This Casserole is Epically Delicious & Super Easy!
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Boy oh boy…do I have a recipe for you! Bacon & ranch would make it worth making but adding in chicken & bacon…well you’ve got one heck of a chicken bacon ranch casserole on your hands :) If you can find 10 minutes in the morning before you go to work OR 10 minutes the previous night, you are golden.
The only prep work before tossing everything in the crockpot is precooking the pasta a bit. You CAN skip this part but I personally don’t like the taste. I’m in search of a type/brand of pasta that can handle this cooking method. IF I find it, you guys will be the first to know.
Also, I used precooked chicken overnight. Again, super easy and less than 5 minutes to toss together. That recipe can be found here.
I’ll not hold off any longer…this recipe is amazing. It got rave reviews all the way around too. Let us know if you like it.
You can check out the video right below, the step by step recipe, and the pinnable and printable versions are right at the bottom.
Cheesy Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
Gather your ingredients:
- 3 cups pasta (I used Italian Trottole…it has a really cool shape)
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken (precooked overnight)
- 1 package bacon or bacon bits
- 1 stick butter (not margarine)
- 3 1/2 cups shredded cheeses, divided 3 & 1/2
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 block cream cheese
- 2 cups milk
- 1 envelope of ranch dressing mix
- Salt and pepper
Toss everything in the slow cooker:
- You can or you don’t have to precook the pasta. Only partially if you do it…I prefer this taste to tossing it in straight out of the package. Some brands seem to do better than others and some shapes as well. This is the version I used. I’ve not tried using it in any slow cooker recipes without boiling it a bit first. I do know it’s possible, I just haven’t yet. It’s also a very cool shape and has a great texture. I boiled it about 6 minutes…
- The chicken was cooked overnight…if you missed the link up top, that recipe is here.
- You can also use bacon OR bacon bits…it completely depends on your preferences AND the amount of time you have to deal with it. I was running short on time so I used these bacon bits that are nitrates.
Stir it up, cover and cook on low for up to 6 hours…
Creamy, gooey deliciousness the whole family will LOVE!
Here’s the printable version of this recipe. Again…let us know how you like it! Have fun ROCKIN’ THAT CROCK :)
- 3 cups pasta
- 1 1/2 pounds precooked chicken
- 1 package bacon of your choice precooked
- 1 stick butter not margarine
- 3 1/2 cups shredded <g class="gr_ gr_114 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_run_anim Grammar multiReplace" id="114" data-gr-id="114">cheeses</g> divided 3 & 1/2 (or any kind you want)
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 block cream cheese
- 2 cups milk
- 1 envelope of ranch dressing mix
- Salt and pepper to taste
-
Butter or spray the slow cooker insert.
-
Toss everything in the crockpot except the reserved 1/2 cup of shredded cheeses.
-
Stir it up well, cover and <g class="gr_ gr_110 gr-alert gr_spell gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling" id="110" data-gr-id="110">cool</g> on low for up to six hours. It'll be done around 5 but the extra hour doesn't hurt anything. If you need it to make it a bit longer just add a little extra liquid.
-
Add the last of the cheese, cover and allow to rest 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
Becky says
How do you use the 4 eggs in this recipe, just crack them in?
gwen says
Yes ma’am. Crack them and toss them in with everything else in step 2. If you’d like you can beat them first but it isn’t necessary.
Becky says
Thanks so much, making tomorrow can not wait.
gwen says
You’re absolutely welcome Becky. Any time :)
Donna says
If you cook it on high for a shorter time will it work???
gwen says
It sure should. I haven’t tried it but I don’t see any issue with the ingredients.
Brenda says
I am going to make this, it looks so good! But about how many servings. Do you think I could freeze and reheat the left overs :).
Thank you so much for this recipe.
gwen says
Brenda, thanks so much for the praise. That’s very sweet of you :)
Yes on freezing. It may get a little soggy when you freeze it but it still tastes good. I had to dab off excess freezer moisture with a paper towel. It wasn’t a huge amount, but enough I didn’t want to eat it.
Servings…thanks for bringing that to my attention. 6 to 8 is the answer and I’ll get it updated too.
Have a wonderful day :)
Matt says
Hi
I live in the uk and can’t get ranch dressing mix
What can I substitute it with and how much
Thanks
Matt
gwen says
Hey :)
You can make your own mix. There are a LOT of ranch dressing mix online, this is the link to mine. I’ve tweaked it a lot over the years to come up with something that works with most everything. 2 tablespoons equals 1 packet, but you can use a little more if you prefer a stronger flavor.
Here’s the link to that post https://www.slowcookerkitchen.com/9-easy-crockpot-ranch-recipes/
Jim says
If I’m using real bacon…do I cook it first or just chop it up and put it in the slow cooker with everything else?
gwen says
You’ll need to cook and crumble it first. It won’t crisp up being raw and going straight in the crockpot. I usually bake it. I think it’s easier personally. If you want to know about that, it’s here https://www.slowcookerkitchen.com/bacon-maple-garlic-crock-pot-pork-loin/#Bake_Ahead_Bacon_for_the_Crock_Pot.
Joe Case says
Do you cook the pasta before or mix it raw?
gwen says
For this particular recipe, I cooked it just about half time. If you opt to use raw pasta, use a really good brand or it can get mushy.