Bacon Ranch One Pot Chicken and Rice – The easiest and most flavorful chicken and rice recipe ever! Packed full of juicy chicken, crisp bacon, ranch, rice, and gooey cheese!
I’m back with another amazingly crave-worthy chicken and rice recipe! You guys have gone crazy for my Creamy Parmesan One Pot Chicken and Rice so it was time to mix it up with another fun recipe. One of my all-time favorite things to do is take a classic just like chicken and rice and “revamp” it into something new. There are so many flavor possibilities when it comes to chicken, and this is one of our new favorites!
Bacon Ranch One Pot Chicken and Rice:
Like most of my One Pot Recipes this comes together really quickly, with everyday ingredients, using only one pan. This dish is full of diced chicken, diced bacon, onion, garlic, ranch seasoning, and cheese…and of course, rice!
I typically dice up my bacon first. While that is cooking, I can give it a stir every once in a while and prepare the chicken and remaining ingredients.
A note, I like to use freshly shredded cheddar cheese. I find that it melts in so much better than the pre-shredded bagged stuff. Of course, you can use whichever you have readily available.
Tips for Making Bacon Ranch Chicken and Rice:
- You will want to use a large (12 inch) skillet that has a lid for this recipe. Or, you can also use a good sized pot or dutch oven with a lid.
- The first step is to cook your bacon. We like our bacon a little more on the crispy side, but, you can cook it to your preference. Then, remove the bacon to a paper towel lined plate for later and wipe any grease from the pan.
- It is best to use long grain rice for this recipe, not minute/instant rice. If you use quick cooking rice, it will cook too quickly and become mushy. Any long grain rice will work!
- Most of the cooking time for this one pot chicken and rice is completely hands off! You will have downtime of 17-20 minutes while the rice and chicken cook. I use this time to make a simple side salad or some green beans to go along with this dish.
Enjoy!
~Nichole
Bacon Ranch One Pot Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 6 Slices Bacon Diced
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Large Onion Diced
- 1 1/2 Pounds Chicken Cut into bite-sized pieces
- Salt To Taste
- Pepper To Taste
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Cup Long Grain White Rice
- 1 Packet Ranch Mix
- 2 1/2 Cups Chicken Broth
- 1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Instructions
- Cook the diced bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through. Remove bacon from pan to a plate using a slotted spoon. Wipe any excess grease from the pan.
- Add the onion, chicken, and seasonings to the pan. Cook until chicken is golden brown on all sides.
- Add the rice, ranch mix, and chicken broth to the chicken mixture.
- Bring mixture to a boil then turn heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 17-20 minutes until rice is tender.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the cooked bacon and cheese until melted.
- Serve immediately.
I have made this several times now & it is a hit everytime with my family! Even my picky kiddos! Thank you for a quick yummy dinner that is in our regular rotation😊
Made this tonight and it’s a keeper. We loved it!
Made this tonight! I cooked my chicken and onions in the bacon grease instead of draining it, used 4 cloves of fresh garlic instead of powder, and added in 1 head of broccoli cut into florets when I added the rice and broth. I also topped each serving with extra shredded cheddar cheese and a generous dash of hot sauce. So tasty!! I’ll definitely make it again.
This is a favorite. Would it freeze well? Would love to make it into a freezer meal for a mom in our church if possible!
Made this tonight! I just added some spinach with the cheese- whole family loved it!!
Thank you!
Could you use minute rice?
Wasn’t that easy to make but boy am I glad I did. I have 2 picky eaters and they loved it as did my husband and I. I will definitely be making it again.
Really good recipe! Proportions worked out just right, rice was a great texture. I never follow recipes exactly, I have always incorporated my own cooking knowledge into recipe instructions so I’m a little more confident in how it will turn out. Here in the south we cook in bacon grease on purpose! I did NOT remove the bacon fat after removing the bacon, I just added a little splash of oil to it to cook the onion and chicken in. And instead of garlic powder I diced 3-4 cloves and added after cooking the chicken, just cooking 1-2 more minutes to cook the garlic. I actually used 1 lb chicken and 2 c broth and it was perfect. I also added about 1/4 c sour cream when stirring in the cheese and chicken, it needed some creaminess. Y’all. It was delicious!!! Thanks so much for the recipe! Quick and easy! I served it with steamed green beans w lemon butter and dill. Yummm
Whoops that should say cheese and bacon.
Hi.
Could I use brown rice in this recipe?
I used brown rice and it takes longer but can be done