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.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain 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.
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.
How To Make Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card. Below is an older photo of my original chicken casserole made with spinach, alongside a newer photo of the broccoli version. Both are delicious!
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 for up to 3 months. 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.
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.
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! Please enter your first name for your account. Your saved recipe will also be sent to your email. Optional tip: If you like extra ranch flavor, add 1-3 teaspoons of ranch seasoning mix, in addition to the dressing. Nutrition info is based on my homemade ranch dressing, and version 1 with broccoli. Version 2 with spinach has similar nutrition info, but slightly different due to the spinach.
Tips & substitutions: See the details in the post above! I’ve got lots of substitution options and shortcuts, as well as tips about the consistency. Store leftovers: 3-5 days in the fridge. Meal prep: Assemble ahead and refrigerate for a few days, or freeze for later. Freeze it: Up to 3 months in the freezer, before or after baking.
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