These Chicken Bacon Ranch Twice-Baked Potatoes elevate a comforting side dish into an even better full meal! With the addition of tender chicken, crispy bacon and creamy ranch, the filling is just so flavorful and protein-packed. Stuff it inside fluffy baked potatoes and you will have a totally addicting, crowd-pleasing dish!
I have vivid memories of being totally amped when my mom said she was making twice-baked potatoes. They were always reserved for special occasions. And now I kinda understand why – they’re a bit time consuming! But totally worth it. I still love them just as much today as I did back then.
But, in true Maddie fashion, I couldn’t just develop a normal twice-baked potato recipe. I had to put my own spin on it and make some Chicken Bacon Ranch Twice-Baked Potatoes! Combining two foods that I love is one of my biggest passions lol. And my intuition did not lead me astray here, because these ended up being even BETTER than the classic.
Are you equally obsessed with the chicken bacon ranch flavor combo? Or just a twice-baked potato fiend? Well you’ll be in heaven with this recipe. It satisfies all of those comfort food cravings while also packing enough protein in there that you could technically eat it as a full meal!
Why You’ll Love these Chicken Bacon Ranch Twice-Baked Potatoes
- It transforms the best side dish into a full meal, packed with protein and flavor!
- These twice-baked potatoes contain no sour cream, butter or milk.
- It’s a classic, totally addicting combination of chicken, bacon and ranch.
- This recipe is gluten free and can be made dairy-free with a few swaps.
- A delicious addition to your game day or hosting menu.
What You Need to Make these Chicken Bacon Ranch Twice-Baked Potatoes
- Russet Potatoes: You’ll need 4 large russet potatoes for this recipe. Wash and scrub thoroughly!
- Bacon: Can’t have chicken bacon ranch without the bacon! I like to cook mine on a baking sheet in the oven but you can also cook it in a pan on the stove.
- Olive Oil: A bit of oil to cook the chicken in.
- Chicken Breast: Chop it up into very small bite-sized pieces and then pan sear it until golden on each side. You could, of course, swap in chicken thighs if you prefer.
- Garlic Powder, Kosher Salt & Black Pepper: Keeping it simple with the seasonings as a lot of flavor comes from the ranch dressing, green onion and bacon!
- Ranch Dressing: I used Primal Kitchen ranch dressing, but any will do. Twice-baked potatoes typically use half-and-half in the filling, but the ranch kinda acts as a substitute for that!
- Greek Yogurt: Full-fat plain greek yogurt or skyr is my preference. However, sour cream works too.
- Green Onion: Add some additional flavor with chopped green onion both in the filling and sprinkled on top.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Fresh shredded cheddar is best because it melts more easily than the pre-shredded kind you get at the grocery store. Add half to the filling and half on top of the potatoes.
How To Make these Chicken Bacon Ranch Twice-Baked Potatoes
Bake the Potatoes:
First, preheat your oven to 400F. Use a fork to poke holes all around the potatoes, and then place them onto a baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and cook for 60-70 minutes, or until fork tender.
After removing the potatoes from the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350F. We’ll need it again later when we do the second round of baking…hence the name “twice-baked!”
Dry Brine the Chicken:
This step is technically optional but highly encouraged! Heavily season (like more than you’d expect) the cubed chicken with kosher salt and let it sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes. This acts as a “dry brine” to season it from the inside out and prevent it from drying out. It really makes a big difference!
If you’re worried…NO, this isn’t going to make the chicken taste overly salty. In fact, by the end of the brining time, you shouldn’t really see any salt visible on the surface.
If you happen to be using chicken thighs, you can still do this step but it’s not as crucial because they are fattier and are less prone to drying out.
Cook the Bacon:
To make this easier and less messy, I like cooking the bacon on a baking sheet in the oven. Since we’re already using the oven, it just makes sense. But if you’d rather cook it in a skillet on the stove, that’s fine too.
