My Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole is a hit with kids and adults. Quick, easy, and so comforting. This is cheesy, bacony, and filling. This Bacon Ranch Chicken Casserole is one of my favorite low carb chicken recipes ever.
Low Carb, Keto, THM S, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free
Mondays can be tough. Especially when the toddler wakes up every hour all night long the night before and won’t go back to sleep. Again and again.
I do enjoy cooking and baking or I wouldn’t have begun this blog but there are days I just need a break. I knew by the time 5 o’clock came around I would be wiped and barely able to drag myself off the couch let alone make a nutritious dinner. Thank God I already had cooked chicken in the fridge so I was able to quickly whip up a casserole that I could pop into the oven for dinner.
Most of us gobbled it up and had seconds (the 4 yo has a limited acceptable food list and casseroles are not on it). However, the first-grader claimed a thermos of the leftovers for lunch tomorrow. That makes mommy happy.
How To Make Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
You’ll be thanking your lucky stars when you figure out how easy this chicken bacon ranch casserole really is! It’s a huge time saver, and it’s made with healthy and delicious ingredients. Let’s take a look at how to make this casserole dish.
First Step: Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F.
Second Step: Mix together the cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, and spices in a large bowl. Mix it thoroughly.
Third Step: Add the chicken, broccoli, ¾ of the cheese, and ¼ of the crumbled bacon to the cream cheese mixture.
Fourth Step: Dump the casserole into a 9×13 baking dish that’s sprayed with cooking spray. Add the rest of the cheese and bacon to the top.
Fifth Step: Bake the chicken casserole for 35 minutes, then serve hot! Enjoy!
Where is the ranch?
My unique blend of spices is what gives this the ranch flavor. You do not need a packet of ranch mix or bottled ranch dressing. These spices and herbs also work well to make homemade ranch dressing or dip! Just mix them with sour cream and mayo for a dip. For dressing thin with a little almond milk.
Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole Variations
As with many of my recipes, you can easily add your own spin of additional flavors and textures. I love tossing in whatever sounds good that day! Here are a few ideas to try:
- Turkey – If you have some cooked turkey from the holidays or just have some you want to use up, toss it in the casserole in place of the chicken. It’s so good, and it’s a great way to use up leftovers too.
- Garlic – Mince some garlic and add it to the casserole. I feel like you can never have too much garlic for anything! Okay, maybe you can have too much, but adding some is always a plus.
- Mozzarella Cheese – Either mix the cheddar cheese half and half with the mozzarella or go with mozzarella all the way. It’s a lovely way to change the flavors!
- Parmesan – Sprinkle some freshly grated parmesan on top the last 5 minutes of baking. It will turn to a delightful golden brown color and tastes fantastic.
- Green Onions – Add some finely chopped green onions to the top of the chicken bacon ranch casserole. It’s so good!
What Kind Of Chicken Do I Need To Use?
You can use whatever chicken you have on hand as long as it’s been cooked and cubed. Rotisserie chicken, boneless skinless chicken breasts, and boneless skinless chicken thighs are my favorites. They all go perfectly with the flavors and are easy to work with. You can use bone-in chicken, but you are going to remove the meat from the bones before adding it to the casserole.
What should I serve with this casserole?
This has all you need for a complete meal but if you want to serve an additional vegetable alongside it I’d recommend a Caesar salad, roasted asparagus, or roasted green beans.
Can I Make Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole Ahead Of Time?
Yes, this low carb chicken casserole is perfect for making ahead of time. You can actually prepare the casserole and put it in the fridge for up to two days prior to baking. This is amazing when you know you have some busy nights coming up.
One thing that is wonderful about this chicken bacon ranch casserole is that you can also make it to give to friends or family as a gift too. If you know someone who just had a new baby or some people moved into your neighborhood, this is a great option!
You can also bake the casserole ahead of time and save it in the fridge or freezer until you are ready to serve as well. If you love meal planning, this dish is an all-around winner!
