When my daughter was little, she was like most kids – a very picky eater. And like most families, we were incredibly busy. I needed a go-to list of quick, easy, and budget-friendly meals, but they had to be kid-approved too.
This loaded chicken casserole became one of our favorites because it takes just 10 minutes to prep, You can even get a lot of it ready ahead of time.
It was such a hit that my daughter Sam asked for it again and again. Now, it’s still a regular at our table, and even my grandkids who are also picky eaters just like their mom love it just as much.
This Neapolitan Layered Pasta Bake is another quick and easy recipe that we love around here!
Loaded Chicken Casserole: Quick and Easy Family-Favorite Dinner
Servings: 6
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 oz packet ranch seasoning mix (You can find a DIY Ranch seasoning recipe here)
- 2 pounds boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch chunks (if you want to save time, buy a rotisserie chicken or use leftover chicken from another recipe)
- 8 oz penne pasta (I prefer penne for this but farfalle or fusilli are both great options too)
- 9 slices bacon (for convenience, you can use the precooked bacon if you want)
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (marble or triple cheddar is good here too)
- 1-2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (you can use dried parsley or just omit this if you prefer)
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 inch casserole dish.
- Cut the chicken into 1 inch chunks.
- Mix the cream cheese, sour cream and ranch seasoning in a large bowl.
- Add the chicken, toss into the creamy mixtures, then, pour into the prepared casserole dish, and spread into an even layer.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- While the casserole is cooking, add the bacon to a medium pan and fry over medium heat until crispy. Remove from the pan, and chop into small pieces.
- Add the pasta to a large pot filled halfway with water, and boil over high heat until pasta is al dente. Drain the water
- Add cooked pasta, chopped bacon and half the cheese and toss to combine.
- Top with remaining cheese then bake for 5 minutes to melt the cheese.
- Chop the parsley, and top with fresh chopped parsley to serve.
More quick and easy dinners:
- My mom’s chicken and rice casserole is a classic. We have been enjoying this dish for decades!
- We love pierogies but they can be a lot of work to make. This lasagna-style pierogi casserole makes it so easy to get the same flavors with very little effort.
FAQs
Can I prep this chicken bacon ranch casserole ahead of time?
You can cook the chicken, pasta, and bacon ahead of time. If you want to make this an even easier meal, you can use a rotisserie chicken from the store or leftover chicken from another meal. I like to buy shredded cheese or to shred the cheese ahead of time too so that when dinnertime rolls around, all I have to do is assemble and pop the chicken casserole into the oven.
Can I freeze loaded chicken casserole?
It’s best not to because the sour cream and cream cheese don’t hold up well in the freezer. This is so quick and easy to make though that I don’t find that I need to make extra for the freezer.
Is this loaded chicken and pasta casserole gluten free?
You can use gluten free pasta for this recipe, but I haven’t personally tested it that way. For the other ingredients, you should check the labels. There are gluten free varieties available for all of these ingredients but some brands may use additives containing gluten so it’s best to double check.
Can you add vegetables to this creamy chicken pasta bake?
Yes! Broccoli works especially well in this recipe because the flavors complement each other so well. We’ve also had it with peas or green beans in it and that was quite good too. I bet carrots or asparagus would be delicious in this recipe too.
How long will leftovers keep in the fridge?
We don’t generally have leftovers – that’s how much everyone loves this recipe. We have, however, made two dishes of this chicken pasta casserole at one time before so that we have leftovers for our lunches. If you store it in an airtight container, it will last for 3-4 days in the fridge.
This casserole has been part of our family for decades, and I hope it becomes one of your weeknight favorites too. Want more easy family meals? Join my email list for weekly inspiration.
Love this recipe? Make sure to save it for later by pinning one of the images below! That way you’ll have this comforting, cheesy chicken casserole ready to go when you need an easy and delicious dinner idea.
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