Need a party dip you can throw together fast? This Chicken Bacon Ranch Dip uses rotisserie chicken, just 7 ingredients, and comes together in about 20 minutes, in either the oven or slow cooker.
Bacon Cheddar Ranch Dip
Our family absolutely loves this chicken bacon ranch dip, and it shows up on our table for every game day, holiday, and casual get-together. It’s one of those dips the guys especially go wild for, since it’s hearty, filling, and ridiculously easy to make! I mean you could eat this by the spoonful!
And let’s be real… It’s loaded with bacon, so it’s basically guaranteed to be a hit. I usually cook the bacon ahead of time to make things even easier, which means this dip comes together fast when you need it. It’s the kind of party dip that truly meets everyone’s needs: naturally gluten-free, low-carb friendly (especially with veggie dippers), and just plain delicious.
If you love warm, cheesy appetizers and snacks like my Mexi Corn Dip or Homemade Spinach and Artichoke Dip, this one absolutely belongs on your table, too!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A fan favorite. This chicken ranch dip is always one of the first things to disappear at parties, potlucks, and game days (hello, Super Bowl!). The combination of creamy ranch, melty cheese, savory chicken, and crispy bacon is universally loved!
- Hearty and filling. Thanks to the chicken, cheese, and bacon, this dip is satisfying enough to keep everyone happy between meals. It’s not one of those dips that leaves people hungry five minutes later!
- Naturally gluten-free & low-carb friendly. The dip itself is gluten-free, making it great for mixed crowds. Serve it with vegetables like carrot sticks, cucumbers, or bell peppers for an easy low-carb option.
- Make-ahead friendly. You can assemble everything ahead of time and bake it just before serving. It’s one less thing to worry about when hosting.
- Highly customizable. You can easily lighten it up with reduced-fat dairy or Greek yogurt if you’d like. I’ve already lightened it up not using mayonnaise.
Ingredients
- Bacon: Cooked until crispy for the perfect salty crunch! Alternatively, you can use bacon bits, but I think the flavor is better using real bacon.
- Cream Cheese: Soften it fully for easy mixing!
- Sour cream: Adds tang and keeps the dip light and creamy.
- Ranch Dressing Mix: Lends the classic ranch flavor that everyone loves. Use organic ranch mix if possible!
- Cheddar Cheese: Sharp cheddar adds loads of flavor and it melts beautifully into the dip.
- Green Onions: For freshness and a little bite!
- Cooked Chicken: I recommend using rotisserie chicken to speed up the process. Or use my slow cooker shredded chicken recipe.
- Dippers: Scoops are awesome (both Fritos and the new Organic Tostitos Scoops), pita or pretzel chips or your favorite veggies.
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
How to Make Chicken Bacon Ranch Dip
Step 1 – Prep the Bacon
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190 °C). Spray a 2-qt baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside. Or use a 10-inch cast-iron skillet!
In a skillet or in the oven, cook bacon until crisp, remove to paper towel-lined plate and chop. Reserve about ¼ cup cheese, 2 tablespoons bacon, a few green onions for topping the dip.
Step 2 – Combine the Dip Ingredients
In a bowl, using a hand mixer, combine softened cream cheese, sour cream, and ranch dressing mix. Mix well. Stir in cheddar cheese, bacon, green onions, and cooked chicken.
Step 3 – Assemble & Bake
Transfer to a prepared dish. And top with reserved cheddar and bacon. Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
Top with a few remaining green onions and serve with your favorite chips! We love this with tortilla chips, pretzel chips, pita chips, bruschetta, Frito Scoops, even a good sturdy potato chip. Or go low-carb and serve with carrot chips, cucumber slices, red pepper slices, celery sticks, you get the idea.
Expert Tips
- Use rotisserie chicken for speed and flavor! Rotisserie chicken adds great flavor and saves a ton of prep time. Simply chop or shred it and you’re ready to go.
- Fully soften the cream cheese. Room-temperature cream cheese blends much more smoothly with the sour cream and ranch seasoning. If it’s too cold, you may end up with small pockets of cream cheese in the dip, which is fine, just not ideal!
- Cook the bacon ahead of time. Making the bacon in advance keeps prep quick and stress-free. It also allows the bacon to cool fully, so it stays crisp when mixed in!
- Grate your own cheese from a block! Freshly grated cheese melts better than pre-shredded cheese, which often contains anti-caking agents. The result is a smoother, creamier dip.
Variations and Substitutions
- Ranch mix: Use organic ranch mix if possible for cleaner ingredients in the chicken cream cheese dip.
- Swap the cheese: Colby Jack, Pepper Jack, or Monterey Jack all work well, if you don’t have sharp cheddar on hand.
- Bacon bits shortcut: Use ¾–1 cup of bacon bits instead of cooking bacon, if you’re short on time.
- Turkey bacon: Can be used as a lighter option with great flavor!
- Lighten it up: Use light sour cream, light cream cheese, or Greek yogurt. Full-fat dairy = creamiest texture, but all versions are still delicious.
Making Crack Chicken Dip in the Slow Cooker
This crack chicken dip is perfect for the crockpot, especially on game day!
- Place raw chicken breasts in a lightly greased slow cooker.
- Mix cream cheese, ranch mix, half the bacon, and half the green onions.
- Cook on LOW for 4 hours (no more than 6).
