This Creamy Casserole Has Chicken, Bacon, *and* Ranch Seasoning
Flip through the pages of Ree Drummond's cookbooks and the words "chicken," "bacon," and "ranch" pop up again and again. That's why chicken bacon ranch casserole is so perfect! This favorite family dinner recipe calls for combining tender chicken, smoky bacon, and zesty ranch seasoning in a crowd-pleasing baked pasta dish. Using rotisserie chicken makes it super simple, but you could easily swap in leftover turkey if you have some to use up. This creamy casserole is easy to make and is ready in about 45 minutes. It's a weeknight winner of a dinner for your family!
How do you make chicken bacon ranch casserole?
Making this dish is super easy, thanks to a few store-bought shortcuts. Start by cooking some bacon, then cook the onions and garlic in the flavorful bacon drippings. After that, cream cheese and milk get mixed together with dry ranch seasoning mix to form the creamy base of this delicious casserole. Next, in goes the pasta, rotisserie chicken, pimientos, and green onion, before being topped with bacon and cheese; then bake for just 15 minutes.
What kind of pasta do you use in chicken bacon ranch casserole?
This recipe uses rotini, but you can use whatever pasta shape you have on hand: penne, macaroni, mini shells—you name it! Short pasta shapes are best for easy scooping.
How do you make your own ranch seasoning mix?
Try this homemade ranch seasoning mix recipe! It's a mix of dry herbs like dill, parsley, and chives, along with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. To bring home the flavor, a bit of dry buttermilk powder is also stirred in.
Can you use bottled ranch dressing in this recipe?
This recipe calls for dry ranch seasoning mix, which is more concentrated in flavor than a standard bottle of prepared salad dressing. However, if that’s all you have on hand, substitute 1 cup of the milk with 1 cup of prepared ranch dressing, and add additional salt and pepper, if you like. For even more flavor, whip up a batch of Ree's homemade ranch dressing to drizzle over the top—because you can't have too much ranch!
What kind of chicken do you use in chicken bacon ranch casserole?
This recipe call for 4 cups of rotisserie chicken, which is about how much chicken can be pulled from a standard deli-roasted bird. If your family prefers all white meat, get two rotisserie chickens, use leftover cooked chicken, or sauté 4 cups chopped boneless-skinless chicken breast in olive oil until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
Can chicken bacon ranch casserole be frozen?
It's best to avoid freezing creamy casseroles like this one, and especially those that contain cooked pasta. Freezing and thawing these ingredients can impact the texture, causing creamy sauces to turn out grainy and cooked pasta to become mushy. Instead, store this one in the fridge!
How long does chicken bacon ranch casserole last?
Leftovers will stay good for up to three days. Tightly wrap the casserole dish in plastic wrap or foil, or transfer the casserole to an airtight container, and store in the fridge. Reheat larger portions in a 350-degree oven or smaller portions in the microwave.
Yields: 8-10 servings
Prep Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 45 mins
Ingredients
6
slices bacon, chopped
1
small onion, chopped
4
cloves garlic, finely chopped
1
(8-oz.) package cream cheese, cubed
2 c.
milk
1
(1-oz) packet dry ranch seasoning mix
3 c.
shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
8 oz.
rotini pasta, cooked
4 c.
chopped rotisserie chicken
4 oz.
diced pimentos, drained
1/2 c.
sliced green onion, plus more to serve
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a 12-inch skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat, stirring often until crispy, about 8 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan using a slotted spoon. Set aside, leaving the drippings in the pan.
Add the onion and garlic to the drippings; cook, stirring often, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the cream cheese, milk, ranch seasoning mix, and 1 cup of the mozzarella until smooth; remove from the heat.
In a large bowl, stir together the ranch mixture, cooked pasta, chicken, pimientos, and 1/2 cup of the green onion until well combined. Transfer to a 13-by-9-inch casserole dish. Sprinkle evenly with the bacon; top with the remaining 2 cups mozzarella.
Bake until the top is golden brown and crispy, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly; top with more green onion just before serving.
Tip: If you'd like to add a vegetable to this casserole, stir in 4 cups spinach with the chicken in step 3, or add 2 cups of broccoli florets to the pasta during the last 2 minutes of its cook time.
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