Ranch Mac and Cheese
Ranch Mac and Cheese with chicken is piled high with savory ranch-seasoned chicken and smothered in cheese and pasta for a picky-eater-approved weeknight meal.
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We all know the struggles of trying to feed a picky kid. It never fails that about the time you whip up a lovely home-cooked meal, that is the day that your child decides they will no longer eat onion or anything green!
While I usually make mac and cheese starting with a roux (flour and butter) in a saucepan and then whisking in milk and cheese, this is a shortcut version. You don’t even need a whisk!
This Ranch Chicken Mac and Cheese is the perfect picky-eater-approved dish like a grown-up mac and cheese! It’s so easy to make ahead and a great freezer meal.
🧂 Ingredients
- butter
- onion
- green bell pepper
- diced tomatoes with green chiles
- Velveeta
- store-bought or homemade cream soup
- sour cream
- shredded chicken
- chili powder
- ground cumin
- store-bought or homemade ranch seasoning
- elbow macaroni
- salt and pepper
This is meant to be a brief overview of this great recipe. For step-by-step instructions and a full printable recipe card with ingredients, please scroll down to the teal box below.
🔪 Instructions
- Preheat your oven.
- Cook pasta and drain; set aside.
- Melt butter; add the onion and bell pepper, and cook until softened.
- Add the tomatoes and Velveeta.
- Add the soup, sour cream, chicken, and seasonings.
- Fold in the cooked macaroni.
- Sprinkle cheese on the top.
- Bake in the oven until the cheese melts and it’s golden brown on top.
🥄Equipment
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Here is what you will need to make this easy recipe:
For a list of some of my favorite items to use when cooking, and why I chose them, please visit my Kitchen Resource page.
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⭐ Tips
✔️ Using rotisserie chicken or your own pulled chicken saves a lot of time.
🍲 Storage
To Store: Leftover Ranch Mac and Cheese can be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days if it is kept in an airtight container. (These are my favorite airtight containers.)
To Reheat: Microwave individual portions in 30-second intervals until heated throughout.
I do not recommend freezing this casserole.
📖 Variations
The first time you try any new recipe we recommend that you make it just as it is written on the recipe card since that is how our Ranch Mac and Cheese recipe has been tested. However, the next time you make our recipe, you might want to try one of these ideas:
- Add some crispy bacon on top for delicious chicken bacon ranch mac and cheese!
- If you don’t have Monterey jack cheese on hand, you can use gouda, Gruyere, fontina, or mozzarella which are all good melting cheeses. Pepper jack is also a great choice if you want to add a little heat.
- Drizzle a little bit of ranch dressing on top for extra flavor. If you like spicy flavors, add a dash of hot sauce or Buffalo sauce.
Out of something you need? Check out our free ingredient substitutions printable!
🍴 Serving Suggestions
While this could be an all-in-one main dish, I like to serve it with a fresh salad to help balance out the richness of the creamy cheese sauce.
However, sometimes I mix in roasted broccoli or roasted cauliflower.
😋 Similar Recipes
Next time, try one of these delicious recipes:
Not ready to make this Ranch Mac and Cheese yet?
When you do make it, please come back and comment and leave me a 5-star rating below! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ranch Mac and Cheese
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles 1 oz
- 8 ounces Velveeta cubed
- 1 can store-bought or homemade cream soup 10.5 oz
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 3 cups shredded chicken
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Ranch Seasoning Mix
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni pasta cooked until al dente according to package directions
- 1½ cup Monterey jack cheese or cheddar cheese, shredded
- kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large Dutch oven set to medium-high heat, melt the butter.2 tablespoons butter
- Then, add the onion and bell pepper and cook until softened. This should take about 6 minutes, stirring often.1 onion, 1 green bell pepper
- Reduce to medium heat. Add the tomatoes and Velveeta cheese product to your cooked vegetables and stir until the cheese is melted.1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles, 8 ounces Velveeta
- Add the soup, sour cream, chicken, and seasonings. Stir to combine.1 can store-bought or homemade cream soup, 1/2 cup sour cream, 3 cups shredded chicken, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon Ranch Seasoning Mix, kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- Fold the cooked macaroni into the sauce mixture.8 ounces elbow macaroni pasta
- Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 10-inch cast-iron skillet or 9×13 casserole dish. Top the casserole with cheese.1½ cup Monterey jack cheese
- Bake in the oven for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the edges are bubbling.
Nutrition
Meal Planning
Want to add this recipe to your meal plan? Download our free printable meal plan here.
This recipe is included in Meal Plan 16 along with:
- pulled pork sliders
- air fryer sirloin steak
- chicken Caesar salad
- Philly cheesesteak casserole
- crockpot chicken teriyaki
… and more!
Be sure to check out all our meal plan ideas here.
