Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole is a one-pot wonder that combines your favorite ingredients into an amazing dish. It is super easy to put together and can be made ahead of time. Leftovers, if any, are just as yummy.
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Ingredients for Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
Tender chicken combines with rice, and bacon in a creamy cheesy sauce that’s out of this world.
Making the Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole – Step-by-Step
- I started by sautéing the onion in olive oil over medium heat until it started to soften. 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.
- Then, I added the bacon, chicken broth, cream, and uncooked rice and stirred the mixture to combine everything.
- I transferred the Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole mixture to a 2 ½-quart casserole dish 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. Then, 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 complemented one another. Yum!
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Leftover or rotisserie chicken works perfectly in this recipe, making it even quicker to prepare.
Broccoli, spinach, and bell peppers are great additions. Just make sure to cook or steam them beforehand to avoid excess moisture.
The leftovers are delicious. I generally reheat the leftovers in the microwave.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- I tend always to 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.
- Rice contains a fair amount of starch. Therefore, I always rinse my rice well in a wire mesh strainer until the water runs clear. Then, I let the rice drain well before using it.
- Because the Master Taste Tester prefers a stronger cheese, I generally 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, Pepper Jack, or Colby Jack cheese rather than Cheddar cheese.
- I like the subtle taste difference that Mozzarella cheese produces. You could, however, use one type of cheese.
- The Ranch dressing mix is petty salty, so before adding any salt or pepper, taste the liquid before cooking the casserole. I added about ¼ teaspoon of Kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Also, don’t confuse the Ranch dressing mix (0.4 ounces) with Ranch Seasoning (1 ounce).
- 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.
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 Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole
- One-Pot Chicken Fajita Pasta – Where Tex-Mex Meets Italian
- Easy One-Pot Homemade Hamburger Helper Lasagna
- Easy Cheesy Ham Broccoli Rice Casserole
- One Pot Creamy Tuscan Chicken – Quick and Easy
- Easy Make Ahead Cottage Pie
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Mac & Cheese
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Creamy Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sizes pieces
- 1 ½ Tablespoons (1.5 ounces) olive oil
- ½ cup finely chopped onions
- 0.4 ounce package Ranch salad dressing
- 6 slices bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled
- 1 ½ 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)
- ½ cup (2 ounces) shredded Mozzarella cheese (See Tip 4)
- Salt and pepper to taste (See Tip 5)
- Minced parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 2 ½-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)
Video
Tips/Notes
- 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 instead of the extra-sharp cheddar cheese. You could also use Colby cheese, Colby Jack, or Pepper Jack rather than cheddar cheese.
- You could replace the Mozzarella cheese with a half cup of cheddar cheese.
- The Ranch dressing mix is a bit salty, so I tasted the liquid before adding salt or pepper. I added about ¼ teaspoon of Kosher salt and ¼ 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 refrigerate the casserole before cooking it, increase the first cooking time from 30 to 35 minutes.
- This makes delicious leftovers. Cover and refrigerate; reheat in microwave for several minutes until heated throughout.
Carolyn G Haley says
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
Chula King says
Carolyn,
It really is delicious. Let me know how it turned out!
Chula