed, chives and onion powder: these herbs and seasonings give the Alfredo that classic “Ranch” flavor — without using a ranch seasoning packet.
• Salt and pepper: to enhance the other flavors in the dish and to season your pasta water.
• Mozzarella cheese: or substitute with any other shredded cheese that you like, such as cheddar, Colby, Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack.

The Chicken

While it’s possible to cook a casserole with raw chicken, you’ll need cooked chicken for this recipe, and a variety of options will work. Pick the most convenient method for you:

• Boiled and Pulled Chicken: Boil about 1 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs until cooked through (about 15 minutes). When cool enough to handle, chop or pull the chicken. You’ll need a total of about 2 cups shredded. I find that 1 lb. of chicken breasts yields about 2 cups of shredded chicken, but there’s some flexibility here — it doesn’t need to be exact.
• Rotisserie Chicken: This is a great shortcut! Purchase a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, shred the meat, and use in the recipe as instructed.
• Leftover Chicken: If you have leftover grilled or baked chicken from a previous meal, put those extras to good use in this casserole.
• Canned Chicken: Yep, you can even use canned chicken in this casserole.

How to Make Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

This easy dinner comes together quickly with just a handful of basic ingredients. Prep it in advance for even faster weeknight meals!

1. Boil the pasta; drain.
2. Fry the bacon in a skillet; remove to a plate.
3. Sauté onion, celery and garlic in the bacon drippings.
4. Add the pasta, chicken and broccoli.
5. Whisk together the Alfredo sauce, parsley, dill, chives and onion powder.
6. Pour the sauce over the pasta mixture.
7. Transfer to a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
8. Sprinkle cooked bacon and grated cheese over top.
9. Bake in a 350°F oven for 20-25 minutes.
10. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve!

What to Serve with Easy Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

Pair the flavorful chicken casserole with any of these easy sides:

• 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins
• Homemade Crescent Rolls or Soft Dinner Rolls
• Aunt Bee’s 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits, Cheese Biscuits or Drop Biscuits
• Skillet Cornbread, Honey Cornbread or Corn Muffins
• Pumpkin Bread or Pumpkin Muffins
• Wedge Salad, Classic Caesar Salad, House Salad with Candied Pecans, or a Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette
• Fennel Salad with Apples and Creamy Cider Dressing
• Roasted Cabbage or Braised Red Cabbage
• Homemade Applesauce or Fried Apples
• Garlic Bread, Homemade Focaccia, Breadsticks, Jalapeno Cheddar Bread, or a crusty loaf of No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread
• Sauteed Asparagus
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
• Sauteed Spinach with Garlic

Make Ahead

Assemble the dish up to 24 hours in advance. Keep it covered in the refrigerator. When ready to bake, allow the dish to sit on the counter and come to room temperature for at least 30-60 minutes before baking according to the recipe instructions. If the dish is cold when it goes into the oven, you will likely need to add some extra baking time. Keep a close eye on the dish and cover the pasta loosely with foil if it starts to get too brown on top before it’s heated through.

Can you freeze Cheesy Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole?

I do not recommend freezing this particular pasta bake, since the creamy sauce may have a tendency to “break” or separate when thawed.

Storage

Leftover casserole will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

How to Reheat

Cover and reheat leftovers in a 350°F oven for 20-25 minutes, or until warmed through. You can also reheat individual portions in a microwave for 1-2 minutes on high power.

Recipe Variations

• If starting with fresh broccoli florets instead of frozen baby broccoli, cut the florets into small bite-size pieces. Add the fresh broccoli florets to the boiling pasta water during the final 3 minutes of the pasta’s cooking time. When the pasta is done, your broccoli will be perfectly crisp-tender!
• Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole with Ranch Packet: if you prefer to use a packet of Ranch seasoning mix, substitute the dry seasoning mix for the parsley, dill weed, chives and onion powder.
• If you don’t want to use jars of store-bought Alfredo sauce, substitute with about 3 ½ cups of homemade Alfredo.
• Add different vegetables in lieu of the broccoli — or omit the veggies altogether! Good options include frozen peas, corn, or sautéed zucchini, mushrooms or green beans.
• Substitute cheddar, Colby, Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheeses for the mozzarella.
• For a crunchy topping on your casserole, add a layer of buttered Ritz cracker crumbs over the cheese.

