My brother’s Sunday dinner was at peace. A quiet, nondescript meal. Until suddenly everyone was reaching over my plate hoping for the last scoop. Nobody spoke. Quiet hunger, quiet death. Just quiet murder behind everyone’s eyes.
Because there really is not much to go against eating bowls filled with shells. Drenched in ranched up cream sauce, bacon bites, juicy shredded chicken and not to forget that broiled sheet of golden cheese melted on top. Do not say I never warned you! You will not regret overeating.
Keeping the Pasta from Getting Mushy
- Boil the shells JUST until they are al dente. Pull them out of the water a full minute BEFORE the directions say. They will spend some time baking in the oven so any more time that that and you will end up with shell mush!
- Salt the water like a SEA. The water should taste like sea water, not as though you merely tossed a pinch or two in there.
- NEVER rinse the strained pasta. You want that pasty coating to ensure every shell retains a piece of the cream sauce upon serving.
- Fold in the pasta LAST and do so GENTLY. You will literally shatter your shells into broken little bits.
- Watch your bake time like the Hawks in the playoffs (GO HAWKS by the way!). Every extra minute that goes by once the cheese is sufficiently melted simply results in soft pasta! Treat your pasta like a guest who showed up too early.
Let’s Make This Crack Chicken Casserole
This chicken bacon ranch pasta bake is going to win you all the points since it’s the ultimate comforting midweek supper.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with oil.
Fry the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes until crispy, then let cool on a dish covered with paper towels and cut into small pieces.
Add salt and pepper to the chicken breasts for seasoning.
Pasta should be cooked just till al dente in a pot of boiling salted water; avoid overcooking it because it will be baked later.
Drain, but don’t rinse.
In a large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, sour cream, ranch seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper and stir until smooth.
Spread the chicken evenly in the baking dish after stirring it in the ranch mixture.
The chicken should be half cooked after 20 minutes of baking.
Take it out and use two forks to shred the chicken directly in the dish.
Add the cooked pasta, diced bacon, and half of the cheeses (1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/2 cup cheddar), and stir everything together with the cream sauce.
Stir gently until all the ingredients are dispersed equally.
To achieve that wonderfully golden, crispy top, sprinkle the remaining cheese on top, bake for 5 to 10 minutes until melty, and then broil for precisely 3 minutes.
After two to three minutes of resting, top with chopped green onions and serve immediately from the dish.
Done and done.
Storing & Reheating Leftovers
- FRIDGE STORAGE: Let your enchiladas cool completely, then pop them into an airtight container. They will be good for 3 or 4 days.
- FREEZER OPTION: Freezer safe containers for these babies. Two months max people. (It is an enchilada – not a vintage bottle of wine!)
- OVEN REHEAT (Best ways to warm leftover): Put foil over the pan, bake at 350∘F about 15-20 min in order for to get cheese heated but not rubbery.
- MICROWAVE METHOD (If you are in a hurry): Splash the tops of leftover enchilada cheese with a tablespoon of milk, put in the microwave and zap them every 60 seconds. Take out and stir at 60 second intervals. The minute you see a lot of liquid take them out and enjoy!
If You Liked This, Try These
- Cheesy Crack Chicken Roll Ups
- Quick Million Dollar Chicken Casserole
- Ultimate Crockpot Crack Chicken Pasta
- Baked Marry Me Chicken Casserole
- Creamy Baked Tuscan Chicken Casserole
- Crispy Crack Chicken Mac And Cheese
Crack Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
For the creamy base:
- 9 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature, about 70°F)
- 1.25 cups sour cream (I prefer Daisy for a richer texture)
- 1.2 oz ranch seasoning mix (I always use Hidden Valley)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
For the main bake:
- 2 lb chicken breast
- 8 oz shell pasta (boiled until al dente to prevent mushiness)
- 7 slices bacon
For the topping:
- 1 cup cheddar (sharp variety adds the best flavor profile)
- 1 cup mozzarella
- 2 tablespoons sliced green onions
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly oil a 9 x 13 a9 x 13. baking dish, 1 inch. While the oven is preheating, fry the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until crispy, about 8 to 10 minutes. When the bacon cools, move it to a dish covered with paper towels and slice it into bite-sized pieces. Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. To prepare the pasta, bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
- Stir the softened cream cheese, sour cream, ranch seasoning mix, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a big bowl until completely combined and smooth. Stir the uncooked chicken breasts into the cream cheese mixture until all the pieces are uniformly coated. Spread the mixture evenly in your baking dish after transferring it there. The chicken should be partially cooked and beginning to firm up after 20 minutes in the oven.
- To keep the shell pasta from being mushy when baked with the creamy sauce, cook it in the boiling salted water until it is just al dente, or slightly firm to the bite, while the chicken bakes. Don't rinse the pasta; instead, drain it in a strainer. When the chicken is cool enough to handle after 20 minutes of baking, take it out of the oven (keeping the oven at 375°F) and shred it immediately in the baking dish with two forks.
- Stir thoroughly to combine the shredded chicken and cream sauce. Add the chopped bacon from Step 1, the cooked pasta from Step 3, and half of the combined cheeses (1 cup total: roughly 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/2 cup sharp cheddar). Gently stir the spaghetti and bacon into the creamy chicken mixture until they are evenly distributed.
- Over the top of the dish, equally distribute the remaining cheese (1/2 cup strong cheddar and 1/2 cup mozzarella). Bake for five to ten minutes, or until the cheese starts to melt, at 375°F (190°C). To achieve a golden, somewhat crispy cheese top, turn your oven on to the broil setting on high and broil for precisely three minutes.
- After taking the casserole out of the oven, give it two to three minutes to gradually solidify. Serve straight from the baking dish after generously garnishing with the chopped green onions.
The cream cheese in this recipe overpowered everything and it just tasted like cream cheese. It was also too thick. I should’ve followed my gut and added some milk or butter to thin out the sauce.
Photo of the cooked recipe