Samantha Nicole If you have “hangry” toddlers, teenagers, or mature adults in your house, and no matter what you fix, you ain’t fixin’ it, boy, do we have a real deal for you! Coming soon to a kitchen near you, a feel-good dish that’s Oscar-worthy… Always-A-Hit Casserole! The star of the show of this charismatic casserole is the hot-shot, crispy, and delicious bacon, with the best supporting role going to, what critics are calling, a cheesy ranch dude (i.e. a tangy, creamy, cheesy, sauce). All of that plus some juicy chicken and bouncy pasta tossed in, there’s sure to be something for everyone! After one bite of this uproariously good and cheese-alicious blockbuster-of-a-dish, Always-A-Hit Casserole will have your “hangry” people singing show tunes in no time!
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, cubed
- 2 cups milk
- 1 (1-ounce) packet dry ranch seasoning mix
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
- 8 ounces rotini pasta, cooked
- 4 cups rotisserie chicken, cooked and chopped
- 4 ounces diced pimientos, drained
- 1/2 cup green onion, plus more for garnish, sliced
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Step 2 –In a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon strips, stirring often, until they are crispy, about 8 minutes.
Step 3 –Transfer the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate. Leave the drippings in the skillet.
Step 4 –Add the onion and the garlic to the drippings in the skillet and cook, stirring often, until they have slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
Step 5 –Whisk the cream cheese, the milk, the ranch seasoning, and 1 cup of the cheese into the onion mixture until it is smooth. Transfer it away from heat.
Step 6 –In a large bowl, combine the ranch mixture, the cooked pasta, the cooked chicken, the pimientos, and 1/2 cup of the green onion.
Step 7 –Transfer the mixture to a 13×9-inch casserole dish.
Step 8 –Sprinkle the bacon evenly over the casserole and top with the remaining cheese.
Step 9 –Bake the casserole, covered, until the top is golden-brown and crispy, about 25-30 minutes.
Step 10 –Let the casserole cool slightly.
Step 11 –Garnish the casserole with the remaining green onion and serve.