Tips for the Best Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole Recipe

• Cooking for a smaller family? Cut all of the ingredients in half and bake the casserole in an 8-inch square dish. The rest of the cooking instructions remain the same.
• Salt the pasta water really well, since this is your opportunity to season the pasta.
• Boil the pasta for 1 minute less than al dente, because it will continue cooking in the oven. You don’t want to end up with mushy, overdone pasta in your casserole!
• Center cut bacon works well in this recipe because it gets nice and crispy, and leaves just the right amount of drippings in the skillet (not too much). If you’re using thick-cut bacon, strain off some of the drippings from the pan so that you’re left with about 1 tablespoon.
• Use a store-bought rotisserie chicken for an easy, quick-prep solution. The rotisserie chicken also adds a lot of flavor to the dish.
• Bake the pasta uncovered so that the cheese on top turns brown and the edges get crispy.
• Bake the casserole just until it’s heated through. All of the ingredients are already cooked, so you just want to warm it in the oven until bubbly. Don’t bake it for too long or it may dry out or get burned on top.

More Chicken Casserole Recipes to Try

• Chicken Parmesan Casserole
• Chicken and Rice Casserole
• Green Chicken Enchilada Casserole
• Chicken Casserole with Ritz Crackers
• Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole with Rice
• Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
• Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole
• 5-Ingredient Chicken Crescent Roll Casserole

Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

5 from 1 vote

Prep: 25 minutes minutes

Cook: 20 minutes minutes

Total: 45 minutes minutes

Servings 8 people

Calories 585 kcal

This cheesy Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole is a flavorful, satisfying and easy dinner recipe that your family will love!

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Ingredients

  

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• 1 lb. uncooked rotini or penne pasta
• 6 strips (about 4.5 ounces) center cut bacon, chopped
• ½ cup diced onion
• ¼ cup diced celery
• 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
• 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
• 2 cups frozen baby broccoli florets, thawed (about half of a 12.6 ounce bag) (see the note below to substitute with fresh broccoli)
• 2 jars (15 ounces each) Alfredo sauce (or use about 3 ½ cups of homemade Alfredo sauce)
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1 teaspoon dried chives
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese, or more to taste
• Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley, chives, thyme or other herbs

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 13×9-inch dish; set aside.
• Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water for 1 minute less than the package instructions for al dente. Drain; set aside.
• Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a Dutch oven or very large skillet over medium heat until crispy, about 7 minutes. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the drippings in the pot.
• Add the onion and celery to the drippings in the pot. Sauté the vegetables over medium-high heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds. Remove from the heat. Add the cooked, drained pasta, the cooked chicken, and the thawed broccoli to the pot.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the Alfredo sauce, parsley, dill, chives and onion powder. Pour the Alfredo sauce over the pasta mixture and toss to coat. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
• Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared dish. Sprinkle the cooked bacon on top and finish with a layer of shredded cheese.
• Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the filling is hot and bubbly and the cheese is melted.
• Garnish with fresh herbs and serve!

Notes

• Cooking for a smaller family? Cut all of the ingredients in half and bake the casserole in an 8-inch square dish. The rest of the cooking instructions remain the same.
• Salt the pasta water really well, since this is your opportunity to season the pasta.
• Boil the pasta for 1 minute less than al dente, because it will continue cooking in the oven. You don’t want to end up with mushy, overdone pasta in your casserole!
• Center cut bacon works well in this recipe because it gets nice and crispy, and leaves just the right amount of drippings in the skillet (not too much). If you’re using thick-cut bacon, strain off some of the drippings from the pan so that you’re left with about 1 tablespoon.
• Use a store-bought rotisserie chicken for an easy, quick-prep solution. The rotisserie chicken also adds a lot of flavor to the dish.
• Bake the pasta uncovered so that the cheese on top turns brown and the edges get crispy.
• Bake the casserole just until it’s heated through. All of the ingredients are already cooked, so you just want to warm it in the oven until bubbly. Don’t bake it for too long or it may dry out or get burned on top.
• If starting with fresh broccoli florets instead of frozen baby broccoli, cut the florets into small bite-size pieces. Add the fresh broccoli florets to the boiling pasta water during the final 3 minutes of the pasta’s cooking time. When the pasta is done, your broccoli will be perfectly crisp-tender!
• Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole with Ranch Packet: if you prefer to use a packet of Ranch seasoning mix, substitute the dry seasoning mix for the parsley, dill weed, chives and onion powder.
• If you don’t want to use jars of store-bought Alfredo sauce, substitute with about 3 ½ cups of homemade Alfredo.
• Add different vegetables in lieu of the broccoli — or omit the veggies altogether! Good options include frozen peas, corn, or sautéed zucchini, mushrooms or green beans.
• Substitute cheddar, Colby, Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheeses for the mozzarella.
• For a crunchy topping on your casserole, add a layer of buttered Ritz cracker crumbs over the cheese.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/8 of the casseroleCalories: 585kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 28gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 118mgSodium: 953mgPotassium: 383mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 683IUVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 145mgIron: 2mg

Keyword: cheesy, chicken bacon ranch casserole, chicken bacon ranch pasta casserole, easy

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Author: Blair Lonergan

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