Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole Recipe

Since finding this recipe on Pinterest last year, it has become one of our family favorites! The first time I made it, Raley said (in true Joey fashion) “Chicken…good! Bacon….good! Pasta…good! Cheese…good!” (No, we don’t let her watch Friends, but we quote it enough that she’s picked up on a few things.) It’s safe to say that this pasta is a hit in our house and the girls will devour every bit of what is given to them (they are not very good eaters, so this says a lot).

I modified the original recipe a bit to fit our taste. The homemade Alfredo sauce brings the entire dish together in creamy, cheesy goodness and the bacon on top gives it just the right saltiness and crunch.

This recipe is not that difficult to make, however you will need at least 3 burners on your stove going at the same time. At first I was a bit overwhelmed by what to do first and how to go about getting everything done at about the same time. After making this recipe several times, I find it easiest to get your water boiling for the pasta and your bacon cooking first. For me, the bacon fits best in the pan when the slices have been cut in half.

When the bacon is done, remove it from the pan onto a plate with a paper towel to absorb the grease, then crumble it up, cover it, and set aside. In the same pan where you cooked your bacon, reserve about 1 tbsp of fat in the skillet, then add your chicken and cook. While the chicken is cooking, begin preparing your Alfredo sauce in a separate pan. If the other ingredients are done before the Alfredo sauce, it’s ok. Just set it to the side. Once it’s all mixed together, we will throw it in the oven and it will warm back up!

All the details and instructions are laid out below. If you like pasta with cheese, this recipe will not disappoint!

• 2 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp ranch seasoning
• 3/4 box Rotini pasta, cooked
• 1 cup Mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
• 4 slices bacon
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 tsp minced garlic 

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• Boil water for pasta in a large pot and cook as directed on package
• Heat large skillet over medium-high heat and cook bacon until crispy. 
• Once bacon is done, remove from heat to a paper towel lined plate to absorb the grease. Once the bacon is slightly cooled, crumble it up into small bits.
• Reserve 1 tbsp fat in skillet
• In gallon size Ziploc bag, add chicken, 1 tbsp olive oil, and 1 tbsp Ranch seasoning and shake to coat.
• Add chicken to skillet with leftover bacon grease, and cook
• In separate pan, melt butter
• Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant
• Gradually whisk in heavy cream until well incorporated
• Stir in Parmesan cheese until slightly thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste
• Combine pasta, Alfredo sauce and chicken in large glass pan (I prefer a large Corningware pan)
• Sprinkle with cheeses and crumbled up bacon
• Bake 15-20 minutes, until cheese is bubbly
• Enjoy!