• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Salt & Lavender logo
  • Recipes
  • 30 Minute Meals
  • About
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • 30 Minute Meals
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Chicken & Poultry

    Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

    Published: Dec 16, 2022 / Updated: Dec 31, 2022 / 4 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my affiliate disclosure for more details.

    Jump to Recipe

    This chicken bacon ranch casserole recipe has just 6 ingredients for a fuss-free family meal! It's kid approved and irresistibly cheesy.

    You might also like my Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta for a similar stovetop recipe or this cozy Chicken Bacon Ranch Soup.

    closeup of a baking dish with chicken bacon ranch casserole

    Why you'll love it

    It makes me so happy when a reader finds one of my recipes genuinely easy, so I'm very excited to bring you yet another simple casserole recipe! This chicken casserole has penne, a creamy Alfredo and zesty ranch sauce, and it's topped off with mozzarella and crispy bacon. Oh baby.

    You'll enjoy how this cheesy chicken casserole has rich, crave-worthy flavors using just a handful of pantry ingredients. It's stuff you likely have in your kitchen already, the kind of ingredients that are always a hit if you've got picky eaters to feed.

    What you'll need

    • Pasta - penne makes the perfect vessel for all that sauce
    • Bacon - I used thick-cut bacon
    • Alfredo sauce - for convenience we're using a jar of Alfredo sauce. Make sure to grab one you really enjoy the flavor of!
    • Ranch seasoning mix - Hidden Valley is my go-to
    • Chicken - rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut for adding protein
    • Mozzarella - this good melting cheese makes an irresistible topping

    Helpful tips

    • I use a rotisserie chicken to make this recipe super easy. You can use any pre-cooked (or leftover) cooked chicken like my Easy Baked Chicken Breast.
    • To save time, you can cook the bacon ahead of time or use pre-cooked bacon.
    ingredients for chicken bacon ranch casserole on a counter

    Tools for this recipe

    Check out Natasha's favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!

    • I use kitchen shears to easily cut up the strips of bacon into bite-size pieces.
    • A 9x13 baking dish is what I use for this casserole.

    How to make this chicken bacon ranch casserole

    This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

    frying bacon in a skillet and adding penne to a casserole dish

    Preheat the oven to 375F. Boil the penne for 1 minute less than the package indicates. In a skillet, fry the bacon and transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Drain the pasta and add to a casserole dish.

    adding sauce, chicken, and bacon to a casserole dish

    Pour the Alfredo sauce over top along with the packet of ranch seasoning. Using two spoons, toss until the pasta is coated. Add in the chicken and half of the bacon, and toss again.

    chicken bacon ranch casserole before and after baking

    Spread it into an even layer. Sprinkle on the mozzarella and the rest of the bacon. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Broil if desired, but watch it carefully. Enjoy right away.

    Substitutions and variations

    • You could swap the penne for another shape of pasta.
    • You can make Alfredo Sauce from scratch if you prefer. If using my recipe, it does make a bit less than a typical 15 oz. jar of Alfredo sauce, so you may want to double the batch. My recipe makes approx. 1.5 cups, and a jar is about 2 cups.
    • If you prefer, you can make ranch seasoning from scratch. Try this homemade version.

    What to serve with this easy chicken casserole

    • It's a hearty meal, so all you need is a dinner roll or a slice of Extra Cheesy Garlic Bread to round it all out!
    • A salad is also a great pairing. Try mixed greens with my Simple Homemade Honey Mustard Dressing.

    Leftovers and storage

    • This chicken casserole will keep for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
    • Reheat slowly over low heat in a covered saucepan or intervals in microwave, but be mindful the sauce can separate if reheated on too high of a heat. If you happen to have more Alfredo sauce on hand, add a bit to leftovers if they're dry after a couple days.
    • I don't typically recommend freezing creamy sauces or cooked pasta as the texture can change.

    More easy chicken recipes

    • Ranch Cream Cheese Chicken
    • Easy Chicken and Rice Casserole
    • Mozzarella Chicken Bake
    • Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Bake
    • Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
    a baking dish with chicken ranch casserole

    If you made this chicken bacon casserole, leave me a comment below! I'd love to hear your thoughts. You can also find me on Instagram.

    closeup of a baking dish with chicken bacon ranch casserole

    Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

    This chicken bacon ranch casserole recipe has just 6 ingredients for a fuss-free family meal! It's kid approved and irresistibly cheesy.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6
    Calories 563 kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
     

    • 8 ounces uncooked pasta I used penne
    • 6 strips bacon (I used thick cut) cut into small pieces
    • 1 (15 ounce) jar Alfredo sauce
    • 1 (1 ounce) packet ranch seasoning
    • 2 cups cooked/rotisserie chicken shredded
    • 2 cups mozzarella shredded

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat your oven to 375F and move the rack to the top third of the oven.
    • Meanwhile, boil a salted pot of water for the pasta. Cook it for 1 minute less than package directions indicate.
    • While the pasta is cooking, cut the bacon into small pieces (I use kitchen shears to do this fast), and fry it in a skillet until crispy. Once it's done, transfer it to a paper towel lined plate.
    • Drain the pasta once it's cooked and add it to a 9x13 casserole dish. Pour the Alfredo sauce over top and also sprinkle on the ranch seasoning. Toss until evenly coated, then add in the cooked chicken and half the bacon and toss again.
    • Smooth it out in an even layer, then top with the mozzarella cheese and the remaining bacon.
    • Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Optional: broil for a few minutes to brown the cheese (watch it carefully so it doesn't burn).

    Notes

    • Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 563kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 30gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 126mgSodium: 1248mgPotassium: 263mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 280IUCalcium: 203mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword chicken bacon ranch casserole
    Author Natasha Bull
    « Spinach Salad with Bacon and Eggs
    Three Cheese Mac and Cheese Gnocchi »

    Loved this recipe? Share it:

    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Valerie says

      January 11, 2023 at 4:26 PM

      5 stars
      This turned out great and was so quick and easy. Everyone loved it. It's a keeper.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        January 11, 2023 at 6:34 PM

        Fantastic!! 🙂 Thanks for your review, Valerie!

        Reply
    2. Jill says

      January 8, 2023 at 3:20 PM

      5 stars
      I made this tonight with a side of roasted broccoli. It was super quick, easy and good. The kids loved the pasta dish (but not their mama's roasted broccoli 😀). Thanks for sharing the recipe!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        January 8, 2023 at 7:56 PM

        I'm so happy it was a hit, Jill!! Re: the broccoli, maybe they'll come around eventually haha. Thanks so much for your 5-star review - it's very much appreciated! XO

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Natasha Bull, founder and author of Salt & Lavender, in the kitchen

    Hi! I'm Natasha. Salt & Lavender is a recipe blog with a focus on delicious comfort food using everyday ingredients. Beat the weekday grind with hundreds of easy-to-follow and hassle-free recipes!  Read more...

    FREE 10 Easy Chicken Recipes E-book

    ​

      ​

      BROWSE RECIPES:

      Footer

      • Contact
      • FAQ
      • Site Policies
      • For Bloggers
      • Facebook
      • Instagram
      • Pinterest
      • Twitter

      · Copyright © 2023 Salt & Lavender Inc ·