A Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe filled with a creamy chicken mixture, a little kick of ranch, and a crunchy twist. Try this for an easy dinner!
Ranch chicken casserole recipe
This comfort food is going to become an instant family favorite! It is such an easy meal to prepare, perfect for busy weeknights. In under an hour, have a delicious ranch chicken casserole recipe ready for the whole family! This recipe is the best thing to come out of my kitchen lately, I'm absolutely obsessed with these flavors.
This is a great one for meal prep, perfect to bring to a potluck or a get-together, and has all the Midwestern goodness of a comfort food casserole. This cheesy chicken casserole for sure is making the favorites list at my house, and I'm willing to bet it will at yours, too.
Ranch chicken casserole recipe ingredients
Gather these ingredients for an easy dinner the whole family will love:
- chicken tenderloins
- fat free cream of chicken soup
- plain nonfat greek yogurt
- neufchatel cheese
- ranch seasoning packet
- shredded cheddar cheese
- Ritz crackers
How to make a ranch chicken casserole
Follow these simple instructions to make this original recipe:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease a casserole dish.
- Place chicken tenderloins in a single layer on the bottom of the casserole dish.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, add the block of neufchatel cheese. Heat in the large bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds to soften. Remove and stir with a spoon.
- Add greek yogurt, can of soup, and ranch seasoning to the bowl of softened neufchatel cheese. Mix until well combined.
- Pour the mixture over the chicken and spread to coat evenly.
- Add shredded cheese and crushed crackers to the top.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 30 mins. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
- Enjoy!
Ranch chicken casserole recipe substitution ideas
- Chicken: This would be a great recipe to use any leftover chicken you may have or a rotisserie chicken from the store. Although the recipe calls for raw chicken that cooks in the oven with the casserole, you could use chopped cooked chicken too.
- Cream of chicken soup: If you have other 'cream of' canned soup hiding in your pantry, you can definitely use that instead. I'm talking cream of mushroom soup, cream of potato - whatever you have.
- Neufchatel cheese: Neufchatel cheese is a type of cheese very similar to cream cheese, but with less fat. Use cream cheese if you have it, and you'll still get that delicious creamy sauce as an end result.
How long does a ranch chicken casserole last in the fridge?
This casserole will last in the fridge for up to 5 days. This makes it a great addition to your meal prep line up. Just make sure it is stored in an airtight container in the fridge, and you'll be set to have ranch chicken casserole all week!
How to meal prep this recipe
Make according to instructions. After the casserole has cooled to room temperature, remove from the baking dish in 6 equal portions.
The next time you're ready to eat some delicious ranch chicken casserole, simply remove from the airtight container in the fridge and heat up in the microwave to the desired temperature. This recipe is perfect for a week full of busy weeknights when dinner needs to be quick and easy.
What is ranch chicken made of?
Ranch chicken is a combination of - you guessed it - chicken breast and ranch dressing. It is one of my all time favorite flavors. If you love it as much as I do, here are some other recipe ideas full of that ranch-y zing!
The ranch flavor is achieved differently in different recipes. In this recipe, a ranch dressing seasoning packet is used, but in other recipes it could be actual ranch dressing that is used.
Is it okay to put raw chicken in a casserole?
Yes, since this recipe calls for chicken tenderloins which is a smaller cut of chicken, it will cook thoroughly in 30 minutes. Always make sure to test your meat with a meat thermometer to make sure it has cooked all the way! The internal temperature for chicken is 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are using chicken breasts in place of chicken tenderloins, you will likely need to add some cook time to make sure the chicken has reached the required internal temperature.
How do you spice up a bland chicken casserole?
For best results, follow this recipe! Nothing spices up a bland casserole like some delicious ranch taste, lots of cheese, and a creamy flavor the whole family will love. If you're looking to give this specific recipes a little kick, you could add some green chilies or pepper jack cheese to the casserole.
What to serve with this ranch chicken casserole recipe
I've brainstormed some delicious sides and toppings you could try with this ranch chicken casserole recipe. Comment on this blog post and let me know if you tried something different that was super delicious!
Toppings:
- Chopped green onion
- Sour cream
- Green chiles (for a extra little kick)
- Rotel tomatoes
Sides:
- Tortilla chips
- Fresh fruit
- Fresh green bell pepper
Other easy casserole recipes to try
Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe
Equipment
- casserole dish
- microwave safe bowl
- Measuring Cups
- oven
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken tenderloins
- 10.5 oz fat free cream of chicken soup (1 can)
- 1 cup plain nonfat greek yogurt
- 8 oz neufchatel cheese (1 block)
- 1 oz ranch seasoning packet
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 10 Ritz crackers crushed on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease a casserole dish.
- Place chicken tenderloins in a single layer on the bottom of the casserole dish.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, add the block of neufchatel cheese. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds to soften. Remove and stir with a spoon.
- Add greek yogurt, can of soup, and ranch seasoning to the bowl of softened neufchatel cheese. Mix until well combined.
- Pour the mixture over the chicken and spread to coat evenly.
- Add shredded cheese and crushed crackers to the top.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 30 mins. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
- Enjoy!
Hope Gustafson says
We have tried several of the most popular recipes Jordan offers & honestly, this might be our favorite!!! It is SO good, easy to re-heat & simple to make. Thanks for sharing these delicious recipes with the world <3
Jordan Smith says
This is a crowd favorite & I'm so glad you think so too!!
Alicia says
Can I meal prep this? Like I make one and put another in the freezer to make later? I wasn't sure if I could do that with raw chicken? I was just going to use the bag of frozen chicken tenderloins that I get it at wal mart. Thanks!
Frances says
@Alicia, Personally I would meal prep this by fully cooking in one of those foil pans without the topping, let cool and freeze. Then you would defrost in the fridge and warm in the oven WITH topping before serving.
Dawn says
Delicious, very flavorful. I used thin sliced chicken breast. Will be in my monthly rotation. Thanks for your awesome recipes, I use them often!
Jordan Smith says
YAY!!! Thanks for sharing a positive review and thankful to be in your meal rotation!
Michele says
What size casserole dish do you use?
Jordan Smith says
I typically use 9x13!