Chicken Ranch Pasta Bake (Printable version)

Tender chicken and penne tossed in creamy ranch sauce, topped with melted mozzarella, and baked to golden perfection.

# 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

# Step-by-step guide:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F and 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, then 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 cooked pasta and chicken to the sauce mixture and stir thoroughly to coat all ingredients evenly.
05 - Fold 1.5 cups of mozzarella cheese into the pasta and chicken mixture, mixing gently until incorporated.
06 - Transfer the entire mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle remaining 0.5 cup mozzarella and parmesan cheese over the top.
07 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until cheese is melted and the top is golden brown.
08 - Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh chives or green onions if desired before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It uses pantry staples and tastes like you spent way more time on it than you did.
  • The creamy ranch sauce clings to every piece of pasta and makes even picky eaters go back for seconds.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even better the next day.
  • You can throw it together on autopilot after a long day and still feel like you cooked something real.
02 -
  • Don't overcook the pasta during boiling, it will continue cooking in the oven and you don't want it turning to mush.
  • Let the dish rest after baking or the sauce will be too runny and slide right off your fork.
  • If your sauce looks too thick before baking, add a splash more milk, it should be pourable but not watery.
03 -
  • Use a rotisserie chicken and you'll cut your prep time in half without sacrificing any flavor.
  • Grate your own mozzarella instead of buying pre-shredded, it melts smoother and doesn't have that weird coating.
  • If you want a crispier top, broil it for the last 2 minutes but watch it closely so it doesn't burn.
  • Make the whole thing ahead and refrigerate it unbaked, then just pop it in the oven when you're ready to eat.
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