Chicken Ranch Pasta Bake (Printable)

A creamy comfort dish combining tender chicken, penne pasta, and ranch sauce topped with bubbly mozzarella cheese.

# What you 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, optional for topping

→ Garnish

13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or green onions, optional

# How to make it:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
02 - Cook penne pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain thoroughly 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 until all components are evenly coated.
05 - Fold 1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese into the pasta mixture, stirring gently to incorporate.
06 - Pour the entire mixture into the prepared 9x13 inch baking dish. Spread evenly to distribute ingredients uniformly.
07 - Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese evenly over the top of the casserole.
08 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted and the top achieves a golden brown color.
09 - Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh chives or green onions if desired, then serve.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything goes into one dish, so cleanup is fast and youre not stuck at the sink while everyone else relaxes.
  • The ranch sauce gets creamy and tangy in the oven, clinging to every piece of pasta like a warm hug.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day when the flavors have had time to settle in together.
  • You can throw it together with rotisserie chicken and pantry staples when youre too tired to think.
02 -
  • Dont overcook the pasta during boiling or it will turn to mush in the oven, and nobody wants a soggy casserole.
  • If your sauce looks too thick before baking, add a splash more milk because it will tighten up as it bakes.
  • Let the dish rest after baking or the first scoop will be a saucy mess instead of a clean, cheesy square.
03 -
  • Use freshly shredded mozzarella instead of pre-shredded because it melts smoother and doesnt have that weird coating that keeps it from getting gooey.
  • If you want a crispy top, switch the oven to broil for the last 2 minutes, but watch it closely so it doesnt burn.
  • Double the recipe and freeze half unbaked for a future night when you just cant deal with cooking from scratch.
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