This easy Asparagus Chicken Bake with Bacon is a low-carb and high protein weeknight dinner. Only 5 ingredients and 30 minutes of cooking time. The cleanup is minimal! Chicken covered with Ranch dressing and Cheddar cheese is moist and flavorful!
Low-carb chicken bake
- This Asparagus Bacon Ranch Chicken Bake is just like stuffed chicken but much easier. Just arrange all ingredients in a casserole dish and bake! What you get is a flavorful and creamy chicken bake with a nice cheesy crust on the outside.
- This dish is packed with protein (chicken) and fiber (asparagus). It's a low-carb meal like this delicious chicken zucchini.
- Baked chicken and asparagus is gluten-free just like Hasselback chicken with cream cheese and bacon. Note: make sure the Ranch dressing you use is gluten-free.
Why make this recipe
- You only need 5 ingredients. Chicken breasts, asparagus, bacon, Ranch dressing, Cheddar cheese. That's it! So easy and simple.
- This is not a boring chicken breast recipe. The chicken is smothered with bacon, Cheddar cheese, and Ranch dressing. This creamy and cheesy asparagus chicken bake has lots of flavors.
- One-pan recipe. Just throw everything in a casserole dish and bake in the oven! Easy and quick. Minimal clean-up.
- Perfect for meal preps, lunch or dinner.
-
Moist and flavorful chicken. Because the chicken and asparagus are all covered with Ranch dressing and Cheddar cheese, they cook to perfection.
- Low-carb chicken recipe. This chicken bake is low in carbs and high in protein.
Substitutions
- Use skinless boneless chicken breasts or skinless boneless chicken thighs.
- Use Cheddar, Mozzarella, Colby, or Monterey Jack cheese.
- Don't have asparagus? Use broccoli or green beans. You can also use sliced zucchini.
Side Dishes
This creamy baked chicken and asparagus will match perfectly with these sides:
- Roasted potatoes or mashed potatoes
- Rice
- Cauliflower rice
- Mashed cauliflower
- Quinoa
- Angel hair pasta or spaghetti
Cooking tips
- Use a medium-size casserole dish. I used the oval casserole dish measured 13 inches x 9 inches x 4 inches deep.
- Use 4 thin chicken breasts. Or, use 2 large thick chicken breasts, sliced in half horizontally each to make 4 thin chicken breasts.
- The total baking time will depend on the thickness of your chicken breasts. Thinly sliced chicken breasts will cook faster. Total baking time should be about 20-30 minutes in the preheated oven at 375 F.
- There is no need to add salt. The baked chicken and asparagus get all the salt from the bacon, the ranch dressing, and the cheddar cheese.
How to bake chicken and asparagus
Step-by-step photos follow below to show how to bake chicken and asparagus in a casserole dish.
1) Preheat oven to 375 F.
2) Add chicken breasts to the casserole dish.
3) Add chopped asparagus.
4) Add chopped cooked bacon.
5) Spread Ranch dressing over the chicken breasts.
6) Top with shredded Cheddar cheese.
7) Bake, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
8) Broil for the last 4 minutes if desired.
Main dish recipes with asparagus and chicken
- Tomato Asparagus Chicken Pasta
- Creamy Chicken, Asparagus, and Bacon Tortellini
- One-Pan Pesto Chicken with Asparagus and Tomatoes
- Pesto Chicken Tortellini with Asparagus and Tomatoes
More easy chicken bake recipes
- Cajun Chicken with Bell Peppers
- Pepperoni Chicken Bake with Mozzarella
- Baked Ranch Chicken with Broccoli and Bacon
One-Pan Asparagus Chicken Bake with Bacon and Ranch
One-Pan Asparagus Chicken Bake with Bacon, Ranch Dressing, and Cheddar Cheese. This recipe is low in carbs and high in protein. Only 5 ingredients and 30 minutes of cooking time. The chicken covered with Ranch dressing and Cheddar is moist and flavorful. This comfort food meal will become your family favorite!
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- ½ pound asparagus chopped into thirds (2-inch slices)
- 6 strips bacon cooked, chopped
- ½ cup Ranch dressing
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Add chicken breasts to the casserole dish.
- Add chopped asparagus all around and on top of the chicken.
- Add chopped cooked bacon around and on top of the chicken.
- Spread Ranch dressing over the chicken breasts.
