Mount Rushmore Casserole

Mount Rushmore Casserole–an Instant Pot pasta dish featuring tender chicken, smoky bacon, ranch seasoning, and fire-roasted tomatoes in a creamy alfredo sauce. It’s finished with spinach and melted cheese.

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Mount Rushmore Casserole

This dish earns a spot on the Mount Rushmore of casseroles because it hits every comfort food note! You’ve got tender bites of chicken, smoky bacon crumbles, gooey cheese, and a tangy ranch-alfredo combo with tender pasta. AND it comes together fast thanks to the Instant Pot. Bacon chicken ranch pasta for the win 🙂

Ingredients/Substitution Ideas

• Chicken broth–or water and Better than Bouillon chicken base
• Cavatappi pasta–or another short cut pasta like penne, macaroni
• Boneless skinless chicken thighs–you can also use 4 cups of rotisserie chicken
• Hidden valley dry ranch dressing mix
• Black pepper
• Alfredo sauce–use your favorite brand as this will flavor the whole dish
• Fire roasted tomatoes
• Spinach
• Bacon crumbles–or 8-10 slices of fried bacon that is crumbled
• Parmesan cheese
• Mozzarella cheese

Steps

Pour broth into Instant Pot. Sprinkle in the pasta. Add chicken evenly over pasta. Sprinkle the dry ranch dressing mix and pepper over the chicken. Pour alfredo sauce and tomatoes on top. Don’t stir.

Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set manual/pressure cook button to 2 minutes (if you cut the recipe in half then use 3 minutes). When time is up let pot sit for 5-10 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid. 

Stir in the spinach, bacon crumbles and parmesan cheese. 

Optional step: Spread the mixture into a 9×13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle the mozzarella on top and bake at 350° F for 10 minutes. 

Notes/Tips

• Serve with a green salad and garlic bread.
• I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in an 8 quart pot.
• This recipe makes a lot! You can easily cut this recipe in half to make less.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• Other recipes you can make with dry ranch dressing mix are Instant Pot Crack Potatoes and Miss Hulling’s Casserole.

Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for. 

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*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.