Description
Chicken ranch baked potatoes bring together crispy potatoes, tender chicken, and tangy ranch flavor in one comforting dish that comes together easily on your stovetop. Your family gets a satisfying, complete meal with minimal cleanup when you layer everything in a single pan.
Ingredients
Scale
Starches:
- 4 large russet potatoes
Proteins:
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Toppings and seasonings:
- 1 cup ranch dressing
- 0.5 cup green onions, chopped
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 400°F and let it reach temperature while you prepare the potatoes.
- Rinse each of your 4 large russet potatoes under cold water, then use a fork to pierce the skin several times all over.
- Place the potatoes directly on your oven rack and bake for 45 to 60 minutes until a knife slides through the center easily.
- While the potatoes cook, combine your 2 cups of shredded cooked chicken with 1 cup of ranch dressing in a bowl, stirring until everything is evenly coated.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven when they’re soft, then split each one down the middle lengthwise.
- Use a fork to gently fluff the insides of your potatoes, breaking up the flesh without tearing the skin.
- Spoon the chicken and ranch mixture equally into each potato half.
- Distribute 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese over the top of your filled potatoes.
- Sprinkle 1/2 cup of chopped green onions across all four potatoes.
- Return your potatoes to the 400°F oven for 10 minutes so the cheese melts completely.
- Take the potatoes out and taste one, adding salt and pepper to your preference before serving them to your guests.
Notes
- Pierce your potatoes deeply all over with a fork so steam escapes evenly and they bake through without getting soggy spots.
- Shred your chicken while it’s still warm, as it pulls apart more easily than cold chicken and absorbs the ranch dressing better.
- Use a combination of sharp cheddar and a milder cheese if your cheddar tends to burn; this keeps the topping golden instead of dark and bitter.
- If you’re keeping these for meal prep, store the chicken mixture and cheese separately from the baked potatoes, then assemble and reheat when ready to eat so the potatoes stay fluffy.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes-1 hour 10 minutes
- Category: Baked Chicken
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg