Ingredients:

  • 16 oz penne pasta
  • 1 tbsp sea salt
  • 10.5 oz condensed cream of mushroom soup
  • 10.5 oz condensed cream of chicken soup
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup reserved pasta water
  • 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp onion powder
  • 3 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
  • 6 strips thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 0.5 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil and add sea salt.
  2. Add the penne pasta to the boiling water. Cook for exactly 2 minutes less than the package directions for al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the condensed cream of mushroom soup, condensed cream of chicken soup, heavy cream, garlic powder, and onion powder until the mixture is uniform and smooth.
  4. Fold in 1.5 cups of the shredded cheddar cheese and all of the shredded mozzarella. Stir in the shredded chicken and half of the crumbled bacon.
  5. Add the par-cooked pasta and the reserved pasta water to the sauce mixture. Toss thoroughly until every noodle is well-coated.
  6. Transfer the mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with the remaining 0.5 cup of cheddar cheese and the remaining crumbled bacon.
  7. In a small bowl, stir together the panko breadcrumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top of the casserole.
  8. Bake for 25 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and the breadcrumbs have reached a golden brown color. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.