Bacon and Ranch Goodness? Shut the Front Door! This Casserole is Home for Good!

May I introduce you to your new favorite weeknight meal.

There is seriously nothing better than the combo of bacon and Ranch. In fact, anything bacon is always a hit in my house and you know it will be in yours too. Throw in cheese and everyone will be ready to undo that top button on their pants to eat seconds and thirds.
This cheesy chicken bacon ranch casserole is held together with tender chicken and penne pasta. This gives it a bunch of different textures that work together perfectly when it hits your tongue.

Everyone loves pasta, so this is also perfect for a work potluck; that’s if your family will let you take it out the door. Mine sure wouldn’t – this has become everyone’s favorite dish!

Quick Tip: Choose heavy cream in the casserole for a richer flavor.

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I’ve made this casserole a couple times in the last week, because my husband requested it just a couple days afterwards. I told him he was going to get sick of it and he said, “Not a chance.”

That instantly told me this one was a keeper! The greatest thing about this is that my family is a fan of the chicken bacon ranch sub at Subway, but this is better!

It skips the bread which in my mind is better for them, and it is much more filling without losing any of that flavor to satisfy their cravings. This isn’t Subway, it’s mom’s way.

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) box Hodgkin’s Mill Penne Pasta
• 2 tablespoons Land o Lakes butter
• 2 tablespoons Gold Medal flour
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
• 1-1/2 cups Borden heavy cream or half and half
• 1 cup Campbell’s chicken broth
• ½ package Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing and seasoning mix
• ½ cup Kraft parmesan, shredded
• 2 cooked boneless, skinless Tyson chicken breasts, shredded
• 8 slices Thorn Apple Valley bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 (12 ounce) package Dole frozen peas, thawed
• ½ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
• 1 cup Kraft shredded Mozzarella

Instructions

1- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish.

2- Prepare pasta as directed in the package. Rinse and drain. Set aside.

3- In a large saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Add minced garlic and crushed red pepper. Add the flour and stir in with the butter. Then, add the heavy cream and chicken broth and continue stirring until thickened. Stir in half a package of the ranch salad dressing and seasoning mix. Remove from heat and stir in parmesan cheese.

4- Place pasta in the baking dish. Top with chicken, bacon, and peas. Pour sauce over the top. Sprinkle mozzarella evenly on top.

5- Bake for 30 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Quick Tip: You can always bake up some crusty, French bread to dip in the leftover sauce from the casserole.

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