Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

This Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole is loaded with golden brown chicken pieces, crisp smoked bacon, alfredo sauce, ranch seasoning, pasta, and a generous helping of mozzarella and cheddar cheese. It comes together quickly and easily with simple ingredients and is one of our family’s favorite recipes. Serve with a simple garden salad or steamed vegetables.

How to make Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

Start by boiling some water and cooking the noodles according to package directions. Then brown the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove the bacon to paper towels to drain. Reserve the bacon grease in the skillet. Then cook the chicken in the skillet with the bacon grease over medium heat. Work in batches cooking the chicken in a single layer, flipping the pieces over as they brown. Once the chicken is browned on both sides, plate the chicken.

Then add the onions to the skillet, cooking over medium heat until soft and lightly browned on the edges. Now lower the heat and add the garlic, cooking for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and let cool for a few minutes. Coarsely chop the bacon, reserving about 1/4 cup. Then in a large bowl, stir together the cooked pasta, bacon, chicken, onions, garlic, alfredo sauce, sour cream, ranch seasoning, and 1 cup mozzarella. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon into a greased casserole dish.

Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and reserved bacon. Bake until the cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through. If desired, top with chopped fresh parsley, chives, or green onion.

Recipe notes and helpful tips

• Cook the bacon in the skillet or in the oven but make sure you reserve the bacon grease for cooking the chicken, onion, and garlic in for more flavor.
• Cut the chicken breasts or thighs into thin, bite-size uniform pieces so they cook quickly and evenly in the skillet.
• Any medium-size pasta will work for this recipe. Think ziti pasta, rotini pasta, medium shells, or penne pasta.
• This recipe was written for speed and ease but feel free to make your own alfredo sauce. I will include a link in the recipe card to my alfredo sauce.
• If you are always strapped for time, then use an already-cooked rotisserie chicken. They are always delicious and available almost anywhere.
• 1/2 cup ranch dressing can be substituted for the ranch seasoning mix.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste, but keep in mind that ranch seasoning is already heavy on salt. I usually just season with plenty of fresh ground black pepper.
• Bake the casserole just long enough to melt the cheese.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Freeze for up to 3 months in a sturdy freezer container. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. To freeze the whole casserole, cover it with two layers of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge and bake as directed, adding 5 minutes of baking time.

How to make Keto Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

For a low carb casserole, instead of using pasta, substitute chopped broccoli and cauliflower florets. Steam them for 3 minutes or until fork tender. Then add them to the bowl and gently mix them with the bacon, chicken, onions, garlic, alfredo sauce, sour cream, ranch seasoning, and 1 cup mozzarella. Now proceed with the rest of the recipe as written.

More chicken casseroles

Chicken Stuffing Casserole

Chicken Noodle Casserole

Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

Poppy Seed Chicken

Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

A scrumptious Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole with browned chicken pieces, crispy bacon, and rigatoni all in a ranch seasoned alfredo sauce and topped with mozzarella and cheddar cheeses.  

5 from 21 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: main meal chicken

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 537kcal

Author: Beth Pierce

Ingredients

• 8 ounces rigatoni pasta
• 6 slices bacon
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into thin bite size pieces or 5 chicken thighs
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 14.5 ounce jar Alfredo Sauce or homemade alfredo sauce
• ⅔ cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons Ranch Seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup shredded cheddar
• Parsley for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a 9x13 inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.  
• Cook noodles according to package instructions and drain well. 
• Brown the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove the bacon to paper towels to drain. Reserve the bacon grease in the skillet.
• Cook the chicken over medium heat in the same skillet with the bacon grease.  Work in batches cooking the chicken in a single layer flipping the pieces over as they brown. Once the chicken is browned on both sides and cooked through plate the chicken. 
• Add the onions to the skillet cooking over medium heat until soft and lightly browned on the edges. Lower the heat and add the garlic cooking for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and let cool for a few minutes.
• Coarsely chop the bacon reserving about 1/4 cup. In a large bowl stir together the cooked pasta. bacon, chicken, onions, garlic, alfredo sauce, sour cream, ranch seasoning, and 1 cup mozzarella. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon into the prepared baking dish.  
• Top with the remaining cheeses and reserved bacon. Bake until the cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through; approximately 20-25 minutes.  If desired top with chopped fresh parsley. 

Notes

• Cook the bacon in the skillet or in the oven but make sure you reserve the bacon grease for cooking the chicken, onion, and garlic.
• Cut the chicken breast into thin bite size uniform pieces so they cook quickly and evenly in the skillet.
• Any medium size pasta will work for this recipe. Think ziti, penne, rotini, or medium shells.
• This recipe was written for speed and ease but feel free to make your own alfredo sauce. I will include a link in the recipe card to my alfredo sauce.
• If you are always strapped for time then use an already cooked rotisserie chicken. They are always delicious and available almost anywhere.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste but keep in mind that ranch seasoning is already heavy on the salt. I usually just season with plenty of fresh ground black pepper.
• Bake the casserole just long enough to melt the cheese.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Freeze for up to 3 months in a sturdy freezer container. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight.  

Nutrition

Calories: 537kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 934mg | Potassium: 373mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 620IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 364mg | Iron: 1mg

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