This easy Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole recipe is a creamy pasta dish with ranch seasoning topped with melted cheese and crispy bacon! A Simple and Delicious Chicken Casserole If you want an easy dinner recipe that your whole family will love then this is it! This Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole is guaranteed to be a family favorite! It is so simple to throw together with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry! Frequently Asked Questions: How much is 8 ounces of penne pasta? If you don’t have a kitchen scale (and I know most of us don’t), you will be using a half a box of pasta basically. Most pasta is sold in 16 ounce (1 pound) boxes so you will use half of that box. What should I serve as a side dish? This would be perfect with a simple side salad or a steamed veggie. Could I add vegetables? Yes. Just be careful what kind of vegetables you’re using as not all veggies will be fully cooked and tender after the 20 minute cooking time so you might need to par-bake some of them (like potatoes.) With vegetables like broccoli, just make sure to chop them up small. What is the best chicken to use for this? Rotisserie chicken is perfect to use here. Just purchase a family-sized rotisserie chicken and pull the meat off the bone and chop it up. Also some stores, like Costco, now sell pulled chicken that you can buy that’s already prepackaged and ready to go. These are such time savers!You can also season some chicken and cook it in a skillet on the stovetop. Then proceed with the recipe. How do I store leftovers? Leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and frozen for up to 3 months. Ingredients Needed: (See Recipe Card Below For The Full Recipe) penne pasta – it doesn’t have to be penne pasta. It can be 8 ounces of any of your favorite pasta shape. bacon – I think freshly cooked or baked bacon works best as it gives the best texture but for ease of preparation, you could use the bacon pieces sold in bags in the salad section of your grocery store or microwaveable bacon. garlic – the jarred stuff works fine here but if you have time to mince up some fresh garlic then please go for it! sour cream – I truly don’t think you taste the sour cream as a separate ingredient here, it just adds additional creaminess. If you absolutely hate sour cream and just cannot bring yourself to use it, you could substitute for mayonnaise. shredded mozzarella cheese – you can certainly switch up the cheese and use what you prefer. Try a pepper jack cheese for a hint of heat. ranch seasoning mix – store bought or make Homemade Ranch Seasoning. Alfredo sauce – I think a garlic Alfredo sauce would be so good here! cooked chicken – see my Frequently Questions above for the best cooked chicken to use. How To Make Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole: Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix sour cream, ranch dressing mix, garlic, pepper, Alfredo sauce and 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Combine the chicken and penne with the sauce. Pour mixture into pan. Spread cheese and bacon pieces over the pasta mixture. Cover with nonstick aluminum foil and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted. Sprinkle top with parsley and serve immediately with your favorite side. CRAVING MORE RECIPES? Chicken Bacon Ranch Bubble Up Cheesy Bacon Chicken and Potatoes Chicken Bacon Ranch Baked Subs Crock Pot Chicken and Ranch King Ranch Chicken Casserole Homemade Ranch Seasoning Mix Bacon Ranch Crackers Cheesy Bacon Ranch Pull-Apart Bread Polish Casserole for Two Pierogi Casserole Print Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole This easy Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole recipe is a creamy pasta dish with ranch seasoning topped with melted cheese and crispy bacon! Course Main CourseCuisine American Prep Time 30 minutes minutesCook Time 20 minutes minutesTotal Time 50 minutes minutes Servings 8 Calories 348kcal Author Brandie Skibinski Ingredients¾ cup sour cream1 packet ranch dressing mix1 teaspoon minced garlic15 ounce jar Alfredo pasta sauce¼ teaspoon black pepper2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (divided use, can use more to taste)2 cups cooked and chopped chicken8 ounces penne pasta, cooked and drained4-6 slices bacon, cooked and choppedchopped parsley (for topping, optional, can use dried) InstructionsPreheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.In medium bowl, mix 3/4 cup sour cream, 1 packet ranch dressing mix, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 15 ounce jar Alfredo pasta sauce, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese.  Stir in 2 cups cooked and chopped chicken and 8 ounces penne pasta, cooked and drained. Pour mixture into pan. Sprinkle the remaining one cup shredded mozzarella cheese along with 4-6 slices bacon, cooked and chopped evenly over the top of the pasta mixture. Cover with nonstick aluminum foil and bake in oven for 20 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted. Sprinkle top with chopped parsley (if using) and serve! Video Notes This recipe calls for eight ounces of penne pasta. Most boxes of pasta are sold in sixteen ounces. So you’ll be making half of a box of pasta for this. The pre-packaged real bacon pieces can be used instead of cooking up bacon. The packages can sometimes be found where the salad toppings are located in your grocery store. Rotisserie chicken is perfect to use here. Just purchase a family-sized rotisserie chicken and pull the meat off the bone and chop it up. Also some stores, like Costco, now sell pulled chicken that you can buy that’s already prepackaged and ready to go. These are such time savers! Feel free to add your favorite vegetables to this dish. I think chopped broccoli would be perfect! NutritionCalories: 348kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 20g | Sodium: 551mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g Originally published: November 2020Updated post and republished: March 2026