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Get It Now- Why You’ll Love My Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How To Make Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
- My Recipe Tips
- Storage Instructions
- Serving Suggestions
- More Chicken Casserole Recipes
- My Casserole Dish For This Recipe
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole (Fast & Easy) Recipe card
- Recipe Reviews
The only thing I might love more than quick, healthy meals and comfort food recipes is when I get to combine them in a dish that uses ingredients I have on hand. And low carb casseroles — like loaded cauliflower casserole, eggplant lasagna, and my personal favorite, this chicken bacon ranch casserole recipe — are perfect for just that.
The beauty of this one is that it doesn’t taste like good-for-you food at all. Cheese! Bacon! Ranch! What’s not to love? My whole family gets excited about this easy, real food dinner. But secretly? It’s packed with protein and veggies.
Why You’ll Love My Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
- Chicken, bacon, and ranch – Need I say more? They’re the flavors so many of us know and love. And it’s probably why my chicken bacon ranch casserole recipe has been so popular over the years.
- Simple, customizable ingredients – The best part is how common and flexible the ingredients are. You can easily adjust this recipe to use up whatever you have on hand. I often use it to clean out my refrigerator!
- Delicious way to enjoy protein and veggies – This chicken casserole feels like a total “mom win” for me. It’s one of the ways that my kids come around to new vegetables! With all the creamy, cheesy flavors, even your picky eaters will enjoy it.
- Healthy & low carb – It’s not just comforting and flavorful. It’s also keto-friendly (just 4.4 grams net carbs per serving using the broccoli option), gluten-free, and has plenty of vegetables. You can totally add starch if you want, though.
- Easy one-pan dinner – One of my favorite things about low carb casseroles is that your meal can be complete in just a baking dish. This one is a lifesaver on my busiest of days!
- Great for meal prep – Assemble it ahead of time and bake when needed, making your weeknights smoother. I love having it ready in the fridge, so dinner is just 15 minutes away.
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for my keto chicken bacon ranch casserole, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Chicken Breast – It needs to be cooked, and seasoned with at least salt and pepper, but otherwise any kind of chicken will do! Somehow I always have extra cooked chicken, so I usually use leftover baked chicken breast, shredded Instant Pot chicken breast, roasted chicken, or pan seared chicken. This recipe is also a great way to use up ranch chicken, since the flavors are the same. For a shortcut, buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it.
- Bacon – I prefer to make bacon in the oven because it makes a large batch to use for multiple recipes, but you could also make air fryer bacon, stovetop bacon in a large skillet, or microwave bacon. For a lighter alternative, use baked turkey bacon instead. If you want convenience, buy precooked bacon bits.
- Ranch Dressing – This makes up the sauce for the chicken casserole. I was excited to find another use for homemade ranch dressing, and it will only take you 5 minutes to whip it up! If you prefer to buy it instead, I recommend the kind in the refrigerated section next to the produce — it usually tastes better, is thicker, and has cleaner ingredients. For a variation, try substituting my Alfredo sauce or Caesar dressing instead of the ranch.
- Garlic – Buy fresh garlic and mince it yourself, or use jarred garlic (or even 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder) to save time.
- Shredded Cheese – Choose your favorite, because this easy low carb casserole works well with any kind! I always have cheddar and mozzarella cheese around, so that’s what I usually use. These are reliable for the most family-friendly version, but feel free to branch out to fancy sharp cheeses (check out my cheese list for ideas!).
- Veggies – They can be fresh or frozen, as long as you pre-cook them. You’ve got so many options here! I first made this dish using frozen spinach, which you’ll enjoy if you like creamed spinach, but I know not everyone is a fan. So, I made this chicken bacon ranch casserole with broccoli for my kids one day, and we all loved it so much that I updated the recipe to add that option. See my chart below for other vegetables you can use — I’ve tried so many combos over the years and they’ve all turned out great.
