This Smoky Bacon Ranch Chicken Skillet takes tender, ranch-seasoned chicken breasts, smoky bacon, and a creamy homemade ranch sauce and turns them into an incredibly flavorful one-skillet meal.
To build layers of flavor, the chicken breasts are generously seasoned with Bearded Butcher Ranch Blend Seasoning and seared on the smoker before being nestled into the creamy ranch sauce. That quick sear gives the chicken beautiful grill marks and adds a layer of smoky, grilled flavor that you simply can't get from baking the chicken alone.
But the real secret ingredient in this dish is the mouthwatering Bearded Butcher Ranch Blend Seasoning. With hints of fresh herbs and buttermilk, this seasoning is packed with flavor and works beautifully whether you're using it as a dry rub on the chicken or mixing it into a creamy homemade ranch sauce.
Once the chicken has those beautiful grill marks, everything comes together in one skillet with the creamy ranch sauce, shredded cheddar cheese, and crispy bacon. It's an easy dinner with big flavor and a smoky twist that makes this chicken skillet something truly special.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: About 35–45 minutes
Servings: 4-6
Ingredients
Creamy Ranch Sauce
- 10.5 ounces cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup half-and-half
- ¾ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons The Bearded Butcher Ranch Seasoning Blend
- 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh chives, chopped
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
Chicken & Toppings
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 6–8 strips bacon
- 2 teaspoons The Bearded Butcher Ranch Seasoning Blend, for seasoning the chicken
- 1 tablespoon oil or reserved bacon grease
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 green onions, diced
Instructions
Prepare the Ingredients
Start by shredding the cheddar cheese and preparing the bacon. Cook the bacon until crisp, reserving the bacon drippings if desired for searing the chicken. Allow the bacon to cool, then chop it into bite-sized pieces.
Make the Creamy Ranch Sauce
In a medium bowl, combine the cream of chicken soup, half-and-half, sour cream, chicken broth, mayonnaise, and The Bearded Butcher Ranch Seasoning Blend.
Add the fresh parsley, fresh dill, fresh chives, and dried mustard powder. Stir until the sauce is smooth and well combined.
Set the sauce aside while you prepare the chicken.
Season and Sear the Chicken
Preheat your smoker to 425°F.
Pat the chicken breasts dry and season them generously with the Bearded Butcher Ranch Blend. Lightly coat the chicken with oil or reserved bacon grease.
Place the chicken breasts on the smoker and quickly sear both sides until they develop beautiful grill marks. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked at this point.
Remove the chicken from the smoker once it has developed a good sear.
Build the Skillet
Lightly grease a large oven-safe skillet and place the seared chicken breasts inside.
Lower the smoker temperature to 300°F.
Pour the creamy ranch sauce over the chicken, making sure each piece is well coated.
Place the skillet back into the smoker and cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the sauce is hot and bubbling.
Add the Bacon & Cheese
Once the chicken is cooked through, sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the top, followed by the chopped bacon.
Return the skillet to the smoker for a few more minutes, just until the cheese is completely melted and the bacon is heated through and slightly crisp.
Remove the skillet from the smoker and sprinkle with diced green onions.
Serve hot and enjoy!
Why Smoke This Chicken?
While you can certainly make this recipe in the oven, the smoker is what takes this chicken skillet to the next level.
Searing the ranch-seasoned chicken over high heat before lowering the smoker temperature creates layers of smoky, grilled flavor. As the chicken finishes cooking in the creamy ranch sauce, those smoky flavors become part of the entire dish.
The result is tender chicken breasts coated in a rich, creamy ranch sauce with smoky bacon, melted cheddar, and fresh herbs in every bite.
Recipe Notes
- Don't fully cook the chicken during the initial sear. The chicken will finish cooking in the skillet with the ranch sauce.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part.
- If your chicken breasts are especially thick, consider butterflying or pounding them to an even thickness so they cook more evenly.
- You can prepare the creamy ranch sauce ahead of time and refrigerate it until you're ready to use it.
- Reserved bacon grease can be used in place of oil when seasoning and preparing the chicken for the smoker.
- For the best smoky flavor, cook the entire skillet on the smoker rather than transferring it to the oven.
