Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Bake

August 8, 2012 Categories Chicken, One-Dish Dinners, Pasta 9 Comments Tags bacon, casserole, ranch

Look at that ooey gooey cheesy goodness! It probably goes without saying that if you’re looking for something healthy, you should go right on looking. This is a dinner of epic proportions. Starring…Two kinds of cheese! Bacon! Ranch! Chicken! And nary a vegetable in sight!

I knew my husband would absolutely love this, but I also knew it would be a diet disaster for me to eat this (and all the leftovers it makes). So I did something kindof sneaky – I made a big batch of this right as I was leaving town for the week for him to heat up and enjoy. I had a little taste before I bailed, and it’s an excellent thing I did bail, because I could have kept eating that ooey gooey pasta until my stomach exploded. Now there’s a nice visual for you.

CHICKEN BACON RANCH PASTA BAKE (adapted from Mommy I’m Hungry)

2 12-ounce cans evaporated milk
1 1-ounce package Hidden Valley Ranch dry mix
3 cups cubed, cooked chicken
6 slices bacon, chopped
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 pound penne pasta, cooked to al dente
1 1/2 to 2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1 1/2 to 2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated

1. Combine evaporated milk, Ranch dressing and pepper in heavy saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring frequently until dry ingredients are dissolved. Simmer, uncovered, 20-25 minutes, stirring frequently. Sauce will thicken slightly.
2. While sauce simmers, fry bacon in small frying pan until crispy, 6-8 minutes. Remove from pan and drain on plate lined with paper towels.
3. Combine cooked pasta, chicken, bacon, and most of the cheese (reserving some to top the casserole). Add ranch sauce and mix well. Spread pasta in 9×13 glass baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Top with remaining cheese.
4. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until hot and bubbly, removing foil for last 5 minutes of baking. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

I think the proper word to describe this pasta is: “omggggggggggg.”