Low Carb Options | Higher Carb Options |
---|---|
Asparagus | Carrots |
Bell Peppers | Corn |
Broccoli | Pasta (penne pasta is a popular choice) |
Brussels Sprouts | Potatoes |
Cauliflower (either as roasted cauliflower florets or cauliflower rice) | Rice |
Green Beans | Sweet Potatoes |
Mushrooms | |
Spinach | |
Veggie Medley |
How To Make Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
This section shows step-by-step photos together with the instructions, to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Cook the veggies. I do this with broccoli and most other vegetables, so that they don’t make the chicken casserole watery. You can simply steam like I did below, but if you’ve got the time, roasted broccoli or sauteed broccoli tastes even better. If you’re using frozen spinach, you don’t even have to cook it — just drain it and squeeze well.
- Mix all the ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the cooked chicken, cooked bacon, cooked veggies, shredded cheeses, minced garlic, and ranch salad dressing.
- Assemble the chicken bacon ranch casserole. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish (this one is a perfect size) and sprinkle with more cheese. (You can spray the pan with cooking spray or coat with butter, but I usually don’t find this necessary.)
- Bake until hot and bubbly. Voila! Your low carb meal is here to save your busy weeknight. I added a bit more crumbled bacon on top at the end this time, but green onions would also pair well with these flavors.
Below is an older photo of my original chicken casserole made with spinach, alongside a newer photo of the broccoli version. Both are delicious!
My Recipe Tips
- Use the right amount of vegetables. My rule of thumb is 4 cups of chicken and 4 cups of vegetables (or 2 cups of cooked down greens, like spinach or kale). You can use the 4-cup rule as well if you are adding in pasta, roasted potatoes, or rice. If you want a more veggie-heavy casserole, increase the veggies to 6 cups and add an extra 1/4 cup of ranch dressing.
- Always precook your chicken, bacon, and veggies. This casserole bakes only for long enough to heat it and melt the cheese, not long enough to cook raw foods. Besides, adding raw meats or vegetables will mess up the texture. You can use any method to cook them, or even buy them pre-cooked. Which brings me to my next tip…
- You can take shortcuts with store-bought items. I’m not a fan of processed pre-made foods, but for this shredded chicken casserole, finding clean ingredients is easy. Grab a rotisserie chicken, a bottle of ranch, and some bacon bits, and this recipe becomes a breeze. You can even buy pre-cut veggies!
- Use a thicker dressing if you can. This coats the chicken and vegetables better than ones that are very runny.
- Leftover vegetables work great. Chicken bacon ranch casserole is the perfect match for leftover veggies! I make it all the time to use up extra sauteed or roasted vegetables.
- For a more intense ranch flavor, add 2 tablespoons of ranch seasoning. You can make my homemade ranch seasoning mix or use store-bought.
- Bake the casserole until it’s melty and bubbly. If it starts to brown too much on top, just cover it with foil. On the other hand, if you want to brown the cheese more, broil it.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Keep your leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. They taste amazing reheated for lunch all week!
- Meal prep: I meal prep this chicken bacon ranch casserole All. The. Time. You can assemble the whole thing, cover with foil, and keep it in the fridge for a few days. You can freeze it. You can portion it individually. It’s fantastic in all the ways.
- Reheat: To reheat the entire casserole, cover it with foil and bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes. You can also warm up individual portions in the microwave.
- Freeze: Since everything is already precooked, I recommend freezing this chicken casserole before baking. Assemble it and freeze right in the covered baking dish. You can bake from frozen, but it will heat faster and more evenly if you thaw in the fridge overnight. I recommend giving it a good stir after baking, or halfway through.
Serving Suggestions
One of the reasons I adore this chicken bacon ranch casserole is that it’s a full meal by itself! But if you’re in the mood for something extra, pair it with one of my low carb salads or a bowl of soup as a starter.
More Chicken Casserole Recipes
Chicken is my favorite protein for casseroles! If you like this one, you might also like some of my other “cheesy but healthy” chicken casserole recipes:
My Casserole Dish For This Recipe
This baking dish (shown in my pictures) transitions right from the oven to my dinner table, not to mention it’s the perfect size. And you can even pop it in the freezer if you’re prepping ahead. So, no extra dishes to wash!
Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole (Fast & Easy)
Your whole family will love this easy chicken bacon ranch casserole! It's fast, creamy, cheesy, low carb, and needs just 7 common ingredients.
Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them.
