Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole is a one-pot wonder combining your favorite ingredients into an amazing dish. This casserole is super easy to put together and can be made ahead of time. Leftovers, if any are just as yummy.
The Ingredients for Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
Tender chicken combines with rice, and bacon in a creamy cheesy sauce that’s out of this world.
Velveting the Chicken
If you’re like I am, you hold your breath these days in terms of tender chicken breasts. Will the chicken be tender or will it be tough? The problem is that you won’t know until the dish has already been prepared.
One solution to potentially tough chicken is to use a technique called velveting. Velveting is a Chinese technique that keeps chicken, and other meats tender and juicy as opposed to dry and tough.
While there are different techniques that can be used, my go-to technique is soaking the chicken in a baking soda/water mixture for about 15 minutes.
By increasing the pH, the baking soda which is alkaline tenderizes the chicken. This increase in pH alters the electrical charges on the chicken’s proteins, forcing them apart. As the proteins become farther apart, they become easier to bite through. Science at work here!
After I let the chicken sit for 15 minutes in the baking soda mixture, I rinsed it well with cold water. I let the chicken drain and then blotted it dry with paper towels.
Making the Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
Once the chicken had been prepped, I turned my attention to actually putting the casserole together.
I started by sautéing onion in some olive oil over medium heat until it was tender (Photo 1). This took about 5 minutes.
Next, I added the chicken and cooked it until it was no longer pink. This took about 7 minutes. After that, I sprinkled on the Ranch dressing mix and stirred to combine everything (Photo 2).
Then, I added the bacon, chicken broth and cream and stirred to combine everything (Photo 3). Finally, I added the rice which I had rinsed well and gave the mixture a good stir (Photo 4).
I transferred the Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole mixture to a 2 1/2-quart casserole dish that I had sprayed with non-stick spray. At this point, I could have covered the casserole and refrigerated it for cooking later in the day.
However, I was ready to cook the dish, so I covered the casserole with aluminum foil and popped it into a preheated 350°F oven for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, I removed the aluminum foil and topped the casserole with a mixture of shredded Cheddar cheese and shredded Mozzarella cheese.
I returned the uncovered casserole to the 350°F oven for another 25 minutes until the rice was fully cooked.
Talk about amazing! The chicken was moist and tender, and the flavors of the Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole perfectly complimented one another. Yum!
Chula’s Expert Tips
- I tend to always use low sodium chicken broth in my cooking. That way, I have more control over the amount of salt in the dish. However, you could also use regular chicken broth here. Just check the seasonings before you add any salt. (See Tip 6 below)
- Rice contains a fair amount of starch. Therefore, I always rinse my rice well in a colander until the water runs clear. Then, I let it drain well before using it.
- Because the Master Taste Tester prefers a stronger cheese, I generally always use extra sharp Cheddar cheese in my dishes. You could, however use sharp or regular Cheddar cheese in place of the extra sharp Cheddar cheese. You could also use Colby cheese or Colby Jack cheese rather than Cheddar cheese.
- I like the subtle taste difference that Mozzarella cheese produces. You could, however, just use one type of cheese.
- The Ranch dressing mix is petty salty, so before adding any salt or pepper, like to taste the liquid before cooking the casserole. I ended up adding about 1/4 teaspoon of Kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.
- Sometimes, I put the casserole together earlier in the day and refrigerate it covered until I’m ready to put it in the oven. When I do refrigerate the casserole before cooking it, I increase the first cooking time from 30 minutes to 35 minutes.
- This makes amazing leftovers. I cover and refrigerate the leftovers and reheat them in the microwave for several minutes until heated throughout.
Other One-Dish Wonders That Produce Amazing Leftovers
If you’re interested in recipes for other one-dish wonders that produce amazing leftovers, check out these:
- Easy Cheesy Mexican Rice with Chicken: Easy Cheesy Mexican Rice with Chicken is an amazing one-pot meal with an incredible blend of flavors and textures. It makes a lot, so be prepared for yummy leftovers!
- Easy Chicken Rice and Broccoli Casserole: Easy Chicken Rice and Broccoli Casserole is a one pot wonder that’s sure to become a family favorite. With the combination of chicken, rice, broccoli, and of course cheese, you know it’s going to be delicious. It can be made ahead of time and produces awesome leftovers.
- Creamy Chicken Broccoli Pasta: Creamy Chicken Broccoli Pasta is an amazing one-pot wonder that’s super easy to make and takes less than 30 minutes to put together. It makes a lot which is great given the the leftovers are just as yummy!