So, when the potatoes have 15-20 minutes left, add bacon strips to a parchment or foil lined baking sheet. Transfer bacon to the oven on the second rack and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until crispy. Blot off excess grease before crumbling or chopping it up into small pieces.
Sear the Chicken:
Meanwhile, bring a large pan to medium-high heat. Once hot, add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Then, add your chicken and spread it out in the pan so that it’s not overlapping. Season with black pepper.
Let the chicken cook for about 2-3 minutes, undisturbed, then flip and continue cooking for another 2 minutes. It should be pretty close to cooked through at this point, but no worries if not as it will continue to cook in the oven. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Scoop out Potato Flesh & Prepare the Filling:
After the potatoes are done baking and have cooled for a few minutes, carefully cut them in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out most of the flesh, leaving a rim around the edge to ensure sturdiness.
Place the scooped-out potato flesh into a large bowl and use a masher, fork or hand mixer to mash it until only small chunks remain.
Then, add in the yogurt, ranch, garlic powder and kosher salt to taste. Stir with a spatula until combined and smooth.
Next, stir in HALF of the cheddar (½ cup), crumbled bacon, cooked chicken and chopped green onion.
Stuff the Potatoes & Bake Again:
Then, spoon the filling mixture back into the potato skins and top with remaining cheese.
Transfer baking sheet to the oven to cook at 350F for 15 minutes. At the end, I like to switch the oven to broil for a few more minutes to get a golden finish on the potatoes.
Finally, serve these Chicken Bacon Ranch Twice-Baked Potatoes with an extra drizzle of ranch and a sprinkle of green onion and/or bacon. Enjoy!
What are Twice-Baked Potatoes?
The name is a pretty good hint…twice-baked potatoes are potatoes that are baked two times! First, they’re baked whole in the oven until fork tender. Then, you scoop out the potato flesh and mix it with butter, sour cream, cheese and cream/milk. Finally, you stuff that filling back into the potato skins and bake it one more time until warm and golden.
How are these Different from Regular Twice-Baked Potatoes?
As mentioned above, twice-baked potatoes are traditionally made with butter, sour cream, cheese and cream or milk. My recipe has no butter and swaps in greek yogurt for sour cream.
Also, twice-baked potatoes are typically served as a side dish, accompanying a protein like steak. However, these Chicken Bacon Ranch Twice-Baked Potatoes are a meal all on their own!
They have more protein and flavor than a typical twice-baked potato and I must admit, I think they are even better than the classic!
Are Twice-Baked Potatoes Hard to Make?
The answer is a little nuanced. There certainly isn’t any complex techniques involved in making these Chicken Bacon Ranch Twice-Baked Potatoes. But, it’s just a time-consuming process as you have to first bake the potatoes until tender, then bake them again after stuffing them with the filling. So, this recipeis better suited for a weekend dinner or special occasion.
But, you’ll likely have leftovers so you can enjoy them for lunch the next few days and all the time you spent making them will have been worth it!
Can I use Rotisserie Chicken Instead?
Absolutely! Using rotisserie chicken is a great option to reduce the amount of time and dishes involved in this recipe. You can either shred it or cube it! Then, simply skip steps 2, 4 and 5 in the recipe card.
Substitutions:
- Bacon: Feel free to use turkey bacon for a lighter option.
- Greek Yogurt: Sour cream also works great! If you’re dairy-free, simply use a thick non-dairy yogurt such as Siggi’s Plant-Based.
- Chicken Breast: Chicken thighs are the perfect substitute. OR, make your life even easier and use shredded rotisserie chicken.
- Cheddar Cheese: For a dairy-free option, try using Violife vegan cheddar shreds or something similar. It just may not melt as well.
Expert Tips:
- Dry brine the chicken: This might sound like an unnecessary step, but you can really tell the difference in flavor and texture if you let the chicken sit in kosher salt for ~20 minutes before searing. It will season it from the inside out and reduce the chance that it drys out.
- Leave a rim of potato flesh: Don’t scoop out ALL of the potato flesh; instead, leave a rim around the edge so that the potato still has structure.
