Creamy Ranch Chicken Potato Bake (Printable)

Tender chicken and sliced potatoes layered in a rich ranch cream sauce, topped with melted cheddar and mozzarella.

# What You Need:

→ Potatoes and Chicken

01 - 1.5 lbs Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
02 - 1.5 lbs 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 oz) ranch seasoning mix or 3 tbsp homemade ranch mix
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 tsp onion powder
09 - 1/2 tsp paprika
10 - 1/4 tsp dried thyme

→ Cheese Topping

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

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick 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 - Scatter half of the chicken cubes over the potatoes. Pour half of the ranch cream sauce evenly over this layer.
05 - Repeat with remaining potatoes and chicken, then pour the remaining sauce over the top layer.
06 - Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes at 375°F.
07 - Remove foil, sprinkle cheddar and mozzarella cheese over the casserole, and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes until cheese is golden and potatoes are tender.
08 - Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before garnishing with chives or parsley and serving.

# Expert Hacks:

01 -
  • It comes together in 20 minutes of prep time, but tastes like you've been tending a pot all afternoon.
  • The layers stay intact and gorgeous when you serve it, which always impresses people more than it should.
  • Leftovers actually taste better the next day, and nobody will judge you for eating it cold straight from the fridge.
02 -
  • Slice your potatoes consistently thin—about the thickness of a dime—because thick and thin slices cook at different rates and you'll end up with some hard potatoes while others fall apart.
  • Don't skip the 10-minute rest at the end, no matter how hungry you are; it's the difference between beautiful defined layers and creamy casserole soup.
03 -
  • If your potatoes are thick or unevenly sized, they'll cook unevenly; take the extra 2 minutes to slice them consistently thin with a mandoline and your results will jump from good to restaurant-quality.
  • Make a double batch of the ranch sauce and keep it in a mason jar in the fridge for the next week—it's incredible poured over roasted vegetables, used as a dip, or whisked into mashed potatoes.
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