Crazy Good Chicken Bacon Casserole (Printer-friendly)

Creamy, cheesy pasta baked with chicken, bacon, and veggies under a golden crispy topping.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or chopped
02 - 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

→ Pasta

03 - 12 oz penne or rotini pasta

→ Dairy

04 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
05 - 1 cup sour cream
06 - 1 cup whole milk
07 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened

→ Vegetables

08 - 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
09 - 1 small onion, finely diced
10 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Seasonings

11 - 1 tsp salt
12 - ½ tsp black pepper
13 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
14 - ½ tsp dried thyme

→ Topping

15 - ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
16 - ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
17 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
03 - In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté diced onion in oil or butter for 3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add cooked chicken, crumbled bacon, thawed peas, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and dried thyme to the skillet. Stir well and remove from heat.
05 - In a large bowl, whisk together sour cream, softened cream cheese, whole milk, and 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese until completely smooth and creamy.
06 - Add drained pasta and chicken mixture to the cheese sauce. Stir until all ingredients are evenly coated and combined.
07 - Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer with a spatula.
08 - In a small bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs, melted butter, and remaining ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese. Mix until evenly distributed.
09 - Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the casserole. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and the top is golden brown.
10 - Remove from oven and let casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to set slightly.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • This is the kind of dinner that makes everyone actually excited to sit down together as a family
  • The creamy sauce gets into every crevice of the pasta so each bite is perfectly coated
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully for lunch the next day, if there are any
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time, the sauce needs those few minutes to thicken up
  • If the topping browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes
03 -
  • Grate your own cheese instead of buying pre shredded, it melts so much better
  • Warm your milk slightly before whisking into the cream cheese to prevent lumps

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