Description

Easy one-pan Loaded Potato Ranch Chicken Casserole recipe featuring golden Yukon Gold potatoes, ranch-seasoned chicken breast, crispy bacon, melted Mexican cheese, and fresh green onions. This family-friendly dinner is ready in about an hour and tastes like loaded baked potatoes meets chicken casserole. Perfect for meal prep, potlucks, and weeknight dinners. Includes make-ahead instructions, storage tips, and delicious variations

Ingredients

For the Potatoes:

4 cups Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled and diced
⅓ cup ranch dressing
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Chicken:

2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch dice
⅓ cup ranch dressing
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Topping:

1 cup cooked, crumbled bacon
1½ cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
½ cup green onions, chopped

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Instructions

Step 1: Preheat and Prep Your Potatoes

Get your oven going at 450°F. Yeah it’s hot, but trust me on this. Throw your diced potatoes in a bowl with ⅓ cup of ranch, the parsley, oregano, paprika, and some salt and pepper. I just eyeball the salt and pepper at this point because I’ve made this so many times. Mix it all up with your hands—yes, it’s messy, but it’s faster and you get better coverage. Dump everything into your 9×13 dish and spread it out so it’s one layer. If you pile them up they’ll steam instead of getting crispy, and nobody wants sad steamed potatoes.

Step 2: Start Baking the Potatoes

Stick the dish in the oven and set your timer for 10 minutes. When it beeps, pull it out and stir everything around. Do this two more times. I know it’s annoying but this is how you get potatoes that are golden and crispy on all sides instead of burnt on top and raw underneath. Also your house is gonna smell amazing during this part. My neighbor once texted me asking what I was cooking because she could smell it through our shared wall.

Step 3: Season Your Chicken

While the potatoes are in the oven doing their thing, dump your chicken chunks in that same bowl you used for the potatoes. Why dirty another bowl? Pour in the rest of the ranch, add salt and pepper, and mix it up. The ranch is gonna keep the chicken super moist and give it that same flavor as the potatoes. Sometimes I add extra pepper here because I like things spicy.

Step 4: Layer the Chicken

When your 30 minutes are up and you’ve stirred those potatoes three times, take out the dish and turn your oven down to 400°F. Spoon all that ranch-covered chicken on top of the potatoes. Don’t worry about being neat—just get it all in there. Cover the whole thing with foil and make sure it’s sealed around the edges. This part is super important because the foil traps all the moisture so the chicken doesn’t turn into rubber.

Step 5: Bake the Chicken

Back in the oven for 20 minutes. I usually use this time to clean up the kitchen a little or throw together a salad if I’m feeling productive. The chicken needs this covered time to cook through without drying out. Don’t peek too much because every time you lift that foil you’re letting heat escape and messing with the cook time.

Step 6: Add the Good Stuff

Pull it out and carefully take off the foil—seriously, be careful because there’s gonna be a ton of hot steam. Sprinkle your bacon and cheese all over the top. I like to make sure I get coverage all the way to the edges because corner pieces are the best and they deserve cheese too. No foil this time. Pop it back in for 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly with some brown spots. This is when I usually call everyone to the table because timing is everything and I want them to see it come out of the oven all gorgeous and bubbling.

Step 7: Finish and Serve

Take it out and dump the green onions on top right away. Let it sit for maybe 5 minutes if you have that kind of patience. I rarely do. Then just scoop it out and get ready for compliments. Sometimes I bring the whole casserole to the table because it looks impressive, but usually I just plate it up because my kids will fight over who gets the corner pieces.

Notes

Cut your chicken into similar-sized pieces so they all cook at the same rate—nothing worse than some pieces being dried out while others are still pink in the middle
Use kitchen scissors to cut up the bacon right over the casserole instead of using a knife and board, saves so much cleanup
Put a baking sheet on the rack under your casserole to catch any drips, trust me on this one
I let my chicken sit out for like 15 minutes before I start cooking because room temp meat cooks more evenly, something I learned from watching too many cooking shows
Cook extra bacon and keep some crispy pieces on the side for people who want to add more on top

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Category: Main Dish
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American