- Top with shredded Cheddar cheese.
- Bake, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Broil for the last 4 minutes if desired.
Notes
- Use 4 thin chicken breasts. Or, use 2 large thick chicken breasts, sliced in half horizontally each to make 4 thin chicken breasts.
- The total baking time will depend on the thickness of your chicken breasts. Thinly sliced chicken breasts will cook faster. Total baking time should be about 20-30 minutes in the preheated oven at 375 F.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information
One-Pan Asparagus Chicken Bake with Bacon and Ranch
Amount per Serving
Calories
665
% Daily Value*
Fat
43
g
66
%
Saturated Fat
14
g
88
%
Cholesterol
205
mg
68
%
Sodium
985
mg
43
%
Potassium
1062
mg
30
%
Carbohydrates
4
g
1
%
Fiber
1
g
4
%
Sugar
1
g
1
%
Protein
60
g
120
%
Vitamin A
780
IU
16
%
Vitamin C
6.9
mg
8
%
Calcium
238
mg
24
%
Iron
2.6
mg
14
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Tried this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment and provide a Star Rating below - I love your feedback and try to respond to every comment!
I really wanted to love this recipe but I did not. There is NO seasoning except for the ranch dressing. It turned out bland and boring. Sorry but if I season next time it maybe better
Pam, thank you for your feedback - it's so helpful for other readers. I didn't add any seasonings because, to my taste, having bacon + Ranch dressing + cheddar cheese added plenty of flavor, but I can see that for many people, that might not be enough. In that case, I would season the chicken breast (prior to bakign) with salt, freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
I plan on making this tonight with substitutions. If you use only one chicken breast, you cook it the same amount of time.? If I use broccoli and peppers do I cook them first?
Such a wonderful and easy recipe. Even faster if you use pre-cooked bacon.
Thank you, Laurel, so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
I put rings of sweet red pepper and added some garlic salt to jazz up the flavor. Excellent one pan meal. I cooked this in my travel trailer on vacation. Quick and easy
I love the addition of sweet red pepper! Thank you for your review, Barbara! 🙂
Julia, where have you been all my dieting life? Dr. put me on Keto 18 months ago and I've struggled to find recipes that I really like. And here they are!! God bless you. Please keep it up! (18 months and 38 lbs. - slow and steady)
Jae, I am so glad you found the recipe you liked on my website! 🙂 Glad my recipes resonate with you! ❤️
Young lady
I just found you on Facebook and came to your website. I can’t wait to try this one…we’re never too old to learn something else…
Kindest Regards
Elsie
I am in middle of cooking this now can’t wait to see what it’s like I made my own ranch sauce to go ontop
Samantha, I hope you loved the recipe! 🙂 Homemade ranch sauce is the best!
I am making this now. I just finished the 30 minute bake, but the chicken is RAW. SO I covered it and it is back in the oven. If left uncovered, the cheese would be beyond burned. Did I not do something right!? Maybe I should have butterflied the chicken?
Meredith, I did use thinly sliced chicken breasts (if using thick ones, I would slice each one in half horizontally).
I have mentioned it in the Cooking Tips above the recipe card, and I just updated the recipe card itself with notes.
I love your recipes, they are so easy and delicious thanks Sonja
Sonja, I am so glad you're finding my recipes helpful!
I made this recipe exactly as written (well almost) except that I used jalapeño ranch dressing because that is what I had on hand. It was amazing!! I served it with ranch butter noodles (egg noodles cooked in chicken broth, drained mostly but not completely, add butter and ranch seasoning). It was so good and so easy. The chicken was very moist and juicy. Will definitely make again and again. I shared this recipe with my sister and can’t wait for her to try it. Thank you for this recipe!!! So good!!!
Gail, I just love your creativity and the changes you made: from using jalapeno ranch dressing to serving it with ranch butter noodles. Sounds so good and gives ideas to other readers, too. Thank you!
I have mine baking now. I used thighs, and it is taking WAY longer than 30 minutes. I hope it's good!!
I hope this dish turned out well for you! If you use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs - they will take longer to cook through than boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
Can you think of another dressing if we don’t like ranch? Would love to try it.
Creamy Caesar dressing should work great!
It’s a keeper as is, may add sautéed mushroom, onions next time. Also thought of using Blue cheese dressing instead of Ranch. Chicken is vey tender.
