Instant Pot Bacon Ranch Chicken Casserole

Instant Pot Bacon Ranch Chicken Casserole is a delightful blend of bacon, creamy ranch sauce, rich cheeses, tender flavorful noodles, and decadent chicken. There is a good reason why this is also referred to as one of the best casserole recipes ever. Because it is simply addictive. 

For more one pot meals, our Instant Pot Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta with shells and cheese and this Easy Instant Pot Crack Chicken recipe are both amazing. Or try this Cheesy Crack Chicken Casserole with broth and breadcrumbs for an easy idea for the entire family.

Pressure cooking is an easy and fast way to get dinner on the table for any number of delicious meals like this one. Any time you can get the entire family at the table is the time to make a one pot dinner like our ranch chicken casserole.

In fact, this chicken bacon ranch casserole is the perfect comfort food for everyone anytime. This pressure cooker chicken bacon ranch casserole is the perfect dinner that kids and adults will like.

The leftovers taste delicious, and also, you can sneak in your favorite veggies part of this easy recipe.

Ingredients needed:

We have provided a recipe card at the bottom of the page with the instructions and measurements. But here are the basic ingredients for this instant pot chicken bacon ranch pasta:

• Skinless chicken thighs: Cubed.
• Egg noodles: Other pasta like penne, shells, or rotini are good too.
• Cream cheese: Softened to room temperature.
• Bacon: Diced.
• Olive oil: You can also use another type of oil.
• Ranch seasoning: Dry ranch dressing mix. ins
• Chicken broth: Vegetable or beef will work too.
• Peas: We used frozen, but you can use fresh or canned.
• Minced garlic: Garlic powder will work as well.
• Onion: Diced, white, red, or yellow onions.
• Cheddar cheese: Freshly shredded is best. 

How do you make instant pot bacon ranch casserole?

• Saute: First, set your pot to the sauté function and add the bacon and olive oil. Cook until bacon is crispy. Remove half of the bacon pieces and set aside. 
• Add: Next, add the garlic, onion, meat, and cook until the outsides are browned. 
• Cool: Then, turn the pot off or hit cancel so it can cool before turning it to high pressure. Scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.  
• Season: After it cools down, add the ranch packet and mix together. 
• Cream cheese: Next, cut the cream cheese into cubes and put it on top and add half of the broth. Close the lid and steam valve and set it to high pressure for five minutes. 
• Release: After a quick release, mix gently with a wooden spoon until creamy.
• Add: Immediately, add the peas and noodles before adding the rest of the broth, stirring a bit.
• Steam: Then, close the lid and steam valve before setting it to high pressure for another three minutes. 
• Cheese: Add the cheese and then close the lid for five minutes so it melts.
• Serve: Finally, do a quick release and garnish with the rest of the bacon bits before serving. 

How to serve:

You can serve this easy meal for dinner tonight with a salad or on its own. The whole family will love it and you can cook it easily as a one-pot meal. Or try one of these awesome ideas:

• Add some of our homemade buffalo sauce for a buffalo chicken casserole. 
• Another way to serve this is to shred the meat and make it into sandwiches.
• Top with our scrumptious honey mustard sauce or tangy yum yum sauce.
• This instant pot chicken pasta is fantastic with these homemade bread sticks. 
• It also goes great with our grilled asparagus salad. 
• Use leftovers in this chicken pot pie pasta dish. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Which pasta is best for this recipe?

Any pasta will work for this delicious instant pot recipe but the most popular are ziti, rotini, egg noodles, shells, and penne. However, the ratio of liquid to pasta is an important consideration.

In fact, you can also make this recipe without pasta. For example, using rice instead is a fantastic idea. 

Do you cook the chicken before putting it in the casserole? 

You do not have to cook it first. In fact, in our recipe, it calls for raw chicken cubes that you sate in the pot first before adding the seasoning and setting it to cook on high pressure.

It will have plenty of time with the 15 minutes of cook time it calls for. 

How do you thicken runny casserole?

Any kind of casserole that is runny can be fixed with cornstarch. Use one tablespoon cornstarch to each cup of liquid that you want to thicken.

For example, if you have five cups of liquid in your casserole, add five tablespoons of cornstarch. If you do not have cornstarch, you can also use flour. 

How to store leftovers:

• Store: Put any leftovers in an airtight container in your fridge, where it will be good for about three or four days. 
• Freeze: If you cannot finish it all in a few days, stick the container in the freezer. You can store it safely for up to 90 days. 
• Thaw: You should thaw it out in the fridge overnight before reheating.
• Reheat: Add some broth or milk to your casserole before reheating it. You can use the microwave, stovetop, or oven.

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