Cheddar Cheese Ranch Chicken Thighs with Bacon

Cheddar Cheese Ranch Chicken Thighs with Bacon are a tasty one skillet dish that’s the perfect meal for a busy weeknight.

Creamy Ranch Dressing

I kind of have a thing for ranch. I love the dressing, the dip and just the seasoning in general.

It’s so good and my daughters would wholeheartedly agree with me, but my husband and son, not so much. Those crazy boys are a little funny about creamy dressings and dips. So, what to do to make the whole family happy? Since I love ranch so much, I’m always trying to figure out ways to get the ranch seasoning into dishes without the creaminess to please my guys. That’s what inspired this cheesy bacon ranch chicken recipe.

One Skillet Chicken Recipe

I really love an easy dinner recipe. Anything that doesn’t have a lot of prep time or long time to cook. And, one of the easier cooking methods I like that fits those criteria is the one skillet meal. Basically, can I prepare everything in one skillet? Makes for easy prep and easy cleanup. So, I came up with this easy chicken dinner recipe that quickly cooks up in one skillet. It’s perfect for those busy nights when you have a lot going on.

Cheese, Ranch and Bacon Combo

So, let’s talk about this flavor combination that goes on top of the chicken thighs. First, the ranch seasoning that tastes great on just about everything. Again, one of my favorite dips and seasoning. Then, add in melted cheese. Finally, crispy bacon bits to top it off. Because, everything is better with bacon! I find these three things to be a great combination of ingredients and things you likely have on hand in your pantry and fridge.

Making Cheddar Cheese Ranch Chicken Thighs with Bacon

Prepare the Marinade

This is a super simple marinade to prepare. Simply whisk together olive oil, ranch seasoning, white wine vinegar and water. Set this aside until ready to marinate the chicken breasts.

Prepare the Chicken Thighs

I like to take my chicken thighs out of the package and put onto a paper towel-lined plate. I find they are easier to handle and I’m not fond of the chicken “juice” that they are packaged in! Now, put the marinade you made in a large zip-lock bag (or any airtight container you have) and place each piece of chicken into the bag. You can even use a large bowl or casserole dish and cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Let the chicken marinate in the fridge. I marinate for at least an hour. However, the longer you marinate, the more that marinade will infuse into the chicken thighs. Once you hit the eight hour mark, I don’t believe you see much difference in flavor after that.

Bring It Together

Once the chicken thighs are done marinating, saute in a large, non-stick skillet for about 5-6 minutes per side (medium heat). Place cheese on top of chicken and cover until melted (usually a minute or two). Once the cheese has melted, take off the cover and place bacon bits on top of the chicken. You are ready to serve! (Pro Bacon Bits Hack: For an easy way to have bacon bits on hand, fry a pound of bacon, chop it into bits and freeze it. Then when a recipe calls for cooked bacon bits, just pull what you need out of the freezer. It tastes so much better than purchased bacon bits!)

Chicken Thighs versus Chicken Breasts

I prefer boneless chicken thighs over boneless chicken breasts for this recipe. For me, a great recipe using chicken has delicious juicy chicken when all is said and done. And, while I love a tasty tender chicken breast, they do have a tendency to dry out if overcooked. For this recipe, I sear the chicken, and then cover the chicken for a couple of minutes to melt the cheese. I think the chicken thighs hold up better under the sear and the additional cooking time than would a chicken breast. Think of it as fool-proofing the recipe. Not only are chicken thighs very tasty (some say more so than chicken breasts!), they are hard to overcook. It means less worry as you prepare this easy recipe.

Perfect Recipe for Those Busy Weeknights

The next time you’re looking for an easy recipe for a busy night, look no further than this wonderful cheese, chicken, bacon, ranch treat. It’s a great comfort food that will amaze and delight your family and friends. The best part? Leftover chicken will likely not be a problem!

Tips and Tricks

• To get this chicken on the table fast, I suggest putting the ranch marinade together in the morning and let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator until dinnertime.
• Boneless chicken thighs are the best choice for this recipe because they have a higher fat content than chicken breasts. This means more flavor and they will stand up to a hot searing without drying out.
• Olive oil is preferred because of the flavor it adds, but vegetable oil can be substituted.
• Round out this meal and serve the chicken with any of these easy side dishes: One Skillet Fiesta Corn Saute, Roasted Broccoli, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Baked Rosemary Parmesan Steak Fries or Foil Packet Grill Potatoes.

Ingredients Needed to Make Cheddar Cheese Ranch Chicken Thighs with Bacon

Full instructions can be found below in the printable recipe card

• Hidden Valley ranch mix – You want the ranch seasoning mix, not the prepared ranch dressing.
• White wine vinegar – Red wine vinegar can be substituted if that’s what you have on hand
• Water
• Olive oil – This helps to incorporate the marinade and it also helps to get a good sear on the chicken.
• Boneless, skinless chicken thighs – Thighs are my preference for this recipe. They’re juicier and stand up to searing and getting nice and caramelized without drying out.
• Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• Cooked bacon bits – You can make your own or buy pre-cooked bacon and crumble that.

How to Make Cheddar Cheese Ranch Chicken Thighs with Bacon 

• In a small bowl, whisk together a marinade of ranch mix, vinegar, water and olive oil.
• Place chicken in a zip-loc bag and pour marinade over the chicken.
• Seal bag and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.
• Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.
• Add chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes per side, until chicken is no longer pink.
• Top each chicken thigh with about 1 tbsp shredded cheese.
• Cover pan for a couple of minutes until cheese is melted.
• Top each chicken thigh with bacon bits.
• Serve immediately.

Enjoy! Shared at these great blogs: The Country Cook