This recipe was actually inspired by my Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad, which has over 3.4 million views! Because you guys loved that one so much, I decided to remake those same incredible flavors into a warm, cozy, and delicious Chicken Bacon Ranch Baked Pasta.
If you missed my Live Cooking Event where we all hung out, made this dish together, and did a giveaway for that beautiful 11-piece ceramic cookware set from Sam’s Club, don’t even worry! I’ve got the full step-by-step recipe right here so you can recreate this Chicken Bacon Ranch Baked Pasta at home again and again.
Why You Will Love This Chicken Bacon Ranch Baked Pasta
You are going to love this Chicken Bacon Ranch Baked Pasta because it is super creamy, cheesy, and easy to make. It’s the perfect dinner for busy weeknights and is stress-free! By using a pre-cooked Sam’s Club rotisserie chicken, you save so much time. Plus, it’s packed with crispy bacon and a homemade ranch cheese sauce that your family will completely obsess over (mine sure did!).
Ingredients for Chicken Bacon Ranch Baked Pasta
- Rigatoni Noodles: The perfect shape for catching and holding onto that thick cheese sauce.
- Rotisserie Chicken: Shredded or chopped. Grab one from Sam’s Club to keep this meal quick and easy.
- Bacon: Cooked until perfectly crispy and chopped. Save a little extra for the top!
- Yellow Onion: Finely diced to add a sweet, savory depth to the sauce base.
- Unsalted Butter & All-Purpose Flour: The starting blocks for our roux to thicken the sauce.
- Whole Milk: Creates a rich, velvety base for the homemade cream sauce.
- Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning Mix: One full packet brings all that classic, herby ranch flavor.
- Garlic Powder & Coarse Black Pepper: Just a touch extra to elevate the seasonings.
- Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese: Adds a sharp, salty bite to the sauce.
- Freshly Grated Mozzarella: Use low-moisture, whole-milk mozzarella so it melts into cheesy perfection.
- Fresh Parsley: Optional, but adds a beautiful pop of color right at the end.
How to Make Chicken Bacon Ranch Baked Pasta
First things first, get your oven preheating to 450°F. Boil your rigatoni noodles in salted water according to the package instructions until they are al dente (they will cook more in the oven, so don’t overcook them!). Drain and set aside.
In a large skillet or pan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Toss in your diced onions and cook them down until they are soft and translucent. Once they’re ready, scoop them out of the pan and set them aside.
Now, let’s build that incredible cheese sauce. In the same pan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Slowly sprinkle in the flour, whisking constantly as you add it. Keep whisking for a minute or two until it forms a smooth, slightly browned paste. Next, slowly pour in your whole milk, whisking continuously to make sure no flour clumps form.
Once your milk mixture is smooth and heating up, stir in the 1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan and 2 cups of the mozzarella. Keep stirring until the cheeses melt completely into a smooth, cheesy sauce. Finally, stir in your garlic powder, black pepper, and the entire packet of Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning. Mix until it’s perfectly combined and smells amazing.
Grab a large bowl or use the pot you boiled the pasta in. Combine the cooked rigatoni, your homemade ranch cheese sauce, the chopped rotisserie chicken, the crispy bacon, and those sautéed onions. Toss it all together until every single noodle is completely coated.
Now for the fun part: layering! Grab a large baking dish. Place one-third of your pasta mixture evenly along the bottom. Top it off with a handful of mozzarella and some crispy bacon pieces. Add your second layer of pasta, repeat the cheese and bacon, and then add your final layer of pasta on top, finishing with the rest of the mozzarella and bacon. You’ll have 3 beautiful layers total.
Pop the dish into your preheated oven and bake until the cheese on top is completely melted, golden, and bubbly. Take it out, top with a little fresh parsley if you like, and serve it up hot with a side salad!
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Tips for the Best Chicken Bacon Ranch Baked Pasta
- Grate Your Own Cheese! I love to buy blocks of whole-milk mozzarella and Parmesan from Sam’s Club and grate them myself! Pre-shredded cheese from the store are typically coated in a powder that keeps it from melting smoothly, but grating it fresh gives you that perfect, stringy cheese pull.
- Don’t Overcook the Pasta! Cook your rigatoni just until it has a slight bite left to it. Because it bakes in the oven for a bit, overcooked noodles will turn mushy.
Variations & Substitutions
- If you don’t have rigatoni, penne, spaghetti, or rotini will work.
- Want to sneak some greens in? Toss some fresh baby spinach or steamed broccoli florets into the pasta mixture before layering it in the dish.
How to Store
If you have leftovers, place them in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. When you’re ready to reheat, you can microwave individual portions, or place the baking dish back in the oven covered with foil at 350°F until warmed through. If the sauce seems a little thick after sitting, a tiny splash of milk before reheating will loosen it right back up.
Other Recipes You Will Love
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
- Thai-Inspired Shrimp Glass Noodle Salad
- Easy Mongolian Beef Noodles Recipe
Chicken Bacon Ranch Baked Pasta
Description
Make Chicken Bacon Ranch Baked Pasta at home: quick, comforting, and kid-friendly with crispy bacon, rotisserie chicken, and a ranch-cheese sauce.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 450°F. Cook rigatoni noodles to package instructions until al dente, then drain and set aside.
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Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a pan over medium heat. Sauté the diced onions until soft and translucent, then remove and set aside.
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In the same pan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in the flour slowly to create a smooth, slightly golden roux.
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Gradually pour in the whole milk, whisking constantly to prevent clumps.
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Add the Parmesan cheese and 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese, stirring until melted and completely smooth.
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Stir in the garlic powder, black pepper, and the packet of ranch seasoning mix until fully combined.
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In a large bowl, mix together the cooked rigatoni, the homemade cheese sauce, the rotisserie chicken, the chopped bacon, and the sautéed onions.
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In a large baking dish, spread one-third of the pasta mixture. Top with a layer of mozzarella and bacon scraps. Repeat for two more layers (3 total).
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Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is beautifully melted and bubbling. Top with fresh parsley and serve hot!
Nutrition Facts
Servings 8
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 680kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 34g53%
- Saturated Fat 18g90%
- Cholesterol 115mg39%
- Sodium 1140mg48%
- Total Carbohydrate 59g20%
- Dietary Fiber 2g8%
- Sugars 6g
- Protein 36g72%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
