Description
A creamy, comforting Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole made with tender pasta, broccoli, shredded rotisserie chicken, crispy bacon, and a cheesy ranch sauce. Perfect for a hearty family dinner or meal prep, this casserole combines rich flavors with easy preparation and baking.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Vegetables
- 1 pound cavatappi, ritoni or penne pasta
- 3 cups broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
- 1/2 onion, diced (or 1/2 teaspoon onion powder)
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped (optional)
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
Meat
- 1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 2 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (can substitute gluten-free flour)
- 3 cups half and half (or milk whisked with 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch)
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 (1 oz) packet dry ranch dressing seasoning mix (2 tablespoons) or DIY ranch seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup sour cream (optional, can substitute full-fat plain Greek yogurt)
- 2 cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
DIY Ranch Seasoning (Optional)
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons dried dill
- 2 teaspoons dried chives
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Cook Broccoli: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add broccoli and cook for 5 minutes until tender-crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon, rinse with very cold water, drain well, and set aside.
- Cook Pasta: In the same pot, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: Melt butter and olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté for 4 minutes. Add chopped bell pepper and garlic, sauté for another 2-3 minutes until softened.
- Make Roux: Sprinkle flour over vegetables and cook while stirring for 2 minutes to remove raw flour taste.
- Add Liquids and Seasonings: Reduce heat to low, then gradually whisk in half and half, chicken broth, ranch seasoning, salt, dried basil, ground mustard, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens, about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Melt Cheese and Add Cream: Reduce heat to low and whisk in 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese until melted, then 1 cup shredded mozzarella until melted. Stir in sour cream until blended.
- Combine Ingredients: Stir in shredded chicken, cooked broccoli, and half of the crumbled bacon. Then fold in the cooked pasta, coating everything evenly. If needed, combine in a large pot for space.
- Season and Serve or Bake: Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or cayenne as desired. Either serve immediately garnished with remaining bacon or proceed to bake.
- Assemble for Baking: Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese.
- Bake: Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle remaining bacon on top, then return to bake for an additional 10 minutes until bubbly and hot through.
- Rest and Serve: Let the casserole stand for 5 minutes before serving to allow it to set.
Notes
- Ranch seasoning mix should be added to the sauce as a dry seasoning, not prepared as a dressing.
- For homemade half and half, combine 1 1/2 cups milk with 1 1/2 cups heavy cream.
- Use gluten-free flour to make the recipe gluten-free if needed.
- Substitute sour cream with full-fat plain Greek yogurt; nonfat yogurt may separate when baked.
- If sauce gets too thick, thin with a little milk or chicken broth to desired consistency.
- To bake bacon in oven: line a baking sheet with foil, place bacon in center, fold foil edges to contain grease, and bake at 400 degrees F for 20-30 minutes until crispy.
- To halve the recipe, use an 8x8-inch casserole dish and adjust ingredient quantities accordingly.
- Casserole can be assembled a day ahead and refrigerated unbaked. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
- Store leftovers tightly covered in refrigerator up to 5 days; reheat in microwave or oven.
- Freeze unbaked casserole tightly wrapped; bake from frozen at 350 degrees F for 1 hour covered, then 10-15 minutes uncovered.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
