Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole (Printable Version)

Tender chicken, bacon, ranch, and spiraled pasta create a creamy, crowd-pleasing comfort dish for every weeknight.

# Everything You’ll Need:

→ Main Components

01 - 350 g spiral pasta
02 - 480 ml 2% milk
03 - 120 ml ranch salad dressing
04 - 15 g ranch salad dressing mix
05 - 225 g cream cheese, softened and cubed
06 - 340 g cooked chicken breast, cubed
07 - 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
08 - 200 g Colby cheese, shredded and divided

→ Finishing Touch

09 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced

# Steps to Cook:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spiral pasta until al dente following package instructions. Drain well, reserving 2 tablespoons of the pasta water. Transfer pasta to a large mixing bowl.
02 - In the same pot over medium heat, whisk together the milk, ranch salad dressing, and ranch salad dressing mix until fully combined and smooth.
03 - Add the cubed cream cheese to the milk mixture. Stir continuously over medium heat until the cream cheese fully melts and the sauce is velvety.
04 - Pour the hot sauce over the cooked pasta in the large bowl. Gently stir to coat all noodles evenly, adding reserved pasta water if needed for smoothness.
05 - Fold in cubed chicken, crumbled bacon, and half (100 g) of the shredded Colby cheese until everything is thoroughly combined.
06 - Transfer the mixture into a greased 33x23 cm baking dish. Evenly sprinkle the remaining Colby cheese over the top. Bake uncovered in a preheated 200°C oven for 15–20 minutes or until hot and bubbling with melted cheese.
07 - Remove from the oven and let stand 5 minutes. Garnish with sliced green onions before serving for added flavor and color.

# Extra Suggestions:

01 - Reserve a small amount of pasta cooking water to adjust the sauce’s consistency if it becomes too thick.
02 - Shredding cheese from a block will yield better melting and texture compared to pre-shredded varieties.
03 - For added nutrition and variety, incorporate steamed broccoli or peas before baking.
04 - Ensure cream cheese is softened before adding to sauce for smooth incorporation.
05 - Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 4 days in an airtight container or frozen for up to 3 months.

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