Dump-and-Bake Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

Chicken bacon ranch pasta in a bowl with fresh parsley in the background

5 from 3 votes

Dump-and-Bake Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

A 10-minute crowd-pleaser, this Dump-and-Bake Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta is an easy dinner recipe for your busiest weeknights -- and you don't even have to boil the pasta!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta, Chicken Casserole Recipe, chicken pasta

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Resting Time 5

Total Time 55

Servings - 8 people

Calories 373.6kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

1 (21.5 oz) family-size jar of Alfredo sauce (about 2.5 cups)
3 cups chicken broth
1 (1 oz) packet Ranch seasoning mix
1 (16 oz) box uncooked rotini pasta (about 6 cups dry)
9 ounces (about 1.75 – 2 cups) cooked, diced chicken
6 slices cooked, chopped bacon
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
1 cup shredded mozzarella or Italian blend cheese
Optional garnish: grated Parmesan cheese; chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
In the prepared baking dish (or in a separate bowl), whisk together Alfredo sauce, chicken broth and Ranch seasoning packet until completely combined.
Stir in the uncooked pasta, chicken, bacon, and garlic.
Cover the dish tightly with foil. Bake for 35 minutes.
Uncover; stir. At this point, the pasta should be al dente (firm but just about finished cooking). There will still be plenty of liquid in the dish, but don’t worry – this will thicken as the dish continues to bake and cool.
If the pasta is still too hard after 35 minutes, just cover the dish and return to the oven until pasta is al dente. Then move on to the next step.
Sprinkle mozzarella over top. Bake, uncovered, for 5-10 more minutes (or until cheese is melted and pasta is tender). Allow to rest for about 5-10 minutes before serving (the sauce will continue to thicken as it cools).
Garnish with grated Parmesan and fresh parsley, if desired.

Notes

If you don't have rotini pasta, you can substitute with a similar short pasta that has a cooking time of 9-11 minutes called for on the box.
Make sure that you're buying a large "family size" jar of Alfredo sauce, or purchase two regular-size jars. You need a total of 2.5 cups of Alfredo, so you could even make your own sauce from scratch if you prefer!
Stir some frozen peas into the casserole during the final few minutes of baking -- just before adding the cheese (you don't even need to thaw the peas first).
Make a Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta with Spinach by stirring a few handfuls of fresh spinach into the dish during the final few minutes of baking (just before adding the cheese). The spinach will wilt quickly!
Prepare Chicken Bacon Ranch Broccoli Pasta by stirring steamed broccoli florets into the casserole during the final few minutes of baking (just before adding the cheese).
Don't have any cooked chicken on hand? You can use diced, raw chicken breast instead! Stir the raw meat into the casserole dish at the beginning of the cooking time (just like you would for the cooked chicken). Just make sure that you dice the raw chicken into very small bite-sized pieces so that the meat is done cooking at the same time as the pasta.

Can Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta be made ahead?

Yes, you can assemble this casserole up to 8 hours in advance. Keep it covered in the refrigerator until you're ready to bake. If you're baking it from the refrigerator, allow the dish to sit on the counter and come to room temperature (or add a few extra minutes to the suggested baking time).

Can I freeze Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta?

I do not suggest freezing this casserole before or after baking. I worry that the texture of the pasta will be mushy when thawed, and there's a chance that the creamy sauce will break.

Nutrition