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Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta (Dump and Bake!)

December 13, 2022 by Taylor
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Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta is an easy dinner recipe that you simply dump and bake. This chicken pasta recipe is made with Alfredo Sauce, bacon, and ranch seasoning! You don't even have to boil the noodles first. It's the perfect weeknight dinner recipe that is the ultimate comfort food!

We are big fans of pasta in our house, so I'm always trying to come up with new pasta dishes to keep things interesting. I have been loving no boil pasta (this Baked Rigatoni is a family favorite!) They're such an easy to way to make pasta without even boiling the pasta!

My kids could put ranch dressing (especially my Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing) on ANYTHING so I knew that a recipe with ranch seasoning it would be a hit. I was right!

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta is a no boil pasta recipe that is perfect for a busy weeknight and your whole family will love. It has quickly become one of my family's favorite recipes!

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Ingredients
Variations
Step by Step Instructions
Expert Tips
Recipe FAQs
Serving Suggestions
Other pasta recipes to consider...
No Boil Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

Ingredients

This is an easy chicken bacon ranch casserole that doesn't even require you to boil the pasta. The entire dish is baked in the oven and the noodles are cooked while it bakes!

Butter - unsalted or salted butter can be used to make this homemade Alfredo sauce for this recipe.
Garlic - fresh minced garlic adds a delicious garlic flavor to the Alfredo sauce.
Heavy Cream - heavy cream is traditionally used in homemade Alfredo sauces, and lends to its rich texture and flavor. You could also use half and half if that is what you have.
Parmesan Cheese - Parmesan cheese adds a creaminess and flavor to the Alfredo sauce. I prefer using shredded Parmesan cheese.
Pasta - This recipe works really well with short noodles like rigatoni, rotini pasta, or penne pasta, but longer noodles like spaghetti or fettuccine would also work. Use any type of pasta you have on hand!
Shredded Chicken - to make this recipe incredibly weeknight friendly, I've been using shredded rotisserie chicken from Target. It comes pre-shredded which makes my life SO much easier! Of course, you can cook your own chicken and shred it yourself, or buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it. This is also a great recipe to use leftover chicken.
Bacon - for this recipe, you will cook the bacon and then chop it up to go into the pasta.
Ranch Seasoning - ranch seasoning mix adds a ton of great ranch flavor to this delicious pasta dish. I buy it in packets at the grocery store or a large container from Costco, but you can make homemade ranch seasoning, too.
Chicken Broth - This is the liquid in the pasta bake that the pasta cooks in. I use chicken bouillon that I store in the refrigerator and combine it with water.
Mozzarella Cheese - mozzarella cheese is added at the end to make the pasta bake super cheesy and delicious!
Salt and Pepper

Refer to the recipe card for the complete ingredient list.

Variations

Different Pasta - you can definitely switch up the typeof pasta you use! I have made this with rigatoni, penne, and elbow macaroni and I love it with the short noodles. However, I've made my Pesto Chicken Pasta, another no boil recipe, with spaghetti and it was also delicious.
Jarred Alfredo Sauce vs Homemade Alfredo Sauce - this can be made either way! I honestly usually make it with the jarred Alfredo sauce, because I like to buy a good quality sauce and it saves me time. I have included instructions in the recipe card for both ways, but in my step by step instructions, I show it using the jarred sauce.
Spice things up - If you want a spicy chicken bacon ranch pasta, add ½-1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
Make buffalo chicken bacon ranch pasta - if you like buffalo chicken, you can add ⅓ cup of buffalo sauce to the pasta when you add all of the ingredients to the pan.
Add some vegetables - Add a cup or two of frozen mixed vegetables for a boost of nutrition!

Step by Step Instructions

In this chicken bacon ranch pasta recipe, you can use jarred Alfredo sauce, or make your own. I've done it both ways and it is delicious either way! In this step-by-step, I am showing you how to make it with jarred Alfredo sauce.

Cook the bacon and chicken. I like to cook the bacon in the oven the day in advance. Baking bacon in the oven gets super crispy bacon, which I love! You could also make this the day in advance. For the chicken, you can bake some boneless skinless chicken breasts or you can use rotisserie chicken, which is what I do.

Uncooked pasta in a glass 9x13" baking dish and bacon sprinkled on top.

Step 1. Add the pasta to a greased 9x13" baking dish.

Step 2. Add the cooked and chopped bacon on top of the pasta

Uncooked pasta in a glass baking dish topped with chopped bacon, shredded chicken, and ranch seasoning.

Step 3. Add the shredded chicken.

Step 4. Add the ranch seasoning.

Uncooked pasta in a glass baking dish topped with chopped bacon, shredded chicken, ranch seasoning and Alfredo sauce. The ingredients are stirred together in the baking dish.

Step 5. Add the Alfredo sauce.

Step 6. Add the broth and give the ingredients a good stir.

A 9x13" baking dish with aluminum foil on top. The 9x13" glass baking dish with cooked chicken bacon ranch pasta in it.

Step 7. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Step 8. Remove the pasta from the oven and give it a good stir.

Cooked chicken bacon ranch pasta in a glass baking dish with shredded Italian cheese. A close-up shot of the cooked pasta.

Step 9. Add the cheese and stir to combine. Cover and bake for 5-10 more minutes, until the pasta noodles are cooked and the cheese is melted.

Step 10. Stir it all up and serve!

Expert Tips

You can use any kind of pasta you want in this pasta bake. I love using rigatoni or penne, but even something like spaghetti or fettuccine would work, too.

I've been obsessed with the Good & Gather shredded rotisserie chicken and it makes this easy recipe even easier. You can also buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it yourself or cook a couple of chicken breasts and shred them.

Before you bake it, try to press the noodles into the liquid so they cook easier. After the 40 minutes, you'll want to stir it well and then bake 5-10 more minutes to make sure the noodles are cooked completely.

Store leftover (if you're lucky enough to have any!) in an airtight container up to 3-4 days or freeze for up to 2-3 months.

Recipe FAQs

Can I freeze Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta?

This easy pasta dish will freeze quite well. Simply place it in an airtight container, label it, and freeze for up to 2-3 months. To reheat, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and then defrost in the microwave. Add a splash or two of cream or milk if the pasta does not seem quite as creamy

Can I add vegetables to this?

Yes! Add 1-2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables or a few cups of chopped baby spinach for a boost of nutrition in this chicken ranch pasta dish.

Can I use half and half instead of heavy cream in the homemade Alfredo?

That will work. It might not be quite as decadent and creamy, but it will still be very delicious!

Can I use bacon bits?

I have never used pre-cooked bacon bits, but I think that would work just fine!

Serving Suggestions

Garlic bread is always a favorite of ours to go with pasta. A nice chopped kale grapefruit salad or some Parmesan Brussels sprouts would be great, too.

Other pasta recipes to consider...

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #greensnchocolate.