- Fresh grate your own cheddar cheese: Store-bought shredded cheese has ingredients in it that prevent clumping, which also means it doesn’t melt as well.
What Should I Serve these With?
Unlike normal twice-baked potatoes, these Chicken Bacon Ranch Twice-Baked Potatoes are more of a standalone meal as they contain plenty of protein. However, I like to serve it alongside veggies of some sort to really round it out. A simple side salad (arugula is my go-to) or roasted/steamed veggies would do the trick!
How Should I Store & Re-Heat Leftover Chicken Bacon Ranch Twice-Baked Potatoes?
You’ll be happy to hear that these Chicken Bacon Ranch Twice-Baked Potatoes taste just as good the next day…and beyond! Let them cool fully and then transfer them to an airtight container and store in the fridge.
Feel free to enjoy them cold or pop them in the microwave for a minute or two until the filling is warmed through. Extra garnishes always encouraged!
Find the full recipe below. As always, please let me know if you tried it by leaving a rating and review below and tagging me on Instagram, @munchinwithmaddie_.
Looking for more Delicious Potato Recipes?
- Spanish Chicken and Chorizo Sheet Pan Dinner
- Gluten Free Sage Chicken Meatballs with Sweet Potato Carrot Mash
- Halloumi and Chickpea Salad with Harissa Tahini Dressing
- Broccoli Stalk, Potato and Leek Soup
- French Onion Smashed Potatoes
Chicken Bacon Ranch Twice-Baked Potatoes
Equipment
- 2 baking sheets
- parchment paper or tin foil
- fork
- large pan
- spatula
- spoon
Ingredients
- 4 large russet potatoes washed
- 6 oz bacon
- olive oil
- 1 lb chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- ½ cup full-fat plain greek yogurt
- ½ cup ranch dressing (I used Primal Kitchen)
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
- ¼ cup chopped green onion
- ½ tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Use a fork to poke holes all around the potatoes, and then place them onto a baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and cook for 60-70 minutes, or until fork tender. After removing the potatoes from the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350F.4 large russet potatoes
- Optional but encouraged: Heavily season the cubed chicken with kosher salt and let it sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes. This acts as a "dry brine" to season it from the inside out and prevent it from drying out. It really makes a big difference!1 lb chicken breast, kosher salt
- When the potatoes have 15-20 minutes left, add bacon strips to a parchment or foil lined baking sheet. Transfer bacon to the oven on the second rack and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until crispy. Blot off excess grease before crumbling or chopping it up into small pieces.6 oz bacon
- Meanwhile, bring a large pan to medium-high heat. Once hot, add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Then, add your chicken and spread it out in the pan so that it's not overlapping. Season with black pepper.olive oil, 1 lb chicken breast, black pepper
- Let the chicken cook for about 2-3 minutes, undisturbed, then flip and continue cooking for another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- When the potatoes are done baking and have cooled for a few minutes, carefully cut them in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out most of the flesh, leaving a rim around the edge to ensure sturdiness.
- Place the scooped-out potato flesh into a large bowl and use a masher, fork or hand mixer to mash it until only small chunks remain.
- Then, add in the yogurt, ranch, garlic powder and kosher salt to taste. Stir with a spatula until combined and smooth.½ cup full-fat plain greek yogurt, ½ cup ranch dressing, ½ tsp garlic powder, kosher salt
- Next, stir in HALF of the cheddar (½ cup), crumbled bacon, cooked chicken and chopped green onion.6 oz bacon, 1 lb chicken breast, 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, ¼ cup chopped green onion
- Spoon the filling mixture back into the potato skins and top with remaining cheese.
- Transfer baking sheet to the oven to cook at 350F for 15 minutes. At the end, I like to switch the oven to broil for a few more minutes to get a golden finish on the potatoes.
- Serve with an extra drizzle of ranch and a sprinkle of green onion and/or bacon. Enjoy!
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Nutrition
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