Chicken bacon ranch. Who doesn't get a shiver of excitement when they hear those words? Well, it gets even better. Chicken Bacon Ranch Spaghetti Squash Casserole—right this way and your meals just reached a whole new level of epic.
With just a few ingredients, this simple paleo and Whole30 casserole delivers all the zesty, salty flavor of the classic chicken, bacon, and ranch combo.
I've got to admit that I don't often fuss around with ranch, because my man spouse completely despises ranch. I don't have much of an affinity for it, so I just don't bother. Better to avoid it than to have him constantly questioning whether I put ranch in a new meal—oh wait, he does that anyway.
Because of that, it had literally been years since I'd had ranch when Primal Kitchen released their paleo ranch dressing. Years!
But I was intrigued, so I tried a bottle of Primal Kitchen's Ranch and I instantly remembered how dang delicious ranch dressing is. Pretty soon, I brainstormed a few recipes I could utilize it in.
Chicken bacon ranch something was the obvious choice, wasn't it? Pair that with my desire to make more casserole-style, prep-in-advance dishes, and I found my recipe.
You've gotta love recipes you can prep in advance and enjoy all week. Life is so much simpler when you don't have to cook every single night. That's why I often roast a whole chicken on Sunday—we eat the thighs that night (our favorite part), and I use the remaining chicken for salads or recipes like this throughout the week. Then the carcass can be used for bone broth. Score!
Anyway, this chicken bacon ranch spaghetti squash casserole is a total win. You start off with a little prep—roasting the spaghetti squash, cooking the bacon. But once everything's prepped, making the casserole is a breeze.
I chose to bulk up this casserole a bit with frozen spinach. It adds a little pop of color and nourishment without detracting from the flavor... Trust me, it's all bacon and ranch in this casserole.
A quick note before we get to the recipe. I've only made this casserole with Primal Kitchen Ranch. I'm sure Tessemae's would work just as well. I've never made it with homemade ranch... More power to you if you want to try it, but I can't guess if a homemade ranch recipe will work with this casserole (it might not hold together, flavor might be different, etc.). So substitute at your own risk!
Chicken Bacon Ranch Spaghetti Squash Casserole
Chicken Bacon Ranch Spaghetti Squash Casserole
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 40
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Meal
- Method: baked
Description
Easy paleo Chicken Bacon Ranch Spaghetti Squash Casserole - packed with ranch, bacon, chicken, and veggies, this gluten free casserole is perfect for meal prep.
Ingredients
- 1 large spaghetti squash
- 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 2 cups leftover shredded chicken
- 1 package frozen spinach, thawed
- 1 cup Primal Kitchen Ranch Dressing
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Carefully cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds. Place the squash cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Cook for 45 minutes or until squash is tender. Use a fork to separate out the spaghetti squash strands from the peel. Let cool enough to handle. Measure out 4 cups for the recipe, and reserve the rest for whatever else your heart desires!
- Add the spaghetti squash, bacon, and chicken to a large bowl. Squeeze any excess liquid out of the frozen spinach and add to the bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the ranch, eggs, sea salt, garlic cloves, and black pepper until smooth. Pour this mixture into the spaghetti squash mixture and stir until fully incorporated.
- Pour into a lightly oiled 9x9 baking pan. Bake for 40 minutes, until the center no longer wiggles when you move the pan. Transfer to the top rack in the oven and turn the broiler on high. Broil for 5 minutes, watching carefully, until the top is lightly browned.
Keywords: Chicken Bacon Ranch Spaghetti Squash Casserole, paleo casserole, spaghetti squash casserole, CBR casserole
Christy says
Tried this tonight using the whole 30 “dump ranch” dressing! Great taste and texture! Yum!
Chelsea says
Woohoo! Glad to know it works with homemade ranch as well! 🙂 Thanks, Christy!
Debbie says
Oh wow!! I made this today and it was absolutely wonderful! Even the hubby raved about it, which surprised me as he is a meat and potato kinda guy!
Chelsea says
Debbie, that's great to hear! Glad you loved it. 🙂
Rita says
My husband proclaimed tonight this was in the top 10 of recipes I've ever made, and we've been married 20 years! He couldn't stop raving about it, So thank you! I did use the Primal Kitchen Ranch, but cheated and used pre-cut spaghetti butternut squash my grocery store sells. Yummy!
Chelsea says
Rita, I'm so glad to hear you and your husband loved it! Using pre-cut butternut squash isn't cheating - that's just smart! 😉
D.H. says
Made this today and it was yummy. I used fresh spinach and sautéed it with the garlic before adding to squash mixture. I also added a little grated cheese. Definitely will make again.
Chelsea says
Glad to hear you liked it, D.H.! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. I love hearing how it turns out!
Julie says
Hi! Have you ever made this with powdered ranch packs? If so how much would I use? That’s what I’ve got on hand so I thought I’d try it! Thanks!
Chelsea says
Hi Julie! Unfortunately I've never attempted to make this with powdered ranch packs, so I don't have any insight or guidance on what to substitute. At the very least, you'd need some type of liquid to add to the mixture - I believe the Primal Kitchen Ranch that I used for this recipe uses avocado oil, water, apple cider vinegar, and eggs as a base. But as far as how much to use of each one? Not a clue! I also am not sure how the powdered ingredients would react with the rest of the recipe texture- and flavor-wise, since most packs contain powdered milk and other additives that I don't typically work with in my kitchen. It's worth a try if you want to experiment, but I'm not sure what the results would be!