Chicken Ranch Pasta Bake (Printable)

A comforting casserole with tender chicken, penne pasta, creamy ranch sauce, and melted mozzarella cheese baked until golden.

# 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

→ 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, following package directions. Drain and set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together ranch dressing, sour cream, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, parsley, and dill until smooth and well combined.
04 - Add cooked pasta and chicken to the sauce mixture. Stir thoroughly to ensure even coating.
05 - Fold 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese into the pasta mixture until evenly distributed.
06 - Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Spread evenly and top with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
07 - Bake for 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted and the top achieves a golden brown color.
08 - Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh chives or green onions before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It uses ingredients you probably already have, which means no emergency grocery runs.
  • The ranch sauce gets creamy and tangy in a way that makes plain pasta feel like a mistake you used to make.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully, and sometimes they taste even better the next day.
  • You can throw it together in under an hour, and most of that time is just waiting for the oven to work its magic.
02 -
  • Don't overcook the pasta before baking, or it'll turn to mush in the oven and lose all its texture.
  • Use a mix of cheeses if you want more flavor, cheddar with mozzarella makes it richer and a little sharper.
  • Let the dish rest after baking, it needs those few minutes to set or it'll be soupy when you scoop it.
03 -
  • Use rotisserie chicken to save time, and don't be shy about using the dark meat for extra flavor.
  • If your ranch dressing is thick, add a little extra milk to the sauce so it stays creamy after baking.
  • Broil the top for the last two minutes if you want the cheese extra golden and crispy.
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