Main Ingredients for Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
Version 1 with Broccoli
Version 2 with Spinach
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (191 degrees C).
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If using frozen spinach, thaw and squeeze to drain first. If using broccoli, place it into a pot of water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 1-2 minutes until bright green.
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Combine the chicken, bacon, drained spinach or broccoli, garlic, ranch dressing, and half of the shredded cheeses in a large bowl. Stir until well incorporated. Transfer to a 9×13 in (23×33 cm) glass or stoneware casserole dish. (Alternatively, you can mix everything directly in the casserole dish.)
Optional tip: If you like extra ranch flavor, add 1-3 teaspoons of ranch seasoning mix, in addition to the dressing.
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Top with remaining shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheeses.
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Bake for about 15 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers, or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cup
Nutrition info is based on this homemade ranch dressing, and version 1 with broccoli. Version 2 with spinach has similar nutrition info, but slightly different due to the spinach.
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
655 Comments
Julie
0I had to search and search for the actual recipe card. It would be helpful if you could put that first and then tips. Thank you for the recipe.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Julie, Feel free to use the “jump to recipe” button at the top if you want to skip to the recipe.
Rick
0I made this recipe with the addition of rice cauliflower as a foundation. Wow! This delicious and worth the time to prepare. I made the chicken in my instant pot. Really delicious.
Morry
0I tried making this today – it took about 3 hours completely from scratch – as in, I had ingredients, but nothing pre-cooked. Made the oven bacon, baked chicken, brocolli, and actually didn’t have ranch dressing or anything to make it with, so I used cream cheese and sour cream and stirred herbs and spices into that mix, then stirred in the shredded cheeses and baked it. It looks delish!! Currently waiting for it to cool down.
abby
0Quick and easy dish to make up! I did add some garlic chili sauce to kick it up a bit! Yum! This will easily become a favorite!
Kate
0Made this tonight and it was good! I eyeballed the ranch, and probably ended up with closer to a full cup. I used frozen broccoil, because that’s what I had on hand. I Just thawed it first, skipped the blanching, chopped up a bit more and cooked a few extra minutes because, though thawed, it was still icy and cold. I only ended up with about 3 full dinner portions, but this could easily be doubled for meal prepping purposes. I am excited for leftovers for lunch tomorrow, and I don’t say that often! I am excited to try it with the frozen spinach too.
Adam H
0Where’s the 6/5 Rating button. AWESOME that’s all. Nice thing about this website it let me put in 4 servings and it 1/2’d the recipe I used 8×8 pan. I sliced 2 chicken breast in 1/2. Lightly seasoned with pepper lawrys and onion powder, baked 350/15min (165°). Shredded. Used sharp cheddar/mozzarella, Kraft, full fat not fat free, ranch. Was a little generous with all the ingredient measurements cause everything in this is a win. Rarely can I follow a recipe without modifying to suit me but this one was spot on. So much so this is my first recipe review, it’s not fair to modify then review, but no mods needed for me. Thanks so much for the addition to my dinner menu.
Kelsea Pownall
0This is quick , easy , and wonderful! I 10/10 would recommend! I have trouble finding simple things to make that are low carbs so this was definitely a good find!!!!
Kristi
0This recipe was really yummy! My picky eaters enjoyed it!
Kelly
0This looks delicious! I was thinking about mixing in a can of broccoli cheddar soup and using a ranch packet instead of ranch dressing. Do you think this would work and still taste good?
Wholesome Yum A
0I think it would still work, Kelly. It would most likely not be low carb, though. I would start with less soup at first to make sure it doesn’t take on too much liquid.
Sarah
0Hi! I loved this recipe! Do you have any idea how many grams of saturated fat are in one serving? I’m plugging it into my Weight Watchers points. Thanks!
Wholesome Yum A
0Hi Sarah, I unfortunately don’t calculate that. You might be able to figure it out with a macro calculator, or try the USDA food database (which we use to calculate the rest of our macros).
DJ
0Delicious and Easy!! I made this recipe for my family, and extra for my brother and his wife, who are also low carb eaters. Everyone loved it!
Liz Barrett-Huston
0The was very good, though plan on an hour for prep time!
