Chicken Ranch Pasta Bake (Printer-Friendly)

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

# 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

# Method:

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, approximately 8-10 minutes. 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 fully combined.
04 - Add the cooked pasta and diced chicken to the sauce. Stir thoroughly to ensure even coating of all ingredients.
05 - Fold 1.5 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese into the pasta mixture, combining gently to avoid breaking the pasta.
06 - Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Spread evenly and top with remaining 0.5 cup mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese.
07 - Bake in preheated 400°F oven for 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted and top achieves golden brown coloration.
08 - Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh chives or green onions before serving if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, most of it hands off while the oven does the work
  • The creamy ranch sauce clings to every piece of pasta and makes leftovers taste even better the next day
  • You can use rotisserie chicken and skip half the prep without anyone knowing
  • The golden cheese top gets those crispy edges that everyone fights over
02 -
  • Do not skip the al dente step with the pasta, overcooked noodles will turn to mush in the oven and ruin the texture
  • Let the bake rest for a few minutes after it comes out, it helps the sauce thicken and makes serving so much cleaner
  • If your sauce looks too thick before baking, add a splash more milk, it should be pourable but not watery
03 -
  • Use a whisk to mix the sauce so it stays silky and lump free, a spoon won't get you there
  • Reserve a little pasta water before draining, you can stir it in if the sauce needs loosening
  • Let the bake sit uncovered for a minute after removing the foil so the top crisps up
  • Grate your own mozzarella instead of buying pre shredded, it melts so much better and doesn't have that weird coating
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