Creamy Ranch Chicken Potato Bake (Printable Version)

Tender chicken and potatoes baked in ranch cream sauce with melted cheese. Pure comfort in a casserole dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Potatoes and Chicken

01 - 1.5 pounds Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
02 - 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
03 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Ranch Cream Sauce

04 - 1 cup heavy cream
05 - 1 cup whole milk
06 - 1 packet (1 ounce) ranch seasoning mix or 3 tablespoons homemade ranch mix
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
09 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika
10 - 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, optional

→ Cheese Topping

11 - 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
12 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or parsley for garnish

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or butter.
02 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together heavy cream, milk, ranch seasoning, minced garlic, onion powder, paprika, and thyme until smooth and well combined.
03 - Arrange half of the sliced potatoes in an even layer on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
04 - Distribute half of the chicken cubes over the potatoes. Pour half of the ranch cream sauce evenly over this layer.
05 - Arrange remaining potatoes on top, followed by remaining chicken cubes. Pour remaining sauce over the final layer.
06 - Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.
07 - Remove foil, sprinkle cheddar and mozzarella cheese evenly over the casserole, and bake uncovered for 15 additional minutes until cheese is golden and potatoes are tender.
08 - Allow casserole to rest for 10 minutes before garnishing with chives or parsley and serving.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • Everything cooks together in one dish, so cleanup is almost nonexistent and you can sit down with your family instead of hovering over the stove.
  • The ranch seasoning does all the heavy lifting for flavor, turning simple pantry staples into something that tastes like you spent hours perfecting it.
  • Leftovers somehow taste even better the next day when the potatoes have soaked up every bit of that creamy sauce.
02 -
  • Slice the potatoes as thin and uniform as possible, because thick or uneven slices will leave some pieces undercooked while others turn to mush.
  • Don't skip the resting time after baking, or the sauce will be soupy and the whole dish will fall apart when you try to serve it.
  • If the top starts to brown too quickly, tent it loosely with foil during the final cheese bake to prevent burning while the inside finishes cooking.
03 -
  • Let the casserole sit uncovered for five minutes after pulling it from the oven, then tent it loosely with foil during the full resting time to keep it warm without making the cheese soggy.
  • Add a pinch of cayenne to the ranch sauce if you like a little heat, it won't make it spicy but it will wake up all the other flavors beautifully.
  • Double the recipe and bake it in two dishes, then freeze one unbaked for a future night when you need comfort food without any effort.
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