Cindi Topper
0Does anyone have any suggestions to make this a bit saucier? I found it dry,
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Cindi, It shouldn’t be dry,but can vary a bit depending on how you measure the ingredients. Feel free to add more dressing to it if you like, or mix in shredded cheese.
Pam
0This was really good! Easy and quick to pull together with dinner on table in no time. Just be sure to not over cook broccoli before baking this. It is yummy with a little crunch …
Sasha
0This was a hit for dinner! Flavorful as being it wasn’t part of my 1st week-doing keto I was excited to have found it!already preordered my book thanks for sharing amazing recipes
Terri
0This is so yummy!!! It reminds my daughter and I of one of our favorite pizzas from our pre-keto days. I made it with broccoli this time, but I think the next time I make it I’m going to try fresh, uncooked spinach and sprinkle it with chopped tomatoes to be more like the pizza we loved. That might sound strange to others, but if I can recreate our pizza fav as a keto casserole, I would be truly happy!!! Thanks for the great recipe, Maya!
Ruth
0Absolutely love this recipe! Thanks SO much for your wonderful sharing as I am new to keto I need lots of ideas and help to get the evening meal on the table. Being in Australia I appreciate that so far I have not had any ingredient issues.
Devonne J Higgins
0I love your recipe ideas for my keto life. Do you have a print feature available for the recipes?
Wholesome Yum
0Yes, Devonne! Find the print button right under the video in the recipe card.
Kelly
0I JUST LOVE YOUR RECIPES!
Jason Stephens
0I made this with a few modifications as I used Cauliflower, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts and a Cooke’s chicken from the store shredded and 4 slices of bacon with 3/4 of a cup of Ranch Dressing and it was a total home run!
Being a single dad it’s a challenge finding things the boy will eat even though he’s way more health conscious than I am for sure but he loved this and so did I!
The 8 portions was great and lasted us a few days which was great with our busy schedules.
Definitely making this again next week he’s already asking for more.
Alex
0This sounds super great! I can’t wait to make this for dinner tonight thank you for this idea!
Karen
0I just do not like ranch at all. Anyone try with caesar?
Ashley T. Murphy
0I almost tried it with cream of mushroom soup…
Milly
0Not a fan. Too much garlic, in fact I wouldn’t add any. I think it was also way too rich and salty!
Jass
0Making and added a package of cream cheese to make creamier. The prebaked taste was delicious. I used organic great value ranch which gave it a fresh veggie taste. I can’t wait to pull it out the oven and chow down.
Tara
0I don’t see any measurements
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Tara, The measurements are on the recipe card above – make sure you have your browser’s Reading Mode turned OFF.
Claire Brasseux
0This sounds delicious!!! I’m not a big ranch eater but LOVE blue cheese. Has anyone done this substitute? If so, how was it?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Claire, Thank you! I haven’t tried it with blue cheese, but am sure it would also be good!
Lisa Halip
0Will I be able to freeze and thaw later? This just baked and tastes like heaven!! Thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lisa, Yes, you can! Just give it a good stir after reheating. I’m glad you liked it!
Suzanne
0Yes please!! This was soooo satisfying. Cooked chix thighs with Montreal chicken seasoning which added good flavor. For the veg I used steamed kale. I did use 1/2 cup mozzarella in the mix but topped with cheddar and grated Asiago. Once baked, I topped it with crunchy fried shallots! Great recipe that allows for lots of little switches. Oh and I made your Keto Ranch Dressing which was also superb!! Thank you.
Charity Caldwell
0We made this up as it looked amazing but added both the spinach and broccoli – it tasted better than imaginable!!!
We then tested it out on our very fussy/picky 13yr old son and he scooped it on fresh buttered bread and loved it so then we served it up for a family friend and she said it was to die for and insisted on the recipe immediately.
This is so easy and yummy which is so full of flavour and now a family favourite – thankyou!X!
Casey
0I literally just made this and finished eating it (and had your keto chocolate chip cookies for dessert!) and it rocked my world! So many flavors! It took me awhile to prep but it was well worth the work. My wife had (also literally) just given me an instant pot for Father’s day, so I used it to cook the chicken, which turned out amazingly! I actually had some precooked bacon bits in my freezer so I just defrosted those. I chose to use broccoli because I love it and I already had some. This is the 3rd main dish I’ve made from your recipes and my favorite so far. Thank you for sharing all your wonderful recipes!
