Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

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In my world, cold weather means quick low carb meals and comfort food recipes. Especially low carb casseroles, like loaded cauliflower casserole, big mac casserole, and my personal favorite, this cheesy chicken bacon ranch casserole recipe. The beauty of it is that it doesn’t taste like health food at all (Cheese! Bacon! Ranch!)… the whole family will devour this easy dinner. But secretly? Yep, it’s actually a low carb keto chicken casserole.

Low carb chicken casserole recipes are one of the best easy keto dinners. You can throw them together in advance or make them last minute. The prep time is typically minimal, especially if you have some basic staples in your fridge already. Besides, the ability to customize a basic low carb chicken casserole recipe for various ingredients you might have is a huge advantage. That’s why I have two ways to make this one (and lots of substitution options) below.

The ranch dressing makes this bacon ranch chicken casserole that much more… comforting. There’s something so perfect about a creamy, tangy ranch dressing combined with chicken, smoky bacon and gooey cheese. And there’s no arguing that chicken, bacon and ranch make an amazing, comforting dinner combo!

What Is Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole?

Chicken bacon ranch casserole is a casserole made of yummy chicken, bacon, and ranch flavors. The base is made of chicken, bacon, ranch dressing, and cheese and then you can decide what vegetables you want to add.

So what makes this one of the best low carb chicken meals? The preparation is seriously the easiest thing ever. You cannot get it wrong.

If you have the chicken and bacon pre-cooked, and ranch dressing pre-made, then the prep time for this low carb chicken casserole literally takes just five minutes. You can even save more time by using rotisserie chicken, pre-cooked bacon bits, and store bought ranch.

Ingredients You’ll Need

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for keto chicken bacon ranch casserole, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

Basic Ingredients For Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole:

The common, simple ingredients are the best part of this low carb casserole. I often have them on hand, and I’ll bet you do too. And like many easy keto recipes, there are some options for customizing this one.

Here is what you’ll need for virtually any healthy chicken bacon ranch casserole recipe, and some customization options:

• Chicken Breast – It needs to be cooked, and seasoned with at least salt and pepper, but otherwise any kind of chicken will do! I usually use baked chicken breast, shredded chicken made in the Instant Pot, or pan seared chicken breast. This recipe is also a great way to use up leftover chicken you already have, or for a shortcut, buy a rotiserrie chicken… and (boom!) you get one of the easiest keto shredded chicken recipes ever.
• Bacon – Also needs to be pre-cooked until crispy, but there are several options here. 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. If you want convenience, buy pre-cooked bacon bits.
• Garlic – You can buy fresh garlic and mince it yourself, or use jarred garlic to save time.
• Ranch Dressing – If possible, choose a dressing that’s on the thicker side for best results. I was excited to share another use for homemade ranch dressing, so that’s what I used. Making your own only takes a few minutes to whisk together, and stores well in a jar in the fridge, so try it if you can! But if you prefer to buy dressing, you’ll love this store-bought ranch, made with natural ingredients. You can even add some extra homemade ranch seasoning mix to the casserole if you want a stronger ranch flavor. For a variation, try substituting alfredo sauce instead of the ranch.
• Vegetables – They can be fresh or frozen, but there are so many options here that I decided to cover them in a separate section below.
• Shredded cheese – Choose your fave cheese! This easy low carb casserole works well with any kind. I had cheddar and mozzarella cheese around, as always. Feel free to use some fancy sharp cheeses if you like those (check out the cheese list for ideas!), but mozzarella and cheddar cheese are reliable options for the most family-friendly version.

Vegetable & Other Filling Options:

I originally made this keto chicken bacon ranch casserole using frozen spinach. For the most part, readers have been happy with it (you’ll love it if you like creamed spinach!), but I know some people don’t like spinach as much as I do. The most common variation I heard people making was a chicken bacon ranch casserole with broccoli, so I updated the recipe card with a 2nd version to show you how to do that.

Ultimately, this is your casserole, so make it yours, using vegetables you like. Here are some ideas:

Healthy 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 florets or cauliflower rice)	Rice
Green Beans	Sweet Potatoes
Mushrooms
Spinach
Veggie Medley

No matter what veggies you use, there are three main things to know:

1. Use the right amount. A good rule of thumb to use for this recipe is 4 cups of most 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 few tablespoons of ranch dressing.
2. Precook your veggies. Vegetables will not cook through in the assembled casserole, and doing so can make the dish very watery, so avoid these issues by cooking your veggies before adding them to your chicken bacon casserole mixture. (The exception is frozen spinach, because this is already blanched and just needs to be drained.) When I make chicken bacon ranch casserole with broccoli, I simply cook the broccoli in boiling water and this works great. But if you prefer and have the time, you can also pan fry or roast your vegetables instead.
3. Leftover vegetables work great. Low carb chicken casseroles are the perfect match for leftover veggies! If you have leftovers of sauteed or roasted vegetables, toss them into the casserole to use them up.

Below is an older photo of the version of this keto chicken casserole made with spinach, alongside a newer photo of the broccoli version. Both are delicious!

How To Make Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

This section shows how to make this keto chicken bacon ranch casserole recipe, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

• Cook veggies. This applies to broccoli and most other vegetables. If you’re using frozen spinach, you don’t even have to do that — just drain it and squeeze with paper towel.
• Mix. In a large bowl, combine cooked chicken, cooked bacon, cooked veggies, shredded cheeses, minced garlic, and ranch dressing.

TIP: If you like extra ranch flavor, add 1-3 teaspoons of ranch seasoning mix, in addition to the dressing.

• Assemble. Transfer your keto chicken casserole 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. Baking time takes only about 15 minutes, just until the chicken bacon casserole is hot and bubbly. Voila! This will be one of your favorite low carb meals for a busy weeknight. (I added a bit more crumbled bacon on top at the end.)

How To Make Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole Ahead

Like many casserole recipes, you can make this one ahead or freeze it. This chicken bacon ranch casserole is great for meal prep! Here are your options for storing this easy keto meal:

• Assemble ahead of time. You can assemble the whole thing, cover with foil, and keep it in the fridge for a few days. Then, simply bake right before serving.
• Freeze. Assemble it the same way, and freeze right in the casserole dish. You can bake it from frozen, but it will cook more evenly if you let it thaw in the fridge first. You may need to give it a good stir after baking, or midway through.
• Meal prep. Assemble in individual containers and heat individually for lunch. Since all the ingredients are pre-cooked, you can even reheat in the microwave if needed.
• Store leftovers. If you already baked the keto chicken casserole and have leftovers, simply store them in the fridge for 3-5 days.

More Keto Chicken Casserole Recipes

If you like this keto chicken bacon ranch casserole, you might also like some of these other keto chicken casseroles:

• Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Casserole
• Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
• Chicken Zucchini Casserole
• Pesto Chicken Cauliflower Casserole
• Buffalo Chicken Casserole

Or if you prefer a simpler chicken dinner with a side dish on the side, try Air Fryer Chicken Wings, Coconut Curry Chicken, or Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken.

Video Showing How To Make Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole with Spinach:

Tap here to jump to the video for this recipe -- it's located directly above the ingredients list. It's the easiest way to learn how to make Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole with Spinach!

This video shows how to make chicken bacon ranch casserole with spinach. You can see the version with broccoli on the recipe card below.