Creamy Chicken and Canadian Bacon Casserole

This Chicken and Bacon Pasta Bake is an easy weeknight dinner that actually keeps you full! It is full of lean chicken breast, protein pasta, and savory Canadian bacon in a creamy casserole, and is full of protein without feeling heavy or leaving you hungry. The perfect comfort food that works for your goals, it doesn’t matter if you’re watching calories, tracking macros, or just trying to feed hungry teenagers who are always asking “what’s for dinner?” every 5 minutes. The best part? You can prep it ahead, bake it when you need it, and have leftovers that actually taste amazing reheated, or as meal prep.

Thank you to Food Social for sponsoring this post and sending ingredients. Regardless, all opinions are my own and true to my experience with the ingredients.

This pasta bake gets its protein boost from the meat but also from the Barilla Protein Pasta and Greek yogurt in the creamy sauce. The Canadian bacon adds that smoky, savory flavor, and the Jozo Barrel-Aged Tamari Soy Sauce adds a depth of flavor paired with the Primal Palate’s clean Adobo seasoning! It is the perfect amount of spice, and every bite is full of flavor. This isn’t just a boring casserole bringing just the right amount of spice; every bite is loaded with flavor. This isn’t a boring casserole; it’s a high-protein meal that the whole family will love.

Chicken Bacon Pasta Bake Ingredients

• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• Canadian bacon
• Olive oil
• Adobo Seasoning– The Primal Palate one I used is made with Pink Himalayan Salt, Garlic, Onion, Black Pepper, Oregano, and Turmeric in it.
• Black pepper
• Jozo Barrel-Aged Tamari Soy Sauce
• Cream of Chicken Soup
• Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt
• 2% Milk
• Shredded Mexican Cheese
• Barilla Protein Pasta Rotini

Ingredients Note:

• The 8 slices of Canadian bacon are divided: 6 slices will be mixed into the casserole, and 2 slices will be used as garnish on top.
• The Tablespoons of Jozo will be added to the recipe in two different places.

What is Jozo Barrel Tamari Soy Sauce?

I mean, soy sauce is so soy sauce, right?? I was so wrong! Jozo Barrel-Aged Tamari Soy Sauce is aged 18 months in cedar casks for a bold umami flavor and made with double the traditional soybean ratio for maximum taste. This gluten-free, preservative-free sauce is authentically brewed in Japan using traditional techniques with premium, clean ingredients—no harsh alcohols, sugar, or artificial additives. Trust me, the flavor is heavenly, but add lightly as the flavor is stronger. You can order here or from Amazon -> here!

Who Is Primal Palate?

As I have gotten older, I love to support small family businesses, and that is Primal Palate. Primal Palate is a family-run business offering certified USDA-Organic spices that are Whole30 Approved, gluten-free, kosher, non-GMO, and non-irradiated—basically clean, high-quality seasonings with nothing artificial added. You can order from -> here or from Amazon -> here!

Directions

Start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees.

Spray a 9X13 casserole pan with nonstick cooking spray or olive oil. I love to use my Oil Spray and Pour bottle with some oil in it in place of the nonstick spray.

Grab your knife and cutting board, dice the chicken, and cut 6 slices of Canadian bacon.

Put on the stove both a large and a small frying pan.

Turn your burner to a medium-high heat and start to warm up a bit of olive oil in both pans.

In the large frying pan, add the chicken and allow it to cook, and in the smaller frying pan, start cooking the Canadian bacon.

Season the chicken with the Adobe Seasoning. You can go as heavy or as light on this as you want. I used Primal Palate seasoning, but you can use any brand.

Start a large pot of water boiling for the pasta, and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente.

Allow the chicken and Canadian bacon to cook thoroughly until they are done. Use a meat thermometer to verify that the chicken is cooked to 165 degrees or higher and the Canadian bacon is cooked to 145 degrees.

Next, add the Canadian bacon into the pan of cooked chicken and drizzle with Jozo Barrel-Aged Tamari Soy Sauce.

Stir the meat well until it is mixed with the sauce.

Slice two more slices of Canadian bacon and cook; these are garnish for the top of the pasta bake, and cook in the small frying pan.

In a large bowl, combine the Cream of Chicken Soup, milk, Greek yogurt, and 1 tablespoon of Jozo Barrel-Aged Tamari Soy Sauce.

Once the pasta is done, strain or drain the water from the pasta. I do this in an over-the-sink strainer and allow it to sit for a minute to make sure all water is gone.

Add the cooked pasta to the large bowl with the sauce and mix well.

Next, add in the cooked chicken and the first 6 slices of cooked Canadian bacon.

Use a spoon or spatula to mix the pasta meat mixture well.

Next, spread the chicken pasta mixture into the casserole pan.

Top with the 1 cup of cheese and 2 slices of cooked Canadian bacon. I believe cheese is measured with the heart, so if you want more than a cup of chees,e it won’t hurt anything but will change the macros.

Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.

Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

ALTERNATE INGREDIENTS FOR BACON CHICKEN PASTA BAKE

• Use turkey breast instead of chicken breast
• Swap out turkey bacon for Canadian bacon
• Regular rotini instead of protein pasta
• Cream of mushroom soup instead of cream of chicken (or any cream of soup)
• Use sour cream in place of Greek yogurt
• Instead of Mexican cheese, use mozzarella or cheddar
• Different pasta, like rigatoni, penne, bowties, macaroni, or even spaghetti noodles, in place of rotini
• Load with veggies like onions, peppers, broccoli, and corn
• Different seasonings like oregano, red pepper flakes, or Italian seasoning 
• Swap out for different cheeses like cheddar, mozzarella, or parmesan cheese, 

How To Store Leftover Chicken Bacon Pasta Bake

Keep in the fridge and store for up to 5 days in an air-tight container. I like to serve it up into individual servings for easy grab-and-go meal prep.

What to Serve With Chicken Bacon Pasta Dish?

Vegetables are what I love to serve with dishes like this. They don’t add a lot of points, and they are easy, especially with an air fryer. These are some of my favorites, and let’s face it, nothing beats bread for dinner either.

Vegetable Side Dishes: Air Fryer Bacon Asparagus, Air Fryer Brussell Sprouts, Green Beans, Caesar Salad, Acorn Squash, Air Fryer Broccoli, Cast Iron ZucchiniBroccoli Salad, Cole Slaw, Garlic Butter Noodles

Bread: Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Bread, Garlic Parmesan Biscuit Pull-Apart Bread, English Muffin Garlic Cheese Bread, Easy Cheesy Monkey Bread, Corn Bread, Bread Bowls

Macros for Chicken Bacon Pasta

The Macros are 288 Calories, 11 grams of fat, 20 grams of protein, and 24 grams of carbs.

There are ways to change up the macros. Use reduced-fat cheese, cream of chicken, and milk, or use a low-carb pasta. You can also blend in cottage cheese for the sauce or add more chicken to increasethe protein as well. This is on the higher side of protein for a casserole when made following the recipe card.