Description
This Cheesy Beef Bacon Chicken Casserole is a comforting dish that combines hearty ground beef, tender chicken, and crispy bacon in a rich, creamy sauce topped with gooey cheese. Perfect for family dinners or gatherings, it’s a crowd-pleaser that delivers maximum flavor with minimal fuss.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb lean ground beef (85-90%)
- 2–3 cups cooked chicken (shredded)
- 8 slices thick-cut bacon (cooked and crumbled)
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese (grated)
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup (or cream of chicken soup)
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup milk (or non-alcoholic chicken broth)
- 1 onion (finely diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- Salt (to taste)
- Black pepper (to taste)
- 1 tsp dried thyme (optional)
- 1 tsp onion powder (optional)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
- 1 cup frozen peas (optional)
- 1 cup corn (optional)
- 1 cup diced bell peppers (optional)
- 1 cup spinach or finely chopped broccoli florets (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a spoon, until it's fully browned. Drain any excess fat thoroughly and set the beef aside in a large mixing bowl.
- In the same skillet, cook your bacon until crispy. Once cooked, remove the bacon, let it cool slightly on a paper towel-lined plate, then crumble it. Set aside about half of the crumbled bacon for topping later, and add the rest to the bowl with the ground beef.
- Add the shredded cooked chicken to the bowl with the ground beef and bacon.
- Discard all but about a tablespoon of fat from the skillet. Add the diced onion and cook over medium heat until softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- To the skillet with the onions and garlic, stir in the cream of mushroom (or chicken) soup, sour cream, and milk (or non-alcoholic chicken broth). Whisk until smooth and heated through.
- Season the sauce with salt, pepper, and any other desired spices like dried thyme or smoked paprika. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Pour the creamy sauce from the skillet over the mixture of ground beef, shredded chicken, and crumbled bacon in the large mixing bowl.
- Add about half of your grated cheese blend to the bowl.
- If you're adding optional vegetables like peas, corn, or diced bell peppers, stir them in now.
- Mix everything thoroughly until all the meat and vegetables are well coated in the creamy, cheesy sauce.
- Spoon the entire mixture evenly into your prepared 9×13-inch baking dish, spreading it out to the edges.
- Top the casserole generously with the remaining grated cheese.
- Sprinkle the reserved crumbled bacon over the top of the cheese layer.
- Place the casserole in your preheated oven.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly around the edges and the cheese on top is melted, golden brown, and gooey.
- Once out of the oven, let the casserole rest for about 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
Keywords: This casserole can be prepared ahead of time. You can cook the ground beef and bacon, shred the chicken, and even mix the entire casserole a day in advance. Experiment with different cheese blends and add extra vegetables for more nutrition.