Chicken Ranch Pasta Bake (Printable)

Tender chicken and penne in creamy ranch sauce with bubbly mozzarella, baked until golden. Easy comfort food in 45 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta & Chicken

01 - 10 oz penne pasta
02 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded

→ Sauce

03 - 1 cup ranch dressing
04 - 1 cup sour cream
05 - 1/2 cup whole milk
06 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
08 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
09 - 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
10 - 1/2 teaspoon dried dill

→ Cheese

11 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
12 - 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

→ Garnish

13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or green onions

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - Cook penne pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together ranch dressing, sour cream, whole milk, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, dried parsley, and dried dill until smooth and well combined.
04 - Add cooked pasta and chicken to the sauce mixture. Stir thoroughly to coat all pasta evenly.
05 - Fold 1.5 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese into the pasta mixture until fully incorporated.
06 - Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared 9x13 inch baking dish, spreading evenly.
07 - Sprinkle the remaining 0.5 cup mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese evenly over the top of the casserole.
08 - Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cheese is melted and the top is golden brown.
09 - Remove from oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh chives or green onions if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It uses ingredients you probably already have in your fridge and pantry, no special shopping trip required.
  • The creamy ranch sauce clings to every piece of pasta and makes even picky eaters ask for seconds.
  • It bakes in under half an hour, giving you time to tidy up or just sit down before dinner.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even better the next day.
02 -
  • Don't skip salting your pasta water generously, because this is your only chance to season the noodles themselves and it makes a noticeable difference in the final dish.
  • If your sauce looks too thick before baking, add a splash more milk because it will tighten up in the oven and you don't want it dry.
  • Let the bake rest after removing it from the oven or the sauce will be too runny and slide off your spoon.
03 -
  • Use a rotisserie chicken and you'll have this assembled in under ten minutes, making it one of the fastest comfort meals you can pull off on a weeknight.
  • If you like a crispy top, sprinkle a handful of panko breadcrumbs mixed with melted butter over the cheese before baking for added texture.
  • Taste your sauce before mixing it with the pasta and adjust the seasonings then, because it's much easier to fix at that stage than after everything is baked.
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