Chicken Ranch Pasta Bake (Printable)

Tender chicken, penne pasta, and creamy ranch sauce topped with bubbly mozzarella cheese, baked until golden.

# 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

# Directions:

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, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, dried parsley, and dried dill until smooth and well combined.
04 - Add the cooked pasta and diced chicken to the sauce mixture. Stir thoroughly to coat all components evenly.
05 - Fold in 1.5 cups of the shredded mozzarella cheese into the pasta mixture.
06 - Pour the entire mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Top with remaining 0.5 cup mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese.
07 - Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until cheese is melted and the top is golden brown.
08 - Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh chives or green onions before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like comfort food without the fuss, using ingredients you probably already have.
  • The creamy ranch sauce clings to every piece of pasta and makes even picky eaters ask for seconds.
  • It reheats beautifully, so leftovers taste just as good the next day.
02 -
  • Don't overcook the pasta at the start or it will turn to mush in the oven, trust me on this one.
  • Letting it rest after baking isn't just for show, it helps the sauce thicken and makes serving so much easier.
03 -
  • Use rotisserie chicken to save time, and don't be shy about using both white and dark meat for extra flavor.
  • If the top isn't as golden as you'd like, run it under the broiler for a minute or two, but watch it closely so it doesn't burn.
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