You only need 5 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep for this cheesy Ranch Chicken with Bacon! Make it in the Crock Pot or bake it in the oven for an easy dinner recipe any night of the week.
I know that y'all love recipes that only require a few minutes of hands-on time and a few simple ingredients. These dump-and-bake meals are perfect for busy moms (or dads), as well as those folks who just don't enjoy spending much time in the kitchen. We all need to get homemade dinners on the table regularly, so these simple chicken breast recipes come to the rescue!
How to make Ranch Chicken with Bacon and Cheese:
This easy chicken recipe can be prepared in the slow cooker or baked in the oven. I'm showing you the oven-baked method here, but you can pick whichever option suits your schedule!
5 Ingredients for Ranch Chicken:
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- Condensed cheddar cheese soup
- Milk
- A packet of dry Ranch salad dressing and seasoning mix
- Cooked, chopped bacon
Plus salt and pepper, which I don't "count" in my list of 5 ingredients!
First, place the chicken in a baking dish (or Crock Pot) and season with salt and pepper.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the soups, milk and ranch seasoning.
Spread the cheese soup mixture over the chicken.
Then cover tightly with a lid, with aluminum foil, or with the top of the slow cooker.
Bake the chicken in a 375 degree F oven for 50-60 minutes (if using chicken breasts). If using a Crock Pot, cook the meat on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours.
Give the sauce a stir, spoon a couple of tablespoons of the cheesy, creamy sauce over the chicken, and garnish with crispy bacon.
What to serve with Ranch Chicken with Bacon:
This versatile chicken can be used in wraps or on sandwiches. If you're serving the meat on its own, the ranch chicken goes well with any of the following sides:
- Mashed potatoes
- Rice or pasta
- Biscuits
- A green salad dressed in buttermilk dressing
- Garlic Roasted Broccoli
- Slow Cooker Southern Green Beans
- Roasted Asparagus
Cook's Tips and Recipe Variations:
- You can use either chicken breasts or chicken thighs for this recipe. The thighs will bake faster in the oven, so see the recipe below for detailed cooking instructions. As always, the best way to make sure that your meat is cooked perfectly is to use a meat thermometer. The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- If you're preparing the recipe in a Crock Pot, I recommend using boneless, skinless chicken thighs. The thighs tend to stay juicier during the slow cooking process than the chicken breasts -- but either will work!
- I prepare my bacon ahead of time by baking in the oven on a rimmed baking sheet at 400 degrees for about 13 minutes; or you can take a shortcut and buy the precooked bacon at the grocery store, warm it in the microwave, and crumble it with your fingers as you sprinkle it over the chicken.
- Garnish the dish with sliced green onions or fresh chives for a bright, flavorful burst of color.
- This cheesy, creamy ranch chicken with bacon is a good low carb, Keto-friendly dinner. One serving of chicken garnished with bacon and about 2 tablespoons of cheese sauce has just 3 grams of carbohydrates, 55 grams of protein, and only 297 calories.
- Use the ranch chicken to make a Chicken Bacon Ranch sandwich, or wrap the meat in a tortilla or lettuce wrap for a Bacon Ranch Chicken Wrap.
- Leftover ranch chicken with bacon will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3-5 days, or will keep in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To reheat the chicken, place the chicken and cheese sauce in a saucepan or skillet and warm over low heat, just until the chicken reaches the desired temperature.
More easy ranch chicken recipes that you might enjoy:
- Dump-and-Bake Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
- Parmesan Ranch Chicken Tenders
- Maria's Ranch Chicken Kabobs
- Ranch Chicken Tacos in a Crock Pot
- Dump-and-Bake Cool Ranch Chicken Casserole
Ranch Chicken with Bacon
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 2 cans (10.75 ounces each) condensed cheddar cheese soup, NOT diluted
- ½ cup milk
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 (1 ounce) packet dry ranch seasoning and salad dressing mix
- 4 slices cooked, chopped bacon
- Optional garnish: sliced green onion
Instructions
OVEN BAKED METHOD:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 2-3 quart baking dish with cooking spray. Place chicken in the prepared dish and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together condensed soup, milk and dry ranch seasoning. Spread over chicken.
- Cover tightly with foil or lid and bake for 50-60 minutes if using chicken breasts, or 35-45 minutes if using thighs. The meat is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Slice and serve each chicken breast with a couple of spoonfuls of cheese sauce, crumbled bacon and sliced green onions on top.
SLOW COOKER METHOD:
- Spray insert of slow cooker with cooking spray. Place chicken in the slow cooker and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together condensed soup, milk and dry ranch seasoning. Spread over chicken.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or on LOW for 6-8 hours. Slice the chicken or use two forks to shred the meat. Serve each chicken breast with a couple of spoonfuls of cheese sauce, crumbled bacon and sliced green onions on top.
Notes
- You can use either chicken breasts or chicken thighs for this recipe. The thighs will bake faster in the oven, so see the recipe below for detailed cooking instructions. As always, the best way to make sure that your meat is cooked perfectly is to use a meat thermometer. The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- If you're preparing the recipe in a Crock Pot, I recommend using boneless, skinless chicken thighs. The thighs tend to stay juicier during the slow cooking process than the chicken breasts -- but either will work!
- I prepare my bacon ahead of time by baking in the oven on a rimmed baking sheet at 400 degrees for about 13 minutes; or you can take a shortcut and buy the precooked bacon at the grocery store, warm it in the microwave, and crumble it with your fingers as you sprinkle it over the chicken.
- Garnish the dish with sliced green onions or fresh chives for a bright, flavorful burst of color.
- This cheesy, creamy ranch chicken with bacon is a good low carb, Keto-friendly dinner. One serving of chicken garnished with bacon and about 2 tablespoons of cheese sauce has just 3 grams of carbohydrates, 55 grams of protein, and only 297 calories.
- Use the ranch chicken to make a Chicken Bacon Ranch sandwich, or wrap the meat in a tortilla or lettuce wrap for a Bacon Ranch Chicken Wrap.
- Leftover ranch chicken with bacon will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3-5 days, or will keep in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To reheat the chicken, place the chicken and cheese sauce in a saucepan or skillet and warm over low heat, just until the chicken reaches the desired temperature.
Nutrition
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Chicken is my favourite dish but I don't know how to prepare it. I will definitely try your method to prepare Ranch chicken.
Bacon in any recipe kicks it up a notch. I'm obsessed with bacon and my bacon blanket from thefoodblankets.com.