1/4cupshredded Parmesan cheeseplus more for sprinkling
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Set aside.
Cook pasta to almost al dente (about 1 minute less than the package calls for).
Drain pasta.
Meanwhile in a large pot, melt butter; whisk in flour until smooth.
Whisk in milk and ranch seasoning.
Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
Stir in 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese until melted and combined.
Reduce heat to low; fold in sour cream until blended.
Remove sauce from heat.
Add chicken, bacon, and cooked pasta; toss to coat in cheese sauce.
Pour pasta mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
Top with remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese.
Bake until just melted, about 5-10 minutes.
Serve sprinkled with additional Parmesan if desired.
Notes
Pasta: You can use another type of pasta, like penne or shells, if you prefer.
Butter: I use salted butter.
Milk: Any milk from skim to whole milk will work. Using whole milk will give you a creamier sauce.
Ranch seasoning: You can use a 1 ounce packet or make your own ranch seasoning blend with this recipe.
Sour cream: Full-fat or lite sour cream will work. I don't recommend using fat-free sour cream. Whole-milk, 2%, or nonfat plain Greek yogurt will also work.
Chicken: Rotisserie chicken works well. You can also cook and shred the chicken or use any other leftover cooked chicken in this recipe.
Cheese: If you don't like cheddar cheese, you can use a similar cheese in place of the cheddar.