Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwich: Chicken, bacon, and ranch. What more could you need in your beautiful sandwich dreams? Take a bite out of one of these mouthwatering sandwiches that are packed with crispy bacon and delicious rotisserie chicken salad and fall in love with your meal plan for dinner.
Big fan of the ranch + bacon combo? Check out this deliciously simple Chicken Bacon Ranch pasta or these Chicken Bacon Ranch Crescent Bites for even more of that flavor we all crave!
Or, if you want to see which one you like better, this Crack Chicken Sandwich recipe is similar but you may find that you prefer one over the other.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Awesome way to use leftovers: Have leftover chicken or strips of bacon slices? Put them together and you have some yummy sandwiches!
- Cheesy goodness: Not only does this recipe have both ranch and bacon flavors, but it has a good amount of cheesiness mixed in there too!
- Ready in only 15 minutes: From start to finish, this recipe takes 15 minutes to put together. Perfect for a speedy lunch with only a few minutes of prep time that the whole family will love.
Ingredients Needed
I’ve highlighted a couple of ingredients below with some relevant notes. Aside from this, the ingredients needed are pretty basic.
- Bacon – We cooked our own bacon for this recipe
- Cream Cheese – Make sure your cream cheese is softened for smooth mixing.
- Sour Cream – This is what makes that amazingly thick and creamy ranch dressing for this recipe. Do not skip!
Substitutions
Here are some suggestions that can help if you need to substitute something in this recipe:
- Sour Cream – For a healthier, higher protein alternative, use plain Greek yogurt!
- Bacon – Not a fan of cooking your own bacon? Premade thick-cut bacon or bacon crumbles work just as well.
- Rotisserie Chicken – If you’d rather cook your own skinless chicken breast or use chicken thighs, that works for this recipe as well. You just need 3 cups of some kind of shredded cooked chicken. I do not suggest chicken slices, just shredded chicken for this recipe.
Variations
The best part about this recipe? It can easily be dressed up! Here are some ideas:
- Bring on the Heat – Kick this recipe up a notch with some diced jalapenos or your other favorite hot peppers.
- Add in the Veggies – For some more fiber and vitamins, add in some chopped vegetables such as green peppers or cucumbers.
- Cheese – Change up the cheese and use your favorite varieties. Cheddar cheese would keep things simple while some sharp cheddar, swiss cheese, or provolone cheese would really bump up the melty cheese flavor.
How to Make Crack Chicken Sandwiches
Making these delicious bacon-filled chicken sandwiches is super simple and can be broken down into three parts for the best of easy weeknight meals.
- Making the cream cheese mixture
- Adding in the chicken
- Layering the sandwich
For added ease, I suggest shredding the chicken and cooking up the crispy bacon ahead of time. Store them in the fridge and you’ll be ready to make these sandwiches all week long!
*Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!*
To begin, make sure you have softened cream cheese. Softened cream cheese blends better and makes for a creamy base, whereas cold cream cheese straight from the fridge will lead to a lumpy base.
To soften cream cheese, just leave it at room temperature for about 30 minutes. If you’re in a hurry, you can also place the sealed package in a bowl of warm water for 10-15 minutes.
STEP 1. Mix. In a large bowl, mix together the ranch seasoning mix, Dijon mustard, cream cheese, sour cream, and shredded cheese until smooth. (Image 1).
STEP 2. Add Chicken. While the chicken is still warm (or re-heat), stir it into the cheese ranch mix until it is all well combined and smooth. (Image 2).
STEP 3. Layer the Sandwich. Start by spreading on the chicken mixture on your bottom bun and then top with chopped bacon and your diced green onion. (Images 3 + 4). This would also be when you’d layer on any other ingredients such as lettuce or chopped green peppers.
STEP 4. Serve. Serve this sandwich as is!
Recipe Pro Tips
- Serve right away. This recipe is best served cold so enjoy right away!
- Best with good bread. The better the bun, the better the sandwich! Use a high-quality bun for a delicious sandwich.
- Go the extra mile. Turn these sandwiches up a notch by toasting them on a hot griddle or your seasoned cast iron skillet.
Recipe FAQs
You’ll want to mix the chicken with the cheesy ranch mix while the chicken is still warm. This allows the flavors to better sink into the meat. You can load up your sandwich roll and enjoy it while the chicken mixture is still warm but these sandwiches are just as good cold.
Instead of using rotisserie chicken, you can load a crock pot up with 2 large chicken breasts and mix in the cheeses and ranch seasoning. Cook on low for 3 hours or on high for 1.5 hours. When the chicken is done cooking, shred it, and assemble your sandwiches just as you normally would.
You can 100% use homemade bread or sandwich rolls here. So satisfying!
Yep! Follow the recipe up to the point of assembling the sandwiches. Seal the chicken filling in a freezer-safe airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw before loading up your sandwiches.
Make sure you are using ranch seasoning mix and not the ranch dressing mix. When in doubt, check the label on the back and compare the sodium levels. Sometimes rotisserie chicken can be a bit salty too, so be sure to taste it before using it.
Well, as the name suggests, any recipe that focuses on “chicken bacon ranch” includes those three things! They also typically include varying kinds of cheese and some kind of carb (bread or pasta, for example).
Bun Ideas for the Best Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwiches
A classic bun might be the traditional go-to for these yummy bacon ranch chicken sandwiches, but there are so many other bun options to explore! Here are some yummy bread recipes that make for a good bun:
You could also use a sub sandwich roll to make a yummy chicken bacon ranch sub. Sticking with classic Brioche buns or Hawaiian rolls is also a good call. A great thing about this chicken bacon ranch sandwich recipe is that the options are endless!
What to Serve with Easy Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwiches
This chicken recipe goes well with just about any side dish. My favorites to pair with this tasty shredded chicken sandwich are Macaroni Pasta Salad, Italian Chopped Salad, and Air Fryer Zucchini. You could also keep things simple and serve the sandwiches with some potato chips or french fries.
Storage
If you find yourself with leftovers, I highly recommend storing the chicken filling separately from the buns to prevent them from getting soggy. Here’s how it’s done.
- Refrigerator. Once the chicken has cooled to room temperature, seal it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer. Allow the chicken filling to cool to room temperature before sealing it in a freezer-safe airtight container and storing it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw in the fridge before reheating.
To reheat. Reheat the chicken filling in the oven, covered, at 300°F for 25 minutes, or pop it in the microwave. Microwave in 30-second intervals (stirring between each) until heated through.
More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love
Big fan of all things chicken? Here are some tasty recipes that are packed full of flavor that center around some juicy chicken!
Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!
Recipe
Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwich
Ingredients
- 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 8 slices cooked bacon chopped
- 2 tablespoons ranch seasoning mix
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ½ cup shredded Monterey Colby jack cheese
- 4 sandwich buns
- 2 tablespoons sliced green onion
Instructions
- Mix. In a large bowl, mix together the ranch seasoning mix, Dijon mustard, cream cheese, sour cream, and shredded cheese until smooth.
- Add Chicken. While the chicken is still warm (or re-heat), stir it into the cheese ranch mix until it is all well combined and smooth.
- Make a sandwich. Spread the chicken mixture on each bun, top with the chopped bacon and green onion.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
laurena babcock says
sounds great, I can’t wait to try it
Jessica says
Awwww, thank you! I hope you love it too!
Samantha says
Threw a rotisserie chicken in my grocery cart this morning but wasn’t sure what I was going to do with it…until I came across this recipe. My family *devoured* these sandwiches! All of our favorite flavors combined!
Kristyn says
What a delicious sandwich!! I mean, chicken & bacon?! It’s creamy, crunchy, & packed with flavor!