This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This creamy ranch chicken recipe is a one-skillet meal that’s delicious and comforting. It has juicy chicken cooked in a pan with a zesty, flavorful cream sauce. Serve it with mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles to enjoy the delicious sauce.
Looking for more easy and flavorful dinners? Explore our creamy chicken recipes for more ideas.
Creamy Ranch Chicken
This mouth-watering Creamy Ranch Chicken is an amazing blend of tender, pan-seared chicken smothered in a rich, creamy sauce that’s bursting with the classic flavors of ranch seasoning. Ideal for those busy weeknights or when you just crave something comforting yet easy to make.
Recipe Tips
- If you have smaller chicken breasts, you might want to use 3-4 of them instead of 2 big ones.
- For extra richness, you can add cheese on top of the chicken and let it melt before serving.
- You can mix frozen veggies into the sauce too. Put them in when you add the other sauce ingredients and make sure they get hot before adding the chicken.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken Breasts: Use large, boneless, and skinless chicken breasts. Halving them horizontally makes thinner filets that cook evenly and quickly. If the chicken breasts are too thick, they won’t cook through properly.
- Salt and Ground Black Pepper: Essential for seasoning. Adjust according to taste, but remember the Ranch seasoning and Parmesan cheese also add saltiness.
- Flour: This helps in forming a light crust on the chicken, giving it a slightly crispy texture. All-purpose flour works best.
- Italian Seasoning: A blend of dried herbs like oregano, thyme, basil, and rosemary. It adds a herby flavor to the chicken.
- Fresh Parmesan Cheese: Finely grated Parmesan adds a nutty and salty flavor. Freshly grated cheese is preferred over pre-grated for better melt and flavor.
- Butter and Olive Oil: The combination is used for cooking the chicken. Butter adds flavor while olive oil prevents the butter from burning.
- Fresh Parsley: Used for garnish, it adds a fresh, herby touch.
- Bacon: Adds a smoky, rich flavor to the sauce. Trim the fat for a healthier option.
- Onion and Garlic: These aromatics form the base flavor for the sauce.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup: This adds creaminess and depth to the sauce. You can use store-bought or homemade.
- Milk: Helps to thin out the sauce and adds creaminess. You can adjust the quantity depending on how thick you want the sauce.
- Sour Cream: At room temperature for easier mixing. It adds a tangy, creamy texture to the sauce.
- Ranch Seasoning Mix: This is the key ingredient for the ranch flavor. About 3 tablespoons or a standard packet should suffice.
How to Make Ranch Chicken
Look at the recipe card at the end of this post for the amounts of each ingredient and the complete steps.
Slice each chicken breast in half and gently pound to about ½ inch thick. Season with salt and pepper. Dredge in a flour, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan mix, then shake off the excess and set aside.
Heat oil and butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken 4–5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through, then transfer to a plate.
Cook the bacon until crispy, then transfer to a plate. Leave about 1 tsp of fat in the pan. Sauté onion and garlic for about 1 minute until softened.
Lower the heat and stir in mushroom soup, milk, sour cream, and ranch mix. Simmer for 3 minutes, then add bacon and cook 2 more minutes. Return chicken to the pan, spoon sauce over it, and warm for 2 minutes. Garnish with parsley.
Storage
Keep it in a container that closes tightly and put it in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. It freezes well.
Tools For This Recipe
- Skillet-You’ll need a big skillet for this recipe.
- Ranch Seasoning-We prefer to get our ranch seasoning in large quantities for all our ranch recipes.
- Meat Tenderizer– Using this tool makes the chicken softer, so you won’t have to chew it much.
- Kitchen tongs– They are great for handling the chicken while searing.
What to Serve with Creamy Ranch Chicken
Enjoy this creamy chicken with a starchy side to soak up the tasty sauce. It goes well with our Boursin Mashed Potatoes, Garlic Turmeric Rice, or Cacio e Pepper Pasta. To balance the meal, add some veggies like green beans, broccolini or your favorite choice. That’s it! Enjoy your meal, and feel free to share your thoughts and any substitutions you made in the comments below.
More Chicken Breast Dinner Ideas
- If you’re a fan of creamy chicken dishes, you might also enjoy our Creamy Garlic Chicken Breasts, where tender chicken is enveloped in a luscious garlic sauce. For a cheesy twist, try our Creamy Boursin Chicken.
- Looking for a baked option with a crispy finish? Our Baked Ranch Chicken offers a fantastic crunch with every bite, thanks to its Parmesan-Panko crust.
- Explore these and more in our 25 Best Chicken Breast Dinner Ideas roundup, perfect for planning your next meal.
If you make this recipe be sure to leave a comment or give this recipe a rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐! We will be happy to hear from you!
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
Creamy Ranch Chicken
Ingredients
For The Chicken:
- 2 large boneless and skinless chicken breasts, halved horizontally to make 4 filets
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Ground black pepper, as needed
- 2 heaping tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 3 tablespoons finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, or canola oil
- Fresh parsley, finely chopped to garnish, optional
For The Sauce:
- 8 ounces bacon, trimmed of fat and diced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 large cloves garlic, grated on a Microplane or minced
- 10.5 oz. cream of mushroom soup
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 cup sour cream, at room temp
- 1 oz. packet Ranch seasoning mix, about 3 tablespoons
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into thinner slices, about 2 slices per breast. Use a meat tenderizer to gently flatten the chicken; it will expand more while cooking. Aim for slices that are approximately ½ inch thick.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. In a shallow bowl, mix together the flour, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan cheese. Dredge the seasoned chicken in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess, and then set it aside.
- In a large pan or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet, heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat until the butter has melted and the pan is hot. Cook the chicken until it's golden on each side and fully cooked (approximately 4-5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of your chicken). Transfer to a plate.
- Add the bacon to the pan and cook until crispy. Transfer to a plate and remove some of the excess fat, leaving about 1 teaspoon in the pan.
- Add the onion and garlic to the pan, and sauté until the onion becomes translucent (approximately 1 minute).
- Reduce the heat to low and add the cream of mushroom soup, milk, sour cream, and ranch seasoning mix. Stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 minutes, then return the cooked bacon and cook further for 2 minutes.
- Place the chicken back in the skillet and spoon the sauce over it.
- Partially cover the skillet and allow the chicken to heat through and soak up the sauce’s flavors, approximately 2 minutes.
- Garnish with parsley and serve alongside mashed or baked potatoes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
All rights reserved. CHEF JAR. All images and content are copyright protected. PLEASE do not use my images without my permission. If you want to share this recipe, PLEASE provide a link back to this post.
Delicious! Easy to make. My family love it .
Hi, Elizabeth! That’s great to hear! I’m glad your family enjoyed it.
This chicken was so tender and flavorful! The creamy ranch sauce was rich and comforting. My whole family loved it!
Thank you, Emily! I’m glad your family enjoyed it. Creamy ranch chicken is a comfort food classic!