I love Alfredo sauce, but to be honest, the store-bought kind can be a little bland tasting. But this doesn’t mean you can’t use it. You just have to make it better.
In this chicken bacon ranch casserole recipe, I use store-bought Alfredo sauce and add powdered ranch dressing, dried parsley, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to make it tastier. You won’t believe it’s the same sauce.
All you have to do is add cooked shredded chicken, parmesan cheese, and cooked penne pasta, and you have yourself a winning chicken bacon ranch pasta.
If you love recipes with Alfredo sauce, check these out:
Storing Leftovers
Place any leftovers in an airtight container and the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, spray the leftovers with a bit of water and microwave for 2-3 minutes or until hot.
If you wish to reheat it in the oven, spray the leftovers with a bit of water as well, cover with foil, and bake in a 350 F for 15 minutes or until hot.
Cooking Tips
- When cooking the pasta, remember to add a fair amount of salt to the water. Otherwise, the pasta will have little flavor.
- Do not use pre-shredded cheese. It has added ingredients that keep it from sticking and don’t melt properly. If you want perfectly melted cheese, you have to shred it yourself.
- Be careful when adding salt to the cooked pasta. The ranch dressing mix is already salty. Before adding the salt, try the food to see if it needs it.
Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
Ingredients
- 16 oz cooked penne pasta al dente
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked and shredded
- 1- 15 oz jar Alfredo sauce
- 6 slices of bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1 packet powdered ranch dressing mix
- 2 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- Chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Cook and shred the chicken. Cook the pasta according to package instructions, drain and place it in a large bowl. Add the shredded chicken, Alfredo sauce, milk, ranch dressing mix, parsley, garlic powder, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Mix everything until well combined.
- Place the pasta mixture in a greased 9 x 13-inch casserole dish
- Top with the shredded mozzarella cheese and crumbled bacon. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Serve with fresh chopped parsley on top.
