How to Prepare Chicken Crack Pasta Bake

Crack chicken casserole is called that because it is so easy to make and tastes so good. This dish is cooked in the oven with noodles covered in gooey cheese and creamy ranch sauce. It has bite-sized pieces of tender chicken and crispy bacon bits. On busy nights, we love casseroles that are easy to make. Check out our chicken and rice pasta bake and chicken and bacon ranch casserole. Both can be made quickly and taste good.

Cooking tips:

• You don’t have to put foil over the casserole when you bake it.
• Use this Buttery Cracker mixture instead of panko bread crumbs for more flavor, like in this Pineapple Casserole.
• You don’t have to bake this Crack Chicken casserole. Ensure the chicken is fully baked before mixing it with the rest of the ingredients.
• You shouldn’t use pre-shredded cheese if you want the texture to be really creamy, like crazy creamy. If you have some extra minutes, shred your cheese.
• You don’t need to rinse the pasta for this recipe, especially if you’re using pre-shredded cheese. The vigor from the pasta will thicken the sauce more.
• Don’t forget that the cooking time might change depending on the size of the dish you use.

Ingredients

• 4-5 pound chuck roast of beef
• 2 tbsp of canola oil
• 2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon of black pepper powder
• 1 milliliter of fresh thyme (finely chopped)
• 1 milliliter of fresh rosemary (finely chopped)
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon of Italian spices
• 1 onion, yellow (finely diced)
• 1 onion, yellow (quartered)
• 4 heads of garlic (minced)
• 4 heads of garlic (whole)
• 2 cups carrots (cut into 2-inch chunks)
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 2 cups broth from beef
• 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
• Red wine, 2 cups
• 3 fresh sprigs of rosemary
• 2 leaves of bay

Instructions

• Set the oven temperature to 375°F.
• Carry a massive pot of water to a cook, then cook the macaroni according to the package’s instructions. Aim for al dente, then drain and set aside.

To cook the bacon:

• In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat, stirring it often, until it is crispy. Remove from the frying knock and fix aside. Only 2 tbsps of grease should be left in the pan after you drain the grease.

Prepare the Chicken:

• Sprinkle salt, pepper, and paprika on the cubed chicken and add it to the pan. Cook, often stirring, until the outside is golden and the middle is no longer pink. Bring the meal out of the pan and put it in a large bowl.

Cook Veggies:

• Add the quartered onion, diced red pepper, and finely diced garlic to the skillet and fry for 3–5 minutes, occasionally stirring, until soft and tender. Take them out of the knock and place them in the bowl with the chicken.

Cheesy Mixture:

• I am softening three tablespoons of butter in the same pan over medium heat. Add the flour and stir until the paste forms.
• Add the milk slowly, beating with a whisk until everything is well mixed.
• Mix in the Ranch Seasoning Mix, if you are using it, along with the condensed cream of chicken soup and cream cheese. Stir until everything is well mixed.
• Next, change the heat to low and stir in 3 cups of cheddar cheese until it’s all melted. Take off the heat.

Combine:

• Add the cooked pasta and cheese to the bowl with the meat and vegetables. Mix everything well, then put it in a 13×9-inch (3-quart) baking dish.
• Add 1 cup of shredded cheese, the bacon that has been cooked, and panko bread crumbs, if you want.

Bake:

• Cook for 20 to 30 minutes before the cheese is completely melted and the mixture bubbles.
• After 10 minutes of cooling, serve and enjoy!

What makes it called crack chicken?

Even though this name is a bit problematic, and I try not to use it in future recipe titles, there was a time when it was very common. The crack part usually refers to the spice used or the dish’s taste. It’s often used to describe a recipe that calls for Bacon, Cheddar, and Ranch.

How does a dish become a casserole?

In the US, a casserole is usually a dish that is baked and has these five main parts:

• Meat: chicken, fish, turkey, seafood, or ground meat. Also, vegetarian versions have other protein sources like tofu and beans.
• Veggies: This kind of food usually has a variety of chopped vegetables mixed in.
• Binder made of starch: Lastly, there is usually a starch that holds all the other ingredients together. It can be made of flour, noodles, or potatoes.
• Liquid: Sometimes, broth, condensed soup, wine, beer, milk, cream, or stock are added to food to make it saucier.
• Topping: A crunchy or cheesy topping is often used to finish a dish.

Also, the food is typically baked in an oven using a dish that is often called a casserole dish. The food is easy to serve because it can be taken straight from the dish.

How to keep food and freeze it:

• Store: If you have leftovers, let them cool completely before covering them with plastic wrap or transferring them to an airtight container. Then put it in the fridge for 3–4 days.
• Reheat: Just put the leftovers in the microwave when it’s time to serve. Also, since the pasta will soak up more sauce after refrigeration, heat it on the stove and add a little milk to create it saucier.
• Freeze: It’s not too hard to freeze a casserole dish. Initially, ensure you use a baking dish or container that can go in the freezer. Then, let the food cool. Afterward, wrap it tightly in plastic and a few layers of aluminum foil if you want to freeze it in the casserole dish. You could place it in an airtight container that can go in the freezer. Then put it in the freezer for up to three months.
• Defrost: Take the frozen baking dish out of the freezer and put it in the refrigerator overnight. Then put it back in the oven. Also, remember that you may need to add more milk or condensed chicken soup to make it saucier. You can also bake it frozen and covered with foil for 1 hour at 350°F. Before you place it in the microwave, let it sit on the counter for an hour so the baking dish can come to room temperature.