Chicken Bacon Ranch Bake
4 ingredient family friendly pleaser!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken breasts
- 1 package bacon
- 5-6 small red skin potatoes
- 1 1/2 tbsp ranch seasoning
- 4 oz colby jack shredded
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp paprika
- grape seed or avocado oil
Instructions
Prep:
- Trim and cut chicken up into 3/4 inch pieces.
- In a bowl, combine 2 tbsp high heat oil, 1 tbsp ranch seasoning, and 1 tbsp white vinegar. Add chicken to bowl and toss to combine. Let bowl sit out on counter top and marinate for 5-15 minutes.
- Cut potatoes into small home fry sized quarters.
- Add potatoes to a bowl. Toss in oil till coated then add 1/2 tbsp ranch seasoning and 1/2 tbsp paprika, combine.
Two Methods For Chicken Bake Ranch Bake:
- At this point you have two options - you can throw everything together in a casserole dish (cheese and bacon on top) then bake at 350 for 30 minutes or so. I have not tried this method! Or you can do what I did, cook things separately, then finish it all of in the oven. To me this enhanced the flavor ten fold. Deeply roasted potatoes and seared crispy chicken bites yum yum!! But ya...sometimes you just don't have time or the will power to clean!
So you are going to be cheffin it up tonight and everyone will praise you!
- Line a baking pan with foil and lay out bacon. Put in COLD oven, and then preheat to 400. Set timer 20 mins.
Two Options with Potatoes:
- Line a casserole dish and lay out potatoes in a single layer. Once preheated throw potatoes in the oven.
- Air Fryer Potatoes - 380 for 20 mins, shake at 10 minutes.
- Timer goes off bacon should be done (we want them almost burnt). Toss Oven Potatoes around so they don't stick and cook in 10 minute intervals until crispy and brown.
Ranch Chicken Bites:
- Preheat pan on med-high heat. Once pan is hot add chicken. Sear on each side 3 minutes until dark and cooked through.
Final Steps:
- Combine chicken, and 1/2 of the bacon into the casserole dish with you potatoes. Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake 10 mins at 350.
- Once cheese is melted let cool. Sprinkle green onions and the rest of the bacon on top. Drizzle ranch or put on the side for dipping. Serve!