30-Minute Cheesy Bacon Ranch Chicken Pasta Bake
Creamy ranch-seasoned pasta casserole layered with shredded chicken, crispy bacon, and peas, bound in a butter-flour roux sauce with heavy cream and chicken broth, topped with parmesan and mozzarella, then baked until bubbly and golden.
Ingredients
- 12 ounce penne pasta, dried
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon flour, all-purpose
- 2 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, crushed(optional)
- 1 ½ cup heavy cream, or half and half
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ package ranch salad dressing and seasoning mix
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- 2 whole boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked, shredded
- 8 slice bacon, cooked, crumbled
- 12 ounce frozen peas, thawed
- ½ teaspoon black pepper(optional)
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- 2
Cook pasta according to package directions, rinse, drain, and set aside.
- 3
Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat.
- 4
Add minced garlic and crushed red pepper if using.
- 5
Stir in flour to combine with butter.
- 6
Add heavy cream and chicken broth, stirring until thickened.
- 7
Remove from heat and stir in ranch dressing mix and parmesan cheese.
- 8
Place cooked pasta in the prepared baking dish.
- 9
Top with shredded chicken, crumbled bacon, and thawed peas.
- 10
Pour sauce over the top and sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly.
- 11
Bake for 30 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.
Tips
Keep heat low when making the roux to prevent lumps.
Thaw peas completely before adding to prevent excess moisture.
Do not overbake; cheese will continue melting after removal from oven.
Good to Know
Covered in refrigerator up to 3 days. Freeze up to 1 month.
Assemble casserole without baking; cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Bake from cold, adding 5-10 minutes to baking time.
Serve directly from baking dish or divide into bowls. Pairs with garlic bread and a green salad.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip rinsing pasta to avoid excess starch clumping the dish
Do not use high heat when making roux to avoid flour burning
Do not overbake to prevent mozzarella from browning excessively