The Ultimate Chicken Bacon Ranch Dip Recipe

Though it may seem like an unlikely pairing to some, chicken bacon ranch is an iconic combination of flavors, and one that somehow just works. Being in the midwest, where ranch is a staple, chicken bacon ranch is as common a pairing as chicken Caesar. Used in salads, on pizzas, wrapped between tortillas, or even worked into menus at Taco Bell, it works well for so many kinds of dishes because it's such a perfect balance of flavor and texture. Between tender, savory chicken, crispy, salty bacon, and creamy, herby ranch, the combination can suit a variety of dishes and contexts.

Chicken bacon ranch makes the most sense when surrounded by beer on the table of a tailgate party. Something about the salty, ranch-filled flavor of the combo is perfect for the heavy libations of game-day watching, and the very best way to serve it is as a warm and creamy dip. Gooey, cheesy, and filled with pulled chicken and crispy bacon, this chicken bacon ranch dip is the ultimate way to feed a small crowd. Easy to throw together, this dip is designed for making snacking easy, giving you more time to enjoy the game (and the drinks).

As is written in the name of the dip, you'll need chicken and bacon for this recipe. Use an already cooked and shredded chicken like a store-bought rotisserie chicken, or cook and shred your own from chicken breasts or thighs. For the ranch element, grab salt, pepper, dried dill, garlic powder, onion powder, and scallions, as well as sour cream and cream cheese. From there, you'll just need cheese to make the dip meltier — we recommend mild cheddar and Monterey Jack. Finally, have some scallions on hand to garnish the dip, along with whatever you want to pair the dip with (crackers, bread, and so forth).

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat.

Add the bacon pieces and cook until crispy, about 8 minutes.

Drain the bacon on a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl, stir together the cream cheese, sour cream, chicken, shredded cheeses, all but 1 tablespoon of the scallions, all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon pieces, and the seasonings until fully combined.

Transfer the dip to an oven-safe dish and place in the oven. Bake until bubbly, about 20 minutes.

Once out of the oven, stir the dip to make sure everything is evenly combined.

Sprinkle the dip with the reserved scallions and bacon pieces. Serve right away.

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This recipe is designed to taste like ranch without using pre-bought ranch dressing or ranch seasoning by using the seasonings typically found in ranch (dill, garlic, and onion powder) with sour cream and cream cheese. Ranch is often also made with ingredients like buttermilk, yogurt, mayo, parsley, and chives, which you can add in yourself or swap entirely for a bottle of pre-made ranch. Using premade ranch or ranch seasoning packets will enhance the flavor of the ranch, which is both good for more flavor and a quicker, easier ingredient list.

To make this recipe with ranch dressing, swap the seasonings and sour cream for ½ cup of your favorite ranch dressing. To make this recipe with a seasoning packet, swap only the seasonings out and mix in the packet of seasoning instead, or enough of the seasoning packet to taste. Using the seasoning packet is a helpful hack if you are running low on seasonings, or don't have any use for dried dill, as one seasoning packet is inexpensive and disposable.

This chicken bacon ranch dip is best served with handheld dippers to scoop into the dip with. My favorite way to eat chicken bacon ranch dip is with buttery crackers like Ritz, which are both durable enough to scoop the heavy dip and crunchy enough to offer a contrast to the creamy dip's texture. Other similar options include thick, wavy potato chips, Frito's corn chips, or a sturdy tortilla chip.

You can also make this snack slightly healthier by serving it with vegetables. The easiest vegetables to use for dipping are celery, baby carrots, and cucumber, but you can also use cleaned raw radishes, bell peppers, or endives. You can also use toasted bread rounds, pretzel sticks, or pretzel rolls for heavier dipping. Any leftover chicken bacon ranch dip can be used on toasted slices of baguette for chicken bacon ranch crostini.

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