How to Make Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole | The Pioneer Woman – Ree Drummond Recipes

Flip through the pages of Ree Drummond’s many cookbooks and the words “chicken,” “bacon,” and “ranch” pop up again and again. That’s why chicken bacon ranch casserole is so perfect! This favorite family dinner combines tender chicken, smoky bacon, and zesty ranch seasoning in a crowd-pleasing baked pasta dish. Easy to make and ready in about 45 minutes, this casserole is a weeknight winner that your family will beg for every single night!

How do you make chicken bacon ranch casserole?

Making this dish is super easy, thanks to a few store-bought shortcuts. Start by cooking some bacon, then cook the onions and garlic in the flavorful bacon drippings. After that, cream cheese and milk get mixed together with dry ranch seasoning mix to form the creamy base of this delicious casserole. Next, in goes the pasta, rotisserie chicken, pimientos, and green onion, before being topped with bacon and cheese; then bake for just 15 minutes.

What kind of pasta do you use in chicken bacon ranch casserole?

This recipe uses rotini, but you can use whatever pasta shape you have on hand: penne, macaroni, mini shells—you name it!

How do you make your own ranch seasoning mix?

Try this homemade ranch seasoning mix recipe! It’s a mix of dry herbs like dill, parsley, and chives, along with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. To bring home the flavor, a bit of dry buttermilk powder is also stirred in.

Can you use bottled ranch dressing in this recipe?

This recipe calls for dry ranch seasoning mix, which is more concentrated in flavor than a standard bottle of prepared salad dressing. However, if that’s all you have on hand, substitute 1 cup of the milk with 1 cup of prepared ranch dressing, and add additional salt and pepper, if you like. For even more flavor, whip up a batch of Ree’s homemade ranch dressing to drizzle over the top—because you can’t have too much ranch!

What kind of chicken do you use in chicken bacon ranch casserole?

This recipe call for 4 cups of rotisserie chicken, which is about how much chicken can be pulled from a standard deli-roasted bird. If your family prefers all white meat, get two rotisserie chickens, use leftover cooked chicken, or sauté 4 cups chopped boneless-skinless chicken breast in olive oil until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.

YIELDS:
8 – 10 serving(s)
PREP TIME:
15 mins
TOTAL TIME:
45 mins
Ingredients
6 slices bacon, chopped.
1 small onion, chopped.
4 cloves garlic finely chopped.
8 oz. cream cheese, cubed.
2 c. milk
1 1-oz. packet dry ranch seasoning mix
3 c. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided.
8 oz. rotini pasta, cooked.
4 c. chopped rotisserie chicken.
4 oz. diced pimientos, drained.
1/2 c. sliced green onion, plus more to serve.

Directions
1
Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a 12-inch skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat, stirring often until crispy, about 8 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan using a slotted spoon. Set aside, leaving the drippings in the pan.
2
Add the onion and garlic to the drippings; cook, stirring often, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the cream cheese, milk, ranch seasoning mix, and 1 cup of the mozzarella until smooth; remove from the heat.
3
In a large bowl, stir together the ranch mixture, cooked pasta, chicken, pimientos, and ½ cup of the green onion until well combined. Transfer to a 13-by-9-inch casserole dish. Sprinkle evenly with the bacon; top with the remaining 2 cups mozzarella.
4
Bake until the top is golden brown and crispy, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly; top with more green onion just before serving.
Tip: If you’d like to add a vegetable to this casserole, stir in 4 cups spinach with the chicken in step 3, or add 2 cups of broccoli florets to the pasta during the last 2 minutes of its cook time.

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