Kayla
0Loved this! Only used one clove of garlic and I would suggest adding croutons or ritz crackers on top. But otherwise delicious!
Meredith
0This is a house favorite in my home. I’m the only keto person so cooking something that we all eat and actually ENJOY for my partner, my three year old and my thirteen year old can be difficult. This is one of the few meals that checks all the boxes. Super simple, even more delicious.
Linda Brown
0Thanks for a great recipe !! Very tasty, the only change I made was added sliced tomato on the top and added the cheese, it was nicely browned and good and cheesy, and my husband really enjoyed it too.
Jennifer
0What are the nutrition facts on this recipe?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jennifer, The nutrition info is on the recipe card above.
Tracie Becker
0Did anyone try putting jalapenos in this, the pickled type? I feel like it is screaming for them but I am not sure how it would turn out.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Tracie, I haven’t but sounds delicious! I say go for it!
Patricia
0This is the yummiest casserole ever!!! Don’t use bacon bits or chicken from a can and make your own ranch (hidden valley packet is just fine ) I used boneless skinless chicken thighs. Your whole family will love this!!
Cori
0I don’t leave a lot of comments but had to on this one! I LOVE this recipe. Simple and soooooo good. Thank you!
Niki McCane
0This was a wonderful recipe. Simple & doesnt cost much at all. My family doesnt like spinich but they ate this. I will have to agree with the other comments ( which i wish i would have read first)….the recipe called for way too much garlic & i love garlic. I did think 3 cloves was a bit excessive but i went with it anyways….whoa buddy. Im hoping this will now keep the mosquitos away. Lbvs.
Sue Ryan
0I am fairly new to keto and use the carbmanager app to record EVERTHING that goes in my mouth. Do you know how I would put this in carbmanager?
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Sue, there’s usually a space in those apps to manually input macros. You can use that option and then enter the macros on the recipe card above.
Holly Vickers
0This is great! I think it calls for too much garlic for my a taste. I used 3 cloves, and it looked like too much, so I removed about a cloves worth, and it was still a bit too much garlic. I would probably use 1 1/4 medium cloves next time. Otherwise, it’s great.
Leigh
0Is the nutritional information only for the BASE recipe, excluding spinach or broccoli?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Leigh, The nutrition info is for the broccoli version.
Kristi Hovland
0Delicious, made it as instructed with store bought ranch dressing. Pre-cooked my veggies and bacon yesterday so it was a simple weekday meal. Thank you very much for this recipe, it will be one of my go-to’s for company as well.
Devin Butler
0Can this be done as a freezer meal?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Devin, Yes, you can freeze it!
Luna Mune
0Made this today. Turned out amazing!!!! Wish you would have posted ingredient amounts, I added a bit too much minced garlic, but was still good. Also, didn’t know how much ranch to add, so I just kept adding until it was good enough. Thanks!
Trisha
0I just made your recipe for dinner tonight and it was FANTASTIC!!! So cheesy, so creamy and just plain out delicious! I did knock the garlic down to 1 clove and it worked out perfect. TY and God bless!
Cass
0HI! Have you ever tried this with dry ranch mix and cream cheese instead of the ranch dressing?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Cass, I have not, but it would probably work. You can get a clean ranch seasoning mix recipe here.
Steven B.
0I made this recipe tonight and it worked perfectly! The only thing I would do when making it again is to just drizzle some ranch dressing on top of each serving rather than baking it in. Baking it in made it a little too rich for my taste, but it was still delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Lori S.
0This dish was good. Maybe a bit heavy on the garlic. I think I will cut the garlic in half next try. Overall delicious especially over brown rice.
Doris
0It shows almond and coconut flours, but nothing in the instructions about them, or the sweetener?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Doris, Where are you seeing that? This recipe doesn’t have any flours or sweetener in it – it’s a chicken casserole.
Kimberly
0She’s talking about the ad. It says your “must have favorites.”
Tracy Ritko
0Can’t wait to try the chicken bacon ranch