- Make-Ahead Shepherd’s Pie: Shepherd’s Pie is a traditional staple of British and Irish cooking. It’s easy to make, and incredibly tasty. Shepherd’s Pie can be made ahead and frozen for an anytime meal.
- One Pot Cream Tuscan Chicken: One Pot Creamy Tuscan Chicken is the ultimate in simplicity and taste. Thinly sliced chicken breasts are pan-fried and finished in a creamy Italian style sauce that’s bursting with goodness and flavor. Served over pasta, One Pot Creamy Tuscan Chicken is perfect for an elegant dinner party, but easy enough to serve any night of the week.
- Cheesy Southwestern Chicken Pasta: Cheesy Southwestern Chicken Pasta – the name for this amazing one-dish wonder says it all! Imagine the marriage of succulent chicken in a creamy southwestern sauce with tender pasta topped with ooey gooey cheese. It doesn’t get much better than this.
- Easy Creamy Chicken Marsala Pasta: Easy Creamy Chicken Marsala Pasta is an awesome twist on the classic Chicken Marsala. It’s easy enough for week-night meals, but elegant enough to serve at a dinner party. Tender pieces of chicken are cooked to perfection with caramelized onions and mushrooms tossed with pasta in a creamy dreamy Marsala sauce. Who could ask for more?
- Spicy New Orleans Jambalaya: Nothing speaks classic New Orleans cuisine like Spicy New Orleans Jambalaya. Laizzez les bons temps rouler with this delicious one-pot meal. It combines rice, shrimp, chicken, and andouille sausage in a spicy tomato sauce enhanced by the holy trinity.
- Creamy Chicken Divan: Creamy Chicken Divan is not only simple to make, but also amazingly delicious. It’s filled with tender chicken, perfectly cooked broccoli and a cheesy sauce. For a double dose of cheesy goodness, this Creamy Chicken Divan is topped with ooey gooey cheddar cheese. If it’s not gobbled at dinner, the chicken divan makes awesome leftovers.
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Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sizes pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons (1.5 ounces) olive oil
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
- 0.4 ounce package Ranch salad dressing and seasoning mix
- 6 slices bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled
- 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth (See Tip 1)
- 3 Tablespoons (1.5 ounces) heavy cream
- 1 cup uncooked long grain rice, rinsed well (See Tip 2)
- 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded extra sharp Cheddar cheese (See Tip 3)
- 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Mozzarella cheese (See Tip 4)
- Salt and pepper to taste (See Tip 5)
- Minced parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Combine 1/2 taspoon baking soda and water in a small bowl. Add to chicken; stir to combine. Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes. Rinse chicken well in cold water; drain and pat dry with paper towels.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 2 1/2-quart casserole dish with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté for 5 minutes or until tender. Add chicken; cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Sprinkle on Ranch dressing mix. Stir to combine.
- Add crumbled bacon, chicken broth, cream and rice. Stir to combine. Correct seasonings. Transfer to prepared casserole dish. May be prepared in advance up to this point. (See Tip 6)
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake in preheated 350°F oven for 30 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and sprinkle on cheeses. Return uncovered to 350°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until rice is fully cooked.
- Sprinkle with freshly minced parsley if desired and serve. Yield: 6 servings. (See Tip 7)
Chula's Expert Tips
- I always use low sodium chicken broth. However, you could also use regular chicken broth here. Just check the seasonings before you add any salt. (See Tip 5 below)
- Rice contains a fair amount of starch. Therefore, I always rinse my rice well in a colander until the water runs clear. Then, I let it drain well before using it.
- You could use sharp or regular cheddar cheese in place of the extra sharp cheddar cheese. You could also use Colby cheese rather than cheddar cheese.
- You could replace the Mozzarella cheese with an extra half cup of cheddar cheese.
- The Ranch dressing mix is petty salty, so before adding any salt or pepper, I tasted the liquid. I ended up adding about 1/4 teaspoon of Kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.
- You can put the casserole together earlier in the day and refrigerate it covered until you're ready to put it in the oven. If you do refrigerate the casserole before cooking it, increase the first cooking time from 30 minutes to 35 minutes.
- This makes delicious leftovers. Cover and refrigerate; reheat in microwave for several minutes until heated throughout.
Goodness, this sounds delicious. My mouth watered as I read. I will probably try it sometime this week, I’ll let you know how we liked it.
Carolyn
Carolyn,
It really is delicious. Let me know how it turned out!
Chula