Ann, I am glad you've enjoyed this recipe and that the chicken comes out tender. Mushrooms and onions would work great here!
Tonight I made this recipe and I am glad I did. It will go into my favorites folder. I used a thick sliced, hickory smoked bacon and then I served it on top of a baked russet potato. This recipe is not only full of flavor, it is also easy to prepare and serve. I did add a bit of salt and pepper and some granulated garlic. If you did not wish to use asparagus, you could easily substitute broccoli, cauliflower, or a spinach/kale blend. The flavor would also change a bit with the type of bacon you use and how it is smoked. Easy to make, delicious, and easy to modify if needed. This is a home run.
Gregory, your comment made my day! 🙂 Thank you for taking the time to share such helpful and detailed feedback. Yes, this recipe will work equally well with broccoli, cauliflower, or a spinach/kale blend instead of asparagus. Thank you for these great tips! 🙂
Wow this was so juicy and tasty! Do you think it was the ranch that kept the chicken so juicy?! I was a bit skeptical since it was so simple but everything really paired well together. I appreciate your tip about slicing the breasts in half (definitely made for quicker cook time and juicier chicken). Thank you for sharing. I'm definitely making this again.
Kiki, thank you so much for such a wonderful and positive comment. I am glad you liked this recipe! Yes, I think adding the Ranch dressing certainly helps keep the chicken moist.
can you use fresh spinach?
I would use creamed spinach. Take a look at this chicken bake recipe, for example: Chicken Bake with Creamed Spinach, Bacon, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Definitely give this 5 stars - so quick and easy and already had all ingredients on hand. My husband loved it and since it serves 4 we have leftovers for tomorrow. I will certainly consider serving this next time we entertain. I added chopped onion and more ranch dressing/cheese which together made a nice gravy to serve over mashed potatoes.
Might even try a packet of dry onion soup mix stirred in the ranch dressing but it is delicious without any additions.
Cornelia, I am so happy you liked this recipe! Love your addition of chopped onions and extra Ranch dressing for more sauce over the mashed potatoes. That sounds delicious! And, thank you so much for stopping by and sharing such a positive comment and 5-star review! 🙂 I really appreciate it!
I think we like it?? But we ended up with soup - what did I miss? It looked identical to the pics going in but it’s ended up with boiled chicken with some toppings. It smells great though! I’ll try it again with fresh rather than defrosted chicken…
Not sure what happened. Sorry to hear about all that watery stuff!
I don't know if you used chicken that's been frozen, but if the chicken is frozen, make sure to thaw it completely before using it in this recipe. And, if it's been frozen and thawed, pat it dry with paper towels to remove extra moisture.
If you buy chicken that’s injected with phosphates or a solution, it becomes watery. You’d be surprised how much chicken is injected with a 15 perfect solution. You would have to take the “soup” you’re referring to and thicken it with arrowroot, cornstarch or flour to thicken
it, or transfer to stove top if it’s thighs that won’t overcook and reduce rye liquid.
I made this for dinner tonight but I used Franks spicy Ranch dressing and it was mighty delicious!!
Kristina, I am so glad you liked this recipe! Thank you for the feedback - I appreciate it!
Going to try this recipe for the first time Tonight glad I read thru the comments thank u for the tip on taking a paper towel to get moisture out of the chicken breast cause yes it was frozen and thawed out I will let u know how mine turns out I am going to add some onion and green red and yellow Bell peppers along with the asparagus your dish looks tasty thank you for this recipe
Danielle, I hope you love this recipe! Love the addition of bell peppers. And, yes, make sure your chicken is completely thawed before using and wipe it with paper towels to get rid of any extra moisture.
I can't wait to try this...my only issue would be, I am not a breast or thigh person,. I would use wings or legs...I think it would still be awesome. Can you see any reason why I couldnt use these?
You could use these but chicken wings or legs would cook longer so you will have to account for that.
Made this for dinner tonight. It was so quick and easy to do when I got home from work. My husband does not like asparagus, so I put green pepper strips on his end of the pan. I hate peppers, so my end had the asparagus. Served with rice. Will definitely make this again and again.
Leta, I am so pleased that this recipe was a success! Love how you used green pepper strips on one side of the pan! Thank you for such a kind comment and the 5-star review! 🙂
Can I use chicken breast fillets?
Yes, you can use skinless, boneless chicken breast fillets.