After the chicken casserole has cooked, it will last 3-4 days in the fridge. Or if you opt to freeze it, it will last 2-3 months in the freezer. Just make sure no matter how you store it, you keep it airtight and cold.
How Do You Reheat Chicken Casserole?
You can reheat the chicken casserole a couple of ways. First of all, if you just want one or two helpings warmed up, you can heat it on a microwave-safe plate for a minute or two. It heats up super fast, so it won’t take too long. Make sure to stir it and not warm it up too much, or the texture will be strange.
You can also preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. and place the casserole in the oven for 12-15 minutes until it’s hot all the way through. You may need to warm it a little longer if needed. Just check it every little bit, so it doesn’t overheat and dry out.
A few of my other favorite low carb chicken casserole recipes are:
Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole
Anytime you need low carb chicken casserole recipes just come here. We eat SO much chicken I am constantly trying to find new and exciting ways to use it.
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Ingredients
- 1.5 lb cooked chicken cubed
- 1 lb fresh broccoli steamed and drained or frozen broccoli, thawed and drained
- 1 tbsp dried minced onion
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tbsp dried dill weed or 1 tbsp fresh dill
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp bacon crumbles
- 8 oz. cream cheese softened
- 4 oz. sour cream
- 4 oz. mayo
- 8 oz. shredded cheddar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 if baking immediately. Or you can prep ahead and keep in the refrigerator for a day or two.
- In a big bowl combine cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, and spices and mix thoroughly.
- To the cream cheese mixture, you just made add the chicken, broccoli, 3/4 of the cheese, and the 1/4 cup bacon crumbles and mix well.
- Dump into a 9x13 baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle remaining cheese and 2 tbsp bacon crumbles on top.
- Bake until hot about 35 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally Published April 6, 2016. Revised and Republished January 29, 2020.
Cheryl Sanders says
Very good and easy
Colleen says
What is the serving size?
Taryn says
This has 8 servings. I normally just eye it up when scooping into the plates.
Lydia says
So amazing. I’ve been trying to find more make ahead casseroles for days i work. This was quick to put together on my day off and so simple to bake. Tasted so great, even the husband enjoyed it. Saving for sure. I didn’t bother steaming the brocoli. Overcooked brocoli fills me with anger and it cooked to the perfect doneness as it was.
Gail says
This was delicious! I am type 2 diabetic and doing doing low-carb (not keto) to lose weight. To reduce the fat and calories some, could I use light light versions of sour cream, cream cheese, and sour cream? Has anyone done that?
Taryn says
Yes, that would work.
Carol Smith says
If it were possible this would get 10 stars. Excellent as written
Allison G says
Fabulous… everyone in my family loved it and went back for seconds! I served it on rice for the kids and with just a salad on the side for myself and my husband. I used a Costco rotisserie chicken, which was so easy and added a little extra flavor. I thought about putting it on cauliflower rice, but it really didn’t need it at all. Thank you for such great recipe!
Carol helms says
This was a very tasty dish. I cut the recipe in half but forgot to cut down the dream cheese. It was strong tasting from the extra cream cheese but it tasted great. I used mozzarella instead of cheddar and that made it more creamy. Hubby wants it regularly and to try different cheeses each time.
betsy says
where does the RANCH come in?does it make its own with the sour and cream cheese?
Taryn says
I explain this in the blog post. Yes, you are basically making a homemade ranch with the spices, sour cream, etc.
Allison H says
Would you be able to prep this ahead of time and freeze as a freezer meal?
Taryn says
Yes. I’ve had readers do that successfully.
Kathy says
This taste amazing! Two thumbs up from hubby. Definitely will add this to my favorites!
Denise Hammond says
Looks great, can’t wait to try it.
Amanda says
My husband loves all the casseroles but this one with broccoli is his favorite. He has asked for it once a week since I first made it!
Bonnie says
Is there any reason why you couldn’t use raw chicken instead of cooking it first? I would think baking small chunks of chicken would take about the same amount of time as the recipe calls for, and might make it more moist. Excited to try this recipe!
Taryn says
The chicken will release liquid as it cooks and might make the sauce too watery.