Chicken and Bacon Pasta Casserole

Baked pasta dish with melted cheese and parsley served in a white rectangular dish on a wooden surface.

4.80 from 5 votes

Chicken and Bacon Pasta Casserole

🥓🍅🧀 The BEST comfort food casserole recipe complete with tender pasta, seasoned chicken, crumbled bacon, onions, bell peppers, and TWO types of melted cheese! EASY to make and a guaranteed family FAVORITE! Bonus that you can prep it in advance and just bake it off when you're ready. Makes a big batch and the leftovers keep and freeze great!

Prep Time15

Cook Time23

Course: Casserole, Dinner, Pasta

Cuisine: American, Pasta

Keyword: chicken and bacon pasta, chicken pasta casserole, pasta casserole

Servings:

Calories: 410cal

Equipment

Ingredients

10 ounces dry small-shaped pasta (I used penne; ziti, rigatoni, small shells, or elbow macaroni are fine; use 300 grams)
6 slices bacon
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast diced into bite-sized pieces (seasoned with about 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, or to taste)
1 tablespoon olive oil or as necessary
1 medium yellow onion finely diced (white onion may be substituted)
1 red bell pepper seeded and diced small
3-4 garlic cloves finely minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional and to taste
28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste optional, but adds additional tomato flavor
⅔ cup reduced sodium chicken broth
⅓ c dry white wine (such as sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, or chardonnay; if you don't want to use wine, use an additional 1/3 cup broth)
3 cups fresh baby spinach (about 3 heaping handfuls, or 100 grams; I do not recommend frozen spinach)
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F, spray a 9x13-baking dish or casserole dish with cooking spray; set aside.
Pasta - Cook the pasta in salted water according to package directions for al dente. While it's boiling, start cooking the bacon in the next step.
Save 1 cup pasta water. Then drain and rinse the pasta and set it aside.
Tip - I actually cook it 1 minute less than al dente because later on, this pasta is baked for 20-25 minutes and I don't like overcooked pasta, so I take precautions now. It's up to you.
Bacon - To a large skillet, add the bacon, and cook for about 7 minutes over medium-high heat, or until the bacon is as crispy as you like. When it's done, dice or crumble it into small pieces. Save the bacon grease to cook the chicken in.
Chicken - To the bacon grease, add the diced chicken, and cook for about 6-7 minutes, or until chicken is done and cooked through. Stir and flip frequently to ensure even cooking. When done, remove it from the skillet with a slotted spoon and set it aside on a plate. Save the cooking liquids in the skillet for the veggies.
Vegetables - If necessary, add olive oil (if there's not enough residual bacon grease or the skillet is looking a little dry), as desired. Add the onions, bell peppers, and saute for about 5 minutes over medium-high heat. Stir very frequently to ensure even cooking.
Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, optional red pepper flakes to taste, and cook for 1 minute; stir continuously.
Liquids - Add the crushed tomatoes (do not drain), tomato paste (it's optional if you don't keep it on hand), chicken broth, and optional wine. If not using wine, add an additional 1/3 cup broth. Stir to combine, bring to a simmer, and allow it to simmer for about 5 minutes, or until thickened a bit. Stir frequently.
Incorporating - Add the spinach, cooked bacon and chicken, cooked pasta, and stir to combine.
Tip - If the mixture seems a bit dry, add pasta water from your reserved cup of pasta water. You likely won't need it all, and probably less than 1/2 cup will do the trick, but it will really depend on how it looks and your personal preference for dry vs. saucy.
Taste the dish and as desired, add salt and pepper. If it tastes at all boring or flat, it likely needs more salt. If you want more heat, add more red pepper flakes.
Transfer - Transfer the mixture to your prepared baking dish and evenly sprinkle with both kinds of cheese. Add more (or less) cheese, to taste, than I called for based on your preference for cheese.
Make Ahead - If you're making this ahead of time, stop now, cover very tightly with foil or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 24-36 hours. When you do plan to bake it, allow it to sit on your countertop for 1 hour before you bake it. If you don't, you'll end up with burnt cheese on top and a cold casserole in the middle because that's what happens when you bake straight from fridge to oven with a cold casserole that's been in the fridge overnight. You also run the risk of damaging your baking dish. Not all are designed to go from cold to hot.
Baking - Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cheese is as golden browned and bubbly as desired. All ovens vary, so I suggest checking early and often. Rotate your pan once midway through baking to ensure even browning. Serve warm.

Notes

Storage: This recipe will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 3-4 months. Technically, you can also freeze an unbaked casserole but this is tricky unless you have a large enough freezer to accomodate a flat 9×13-inch pan which most of us don't. Better to bake it first, then freeze individual portions.

Nutrition