Crazy Good Cheesy Chicken Bacon (Print Version)
Tender chicken, bacon, cream sauce, and cheese meld in a golden, bubbly spiral pasta bake.
# Ingredients:
→ Main Components
01 -
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 -
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
03 -
2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup (10.5 oz each)
04 -
2 cups Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
05 -
12 ounces spiral (rotini) pasta
06 -
1 teaspoon garlic powder
07 -
Salt, to taste
08 -
Black pepper, to taste
# Steps:
01 -
Cook bacon strips in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove from skillet, crumble, and set aside. Reserve bacon drippings in skillet.
02 -
In the reserved bacon drippings, cook chicken breast pieces over medium heat. Season with garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is fully cooked and no longer pink.
03 -
While the chicken cooks, prepare spiral pasta by boiling in a large pot of salted water according to package instructions. Drain well and set pasta aside.
04 -
Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9 by 13 inch baking dish with nonstick spray or butter.
05 -
In the large pot used for pasta, combine drained pasta, cooked chicken, condensed cream of chicken soup, and 1 cup of shredded Monterrey Jack cheese. Stir thoroughly to integrate ingredients.
06 -
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Evenly sprinkle reserved crumbled bacon and the remaining 1 cup of cheese over the top.
07 -
Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and golden on top. Allow casserole to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
# Notes:
01 -
For added flavor, reserve a small portion of bacon to sprinkle just before serving.
02 -
Ensure pasta is cooked just until al dente to prevent over-softening during baking.