I’m so excited to share my Chicken Bacon Ranch Potato Skins recipe with you! These aren’t just loaded potatoes — they’re crispy, cheesy boats filled with juicy chicken, smoky bacon, and creamy ranch flavor that makes every bite feel like game day comfort food.
Level: Easy
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 8 potato skins (about 4 servings)
Course: Appetizer, Snack, Dinner
Cuisine: American
I still remember the first time I tried turning a classic casserole into potato skins — it instantly became a party favorite! There’s something fun about picking up a crispy potato half filled with melty cheese, tender chicken, and that ranch flavor everyone recognizes.
This version gives you all the goodness of chicken, bacon, and ranch but in a handheld, potato-skin style that’s perfect for sharing, snacking, or even making a meal out of. If you love bold flavors and easy bite-sized comfort food, this will be your new go-to.
How to Make Chicken Bacon Ranch Potato Skins
Here’s how the recipe comes together in the simplest way possible:
• Crispy baked potato halves as the base
• Shredded or bite-sized cooked chicken mixed with ranch seasoning
• Crunchy bacon crumbles for salty, smoky flavor
• Ranch-infused creamy sauce to hold everything together
• Melted Cheddar cheese on top
• Green onions for color and freshness
It’s like your favorite casserole, but with a crispy shell you can eat with your hands!
Ingredients
• 4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 (1-ounce) packet ranch dry dressing mix, divided
• 6 strips bacon
• 1 pound cooked chicken (shredded or chopped into small pieces)
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups whole milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
• ¼ cup chopped green onions
• Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
- Prep the Potatoes:
• Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
• Prick each potato with a fork a few times.
• Rub them with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt.
• Place directly on the oven rack or on a baking sheet.
• Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the skins are crisp and the insides feel soft when pressed. - Cook the Bacon:
• While the potatoes bake, cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat (about 10 minutes).
• When crispy, transfer to paper towels and let it cool.
• Crumble into small pieces and set aside.
• Leave about 3 tablespoons of bacon grease in the skillet. - Make the Sauce:
• Add chopped onion (optional) to the bacon grease and cook for 5 minutes until tender.
• Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
• Slowly add milk while stirring until it thickens.
• Add lemon juice or vinegar and half of the ranch seasoning mix. Stir and remove from heat. - Mix the Filling:
• In a bowl, combine cooked chicken, half of the bacon, ½ cup Cheddar cheese, and 1 tablespoon of the remaining ranch seasoning.
• Pour the sauce over the mixture and stir until evenly coated. - Prep the Potato Skins:
• Once baked potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut each in half lengthwise.
• Scoop out most of the inside, leaving a thin layer so the skins hold their shape.
• Lightly brush the insides with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining ranch seasoning. - Fill and Bake:
• Spoon the chicken mixture into each potato skin.
• Top with the remaining cheese and bacon.
• Return to the oven for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. - Finish with Garnish:
• Sprinkle chopped green onions over the top before serving.
Process Details
• Why Bake First: Baking whole potatoes before scooping helps the skins stay sturdy and crisp.
• Saving the Pulp: You can mash or save the scooped-out potato for another meal.
• Ranch Flavor Balance: Splitting the ranch mix into the sauce, filling, and skins spreads the taste evenly.
• Cheese Melting: Adding half the cheese inside and half on top makes it gooey and golden.
Tips for Success
• Use russet potatoes — their skins get crisp without falling apart.
• Don’t scoop too deep or the skins might tear.
• If you don’t want to cook chicken, use rotisserie chicken for a shortcut.
• For stronger ranch flavor, add a drizzle of ranch dressing on top before serving.
• Want them extra crispy? Place skins under the broiler for 1–2 minutes at the end (watch closely!).
Serving Ideas
• Game day snack platter with ranch dip on the side
• Party appetizer with celery sticks and carrot sticks
• Main course with a salad or coleslaw
• Kid-friendly dinner with fruit on the side
• Tailgate-style meal with BBQ sauce drizzle
Storage & Freezing
• Refrigerator:
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F until warm and firm.
• Freezing:
Freeze the filled (but not baked) potato skins on a tray first, then move them to freezer bags. They keep for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen at 375°F for about 20 minutes.
Nutrition Info (Approximate per Potato Skin)
• Calories: ~260
• Protein: 18g
• Carbohydrates: 18g
• Fat: 14g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sodium: 480mg
• Sugar: 2g
Chicken Bacon Ranch Potato Skins are everything you love about comfort food, only crispier and easier to serve. Every bite has creamy filling, smoky bacon, and that unmistakable ranch taste tucked inside a crunchy potato shell. I hope you enjoy making (and eating!) this recipe as much as I do — it’s the kind of dish people ask for again and again!