- Remove chicken, shred, and return to the slow cooker.
- Stir in cheese, remaining bacon, green onions, and sour cream.
- Heat until melted, creamy, and hot.
You can also try my Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken, which is seriously good in sliders!
What to Serve With Chicken Bacon Ranch Dip
You can serve chicken bacon ranch dip with so many different dippers! Don’t forget to make it for your next Superbowl party! Here are my favorite things to serve with it:
- Frito Scoops or tortilla scoops
- Thick tortilla chips
- Pretzel chips or pita chips
- Crackers
- Sturdy potato chips
- Pretzel bites (these are great!)
- Bruschetta or toasted bread slices
- Carrot chips, cucumber slices, celery sticks, red pepper strips (low-carb)
Storage
- Make Ahead: This chicken bacon ranch dip is perfect for prepping ahead! Assemble the dip (without baking), cover tightly with plastic wrap or a lid, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, pull it out of the fridge while the oven preheats and bake as directed, adding 5–10 extra minutes until hot and bubbly.
- Storing Leftovers: Store any leftover dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. The flavors actually get even better as they mingle—if it lasts that long!
- Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing this dip—the dairy can separate and get grainy once thawed. This one’s best enjoyed fresh or within a few days from the fridge.
- Reheating:
- Oven: Reheat in an oven-safe dish at 350°F until warmed through (about 15–20 minutes). Cover loosely with foil if the top starts browning too quickly.
- Microwave: For smaller portions, reheat gently in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between, until hot and creamy.
- Tip: If the dip thickens after chilling, stir in a tablespoon or two of sour cream or milk to bring back that creamy, scoopable texture.
FAQs
Rotisserie chicken is my go-to because it’s flavorful and convenient. But any cooked and shredded chicken, such as baked or poached chicken breasts, will work just fine!
Yes! This dip adapts beautifully to the crockpot and is perfect for parties or game days. The slow cooker keeps it warm and creamy, so guests can keep scooping all night.
Reheat the dip gently to avoid drying it out. If it thickens too much, stir in a tablespoon or two of sour cream or milk to bring back that smooth, scoopable texture.
Absolutely. Light cream cheese, light sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt can all be used with great results. Keep in mind that full-fat dairy will give you the creamiest texture, but lighter options are still delicious.
More Delicious Dip Recipes
Like this recipe?
Don’t forget to give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and leave a comment below the recipe!
Ingredients
- 10 – 12 slices bacon or use bacon bits
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 16 ounces sour cream full-fat will be creamiest
- 1 ounce ranch dressing mix
- 8 ounce block cheddar cheese grated, sharp or mild or your favorite cheese. About 2 full cups.
- 2 green onions finely chopped
- 2 cups chopped cooked chicken I used rotisserie chicken
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190 °C). Spray a 2-qt baking dish or 10 inch cast iron skillet with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a skillet or in the oven, cook bacon until crisp, remove to paper towel-lined plate, cool and chop. May be made up to 2 days ahead of time (refrigerate)10 – 12 slices bacon
- Reserve about ¼ cup cheese, 2 tablespoons bacon, a few green onions.
- In a bowl, using a hand mixer, combine softened cream cheese, sour cream, and ranch dressing mix. Mix well.8 ounces cream cheese, 16 ounces sour cream, 1 ounce ranch dressing mix, 8 ounce block cheddar cheese, 2 green onions, 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
- Stir in cheddar cheese, bacon, green onions, and cooked chicken. Transfer to a prepared dish. And top with reserved cheddar and bacon.
- Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly. (See notes for how to make in Slow Cooker)
- Top with a few remaining green onions and serve with your favorite chips! We love this with tortilla chips, pretzel chips, pita chips, bruschetta, Frito Scoops, even a good sturdy potato chip. Or go low-carb and serve with carrot chips, cucumber slices, red pepper slices, etc.
Notes
- I prefer to use organic Ranch dressing mix, but use your favorite
- If desired, use store-bought bacon bits instead; you’ll need about ¾-1 cup
- An 8-ounce block of cheese typically yields about 2 cups of shredded cheese.
- You can use turkey bacon, low-fat sour cream, low-fat cream cheese, or plain Greek yogurt, in place of sour cream. (I used the full-fat version of each for ultra creamy dip)
- If your cream cheese is not room temperature it will not mix easily, and since you are baking this dish, it shouldn’t matter too much, but you may get some pockets of just cream cheese without the Ranch dressing.
Crockpot Instructions
Add 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts to a lightly greased slow cooker. Mix in cream cheese, ranch seasoning, ½ the bacon, and ½ the green onions (omit sour cream, you’ll stir in later). Cook on LOW 4 hours (up to 6). Remove chicken, shred, and return to crockpot. Stir in cheddar, remaining bacon, and sour cream; heat 30 minutes until melted and hot. Find more detailed slow cooker tips and serving ideas in the full post. Storage, Make-Ahead & Reheating- Make Ahead: Assemble (do not bake), cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Let sit at room temp while oven preheats; bake, adding 5–10 minutes if needed.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days.
- Reheat:
- Oven: 350°F until warmed through (15–20 minutes), cover loosely if browning.
- Microwave: Heat in 30-second intervals, stirring until creamy.
- If thick, stir in a little sour cream or milk.
- Freezing: Not recommended; dairy may separate.
Nutrition
Rate & Comment