Chicken-Bacon-Ranch Baked Penne

Prep 20 min
Total 45 min
Ingredients 7
Servings 6

Pasta is infinitely better packed with cheese and baked into a creamy casserole—this chicken, bacon, ranch combo proves it. File this under the definition of comfort food! MORE+ LESS-

By Holly Lofthouse

Updated June 13, 2019

Ingredients

lb penne pasta, cooked and drained

cups shredded cooked chicken

jar (15 oz) Alfredo pasta sauce

1/2

cup ranch dressing

slices chopped cooked bacon

cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)

Chopped parsley, if desired

Steps

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1

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease or spray 13x9-inch pan.
2

In large bowl, place 1 lb cooked and drained penne pasta, 2 cups shredded cooked chicken, 1 jar (15 oz) Alfredo pasta sauce and 1/2 cup ranch dressing. Stir to combine. Pour mixture in pan; spread evenly.
3

Sprinkle 6 slices chopped cooked bacon evenly over top, then sprinkle with 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz).
4

Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Expert Tips

That optional sprinkle of chopped parsley adds not only bright color but also a fresh taste—don’t skimp on the amount you use.
No leftover chicken? Buy a rotisserie chicken—a 2 lb. bird will give you about 3 cups of meat.
Use Cheddar cheese instead of mozzarella for a more cheesy flavor.
Other short pastas, like fusilli or rotini, work equally well, making the casserole easy to scoop up to serve.

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving

Calories: 880
Calories from Fat: 420

% Daily Value

Total Fat: 46g; 71%
Saturated Fat 22g 108% Trans Fat 1 1/2g
Cholesterol: 150mg; 49%
Sodium: 1200mg; 50%
Potassium: 350mg; 10%
Total Carbohydrate: 74g; 25%
Dietary Fiber 4g 15% Sugars 4g
Protein: 41g

% Daily Value*:

Vitamin A: 25%; 25%
Vitamin C: 0%; 0%
Calcium: 40%; 40%
Iron: 20%; 20%

Exchanges:

4 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 2 1/2 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 7 Fat;

Carbohydrate Choice

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

More About This Recipe

Pasta is our go-to dinner and there are few flavor combos we appreciate more than chicken, bacon and ranch, so it was only a matter of time before we introduced them to one another. This chicken-bacon-ranch pasta dish is an easy dinner that has the potential to be even easier when you use precooked bacon and rotisserie chicken. Have a few boxes of penne pasta on hand? You can make a casserole, dinner in the skillet or a one-pot meal with these penne recipes.