Description

This Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole combines tender pasta, flavorful broccoli, crispy bacon, and shredded rotisserie chicken in a creamy ranch cheese sauce. Perfect as a comforting main dish, it can be served straight from the skillet or baked for a bubbly cheesy finish. Ideal for meal prep and freezer-friendly, this casserole delivers a rich, hearty meal with an easy-to-follow recipe.

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 ½ teaspoon onion powder)
1 red bell pepper, chopped (optional)
3-4 garlic cloves, minced

Meat

1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 ½ cups shredded rotisserie chicken

Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups half and half (or milk whisked with 1 ½ 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 black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup sour cream (optional for extra creamy)
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 black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

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Instructions

Preheat and prepare dish: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
Cook broccoli: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add broccoli and cook for 5 minutes or until tender to your liking. Remove with a slotted spoon and rinse with very cold water. Drain and set aside on a plate.
Cook pasta: In the same pot of boiling water, cook the pasta al dente according to package directions. Avoid overcooking since it will bake in the oven later.
Sauté aromatics: Melt butter with olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onions and sauté for 4 minutes until soft. Add chopped bell pepper and minced garlic; sauté an additional 2-3 minutes.
Make roux: Sprinkle in flour and cook while stirring constantly for 2 minutes to remove raw flour taste.
Add liquids and seasonings: Reduce heat to low. Gradually whisk in half and half, chicken broth, ranch seasoning mix, salt, dried basil, ground mustard, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer while whisking constantly. Continue to simmer over medium heat, stirring often until sauce thickens but is not overly thick, about 5-10 minutes.
Add cheeses and sour cream: Turn heat to low and whisk in 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese followed by 1 cup shredded mozzarella until melted and smooth. Whisk in sour cream until blended and creamy.
Combine ingredients: Stir in shredded rotisserie chicken, cooked broccoli, and half of the crumbled bacon until evenly coated with the sauce. Then gently fold in the cooked pasta. If your pan is too small, transfer everything to a large pot to combine.
Adjust seasoning: Taste and add salt, pepper, or cayenne to your preference.
Serve or assemble casserole: You may serve the mixture directly topped with remaining bacon or pour it into the prepared baking dish spread in an even layer.
Bake: Sprinkle 1 cup of the remaining shredded cheddar cheese over the top. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes.
Add topping and finish baking: Remove from oven, sprinkle the remaining bacon over the top, then return to bake for another 5 to 10 minutes until hot and bubbly.
Rest and serve: Let the casserole stand for 5 minutes before serving to set.

Notes

Ranch seasoning mix should be added directly to the cheese sauce as a dry seasoning without preparing it as instructed on the packet.
To make homemade half and half, combine 1 ½ cups milk and 1 ½ cups heavy cream.
Flour can be substituted with gluten-free flour for dietary needs.
Sour cream can be replaced with full-fat plain Greek yogurt or nonfat Greek yogurt, though the latter may separate slightly when baked.
If sauce becomes too thick after simmering, thin by stirring in milk or chicken broth to desired consistency.
To cook bacon in the oven, bake on a foil-lined baking sheet at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes or until crispy; adjust time for thick-cut bacon to around 30 minutes.
To halve the recipe, use an 8x8 inch casserole dish and adjust ingredient quantities accordingly.
This casserole can be assembled a day ahead and refrigerated unbaked; bring to room temperature before baking.
Store leftovers covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and reheat either by microwave or oven.
For freezing, wrap casserole tightly and bake from frozen at 350 degrees F for 1 hour covered, then uncovered for 10-15 minutes until hot.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 600 kcal
Sugar: 4 g
Sodium: 700 mg
Fat: 35 g
Saturated Fat: 15 g
Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
Trans Fat: 0.5 g
Carbohydrates: 45 g
Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 35 g
Cholesterol: 110 mg