This creamy cheesy Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta is topped with crispy bacon and is ready to serve in just 30 minutes. Made with just a handful of simple ingredients, this pasta comes together easily and is a perfect comfort food recipe.
What’s in Crack Chicken Pasta?
This recipe is so creamy and cheesy! It uses mozzarella cheese, cream cheese, ranch, and Alfredo sauce for the perfect flavor combination. Grab a fork and dive in!
- Cooked Pasta: I used penne, but you can use any medium-sized pasta noodle.
- Shredded Cooked Chicken: This is the perfect way to use up those leftovers!
- Alfredo Sauce: Use a jar of your favorite brand to save time, or make your own!
- Cream Cheese: Adds richness, creaminess, and a tangy flavor.
- Ranch Dressing: Makes this pasta tangy and herbaceous.
- Cooked Bacon: Adds a salty, umami flavor to the dish.
- Mozzarella Cheese: Makes this dish gooey and cheesy!
Pro Tip: You can use a rotisserie chicken to save time on cooking and shredding chicken before beginning the recipe.
Variations on a Bacon Chicken Ranch Pasta
This recipe is so easy to modify to your liking! Simply swap out the ranch dressing for a creamy Italian dressing for a different flavor. You could also swap out the bacon for pancetta or prosciutto or swap the mozzarella for cheddar.
This dish is made from cooked chicken, bacon, and pasta; Alfredo sauce; cream cheese; ranch dressing; and gooey mozzarella cheese.
The chicken added to the pasta needs to be pre-cooked. You can use chicken breasts or thighs, and you can cook the chicken in the oven or Instant Pot and shred it with forks. You can also buy pre-cooked packaged chicken or use rotisserie chicken.
This pasta bake only takes 20 minutes to cook in the oven and that’s because the pasta is pre-cooked. Cook dried pasta according to the instructions on the package and drain. You can use fresh pasta without cooking it first.
This recipe has 29 grams of carbohydrates per serving.
Yes! You can reheat the entire dish in the oven or individual portions in the microwave!
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover chicken bacon ranch pasta tightly covered with aluminum foil in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 20-30 minutes or in the microwave in 30-second increments until warmed through.
How to Freeze
Freeze this chicken bacon ranch pasta bake tightly wrapped in 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of aluminum foil for up to 3 months. Remove the plastic wrap and reheat in a 350°F oven directly from frozen for about 1 hour.
Serving Suggestions
This chicken ranch pasta bake is a meal all on its own. But it’s great accompanied by a light and fresh Caesar salad and some garlic bread or breadsticks.
Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound cooked penne pasta
- 2½ cups shredded cooked chicken
- 15 ounces Alfredo sauce (1 jar)
- 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature and cubed (½ brick)
- ½ cup ranch dressing store-bought or homemade
- 6 slices cooked bacon chopped
- 2 cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
- Fresh parsley optional, for garnish
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with oil or nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the pasta, chicken, Alfredo sauce, cream cheese, and ranch dressing. Stir to combine.1 pound cooked penne pasta, 2½ cups shredded cooked chicken, 15 ounces Alfredo sauce, 4 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup ranch dressing
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan and spread it into an even layer.
- Sprinkle the chopped bacon on top of the mixture.6 slices cooked bacon
- Next, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.2 cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly. Remove the pan from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. Optionally, garnish with freshly chopped parsley.Fresh parsley
Notes
- You can use any medium sized pasta noodle.
- You can use a rotisserie chicken to save time on cooking and shredding chicken before beginning the recipe.
- Be sure to stir your chicken mixture well to let the cream cheese fully melt before pouring it into your baking pan. This will help make sure all the ingredients are mixed and evenly distributed.
- Leftovers can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven.
Ryan says
Didn’t rate as I have a question before making this lovely looking chicken pasta bake. In your notes, you say to stir the chicken well to make sure the cream cheese melts. I’m guessing you use hot pasta and chicken so the cheese melts? If I wanted to prep this ahead of time can I warm the cheese in a pan or microwave when ready to put in the baking dish? Thank you.
Becky Hardin says
Yes, you can absolutely try it that way!
Angelina says
Waaay too unhealthy & fattening! This recipe could be lightened-up to a large degree.
Jeannine Richard says
too fattening?????? simply don’t do it and let
the others enjoy every bite.
Helen Betts says
I received the email about this yesterday and want to make it tonight, but I can’t figure out how to melt the cream cheese, which usually takes a while in the best of circumstances, perhaps due to its density. You combine it in a bowl (cold) with the chicken (shredded so not hot), Alfredo sauce (cold), pasta (drained, so at best warm) and ranch dressing (definitely cold), so how does the cream cheese melt??
Becky Hardin says
Try cutting it into smaller pieces, that may help it melt easier!
Helen Betts says
Thanks, Becky, yes I did do that, but I think my method of melting the cheese in the Alfredo sauce is more efficient and more certain of melting it thoroughly. Perhaps when you made this all your ingredients were steaming hot, but mine were not and could never have been!
Jeni B says
A suggestion for next time you make this or when you make it, I’m not sure if you’ve done it or not, take your cream cheese out and let it sit a room temperature for about 20-30 minutes (basically while your water and noodles boil) and it should make it easier to cream with the other ingredients.
Helen Betts says
Well, I ended up simmering the Alfredo sauce and melting the cream cheese — cubed — in it, which took around three minutes to do thoroughly due to the denseness of the cheese. We liked the result — it was delicious and not too rich — but I honestly think you need to revisit the recipe because as I said in my previous comment, a four ounce chunk of cream cheese would never have melted in a big bowl of cool (or even lukewarm) ingredients!
JIll Naylor says
Hi, what could I use in place of Alfredo Sauce as where I live I cannot obtain it. Was wondering if a White Wine Cream Sauce (Packet) would work?
Thanking you inn advance of your reply.
Becky Hardin says
That sounds like it would be delicious!
Jen says
2 cups heavy cream (or milk, but if you use milk add a tablespoon of cream cheese to help thicken it), 1 cup butter, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Quick and easy homemade Alfredo.
With that said, you got me wondering about making this with a white wine cream sauce now!
Jean Dunsmoor says
I have added a few other items to this recipe. I saute’ garlic, onions and mushrooms, and have even added artichoke hearts.
not much for the bacon in it, so omit that. I also use Farfalle
pasta, instead of Penne, or Zita.
Jean Dunsmoor says
I just use the alfredo sauce and ranch dressing, bottled kind. I omit the cream cheese. turns out great.
Becky Hardin says
Sounds amazing, Jean!
Lisa says
Very tasty and makes enough for a crowd. I will definitely make this again!
Becky Hardin says
Thanks for stopping by, Lisa!
J Myers says
The ranch, Alfredo, cream cheese combo was just too much for me.
If I were to make something similar again I’d definitely alter the ingredient list. I believe the concept is good but there could be a better ingredient combination.
That being said, my 7yo daughter loved it.
Also those asking how to melt the cream cheese. Room temperature will work, cut the cream cheese into chunks and using a spatula press the cream cheese against the side of the bowl in a sweeping motion and it will blend in beautifully.
Becky Hardin says
Definitely modify to your liking!
Justice Hines says
I just used cream of chicken soup instead of Alfredo
Don Boyles says
Darlin’, you outdid yourself on this’un! It is wonderful, Don
Becky Hardin says
Thanks so much for stopping by, Don!