Comfort food at its yummiest, this Low Carb Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole is packed with juicy chicken, crispy bacon, and broccoli topped in a creamy ranch sauce, offering a flavorful, nutrient rich dinner with bursts of flavor in every bite. Perfect for gatherings or cozy dinners providing ample leftovers, this low carb casserole is also Low FODMAP, Keto, gluten-free, and grain-free, with a lactose-free option.
Note: although low FODMAP, this recipe is high in fat, which may still pose challenges for some people with IBS.
If you love chicken recipes with ranch dressing, try my Creamy Ranch Chicken next!
Featured Review
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“Tasty and a welcome addition to our family's meal rotation. I followed the recipe as written (just halved it) and it turned out great."
– Cimmie
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A low carb casserole? What?!
If you've been around for awhile, you may be surprised to see a casserole on my blog.
You and me both, friend.
Honestly, with the exception of lasagna or shepherd's pie, I'm not a huge casserole person. However, the amazing flavor this chicken bacon ranch casserole offers combined with its low carb-ness (that's a word now) and low FODMAP-ness (that too) makes this casserole recipe worthy of a spot on Good Noms, Honey!
While this recipe is seriously lacking in the usage of fun kitchen gadgets like the Instant Pot or air fryer, a little diversity in my recipes can be a good thing.
Is broccoli low FODMAP?
According to Monash University's Low FODMAP Diet App as of the date of this writing, broccoli heads (or florets as I call them in the recipe, which sounds so much more elegant) contain the FODMAP fructose and are low FODMAP in quantities of ¾ cup or 75 grams per serving. Broccoli stalks are higher in FODMAPs but have a low FODMAP serving size of ⅓ cup or 45 grams per serving.
This casserole calls for 5 cups of broccoli florets across 8 servings, which comes to about .625 cups per serving, which is less than the ¾ cup serving size allowed by Monash.
The low FODMAP serving size for this casserole is 1 ½ cups maximum. If you're sensitive to fat, I would skip this recipe and recommend trying my Low FODMAP Instant Pot Shepherd's Pie or Low FODMAP Low Carb Shepherd's Pie with Turkey and Squash for lower fat, casserole-style dishes.
Necessary Equipment
The equipment I use to make this Low Carb Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole include:
- 9-inch by 13-inch glass baking dish (3-quarts)
- Conventional oven
- Cheese shredder
- Citrus juicer
- Large saucepan (mine is 3-quarts) with lid
- Vegetable steamer basket
- Extra large mixing bowl
- Large spoon
- Small mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Spatula
Ingredients
The ingredients I use to make this Low Carb Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole entail (shown across two photos):
- Boneless chicken, cooked and cubed. If you have leftover chicken from another recipe, this recipe becomes even easier. If needing low FODMAP, make sure the chicken you use was cooked with low FODMAP ingredients.
- Low sodium bacon, cooked and crumbled. Make sure the bacon you use contains only low FODMAP ingredients.
- Fresh broccoli florets (a.k.a. broccoli heads), chopped into bite-sized pieces. See the "Is broccoli low FODMAP?" section above for FODMAP info on broccoli.
- Marble cheese (lactose-free if needed), coarsely shredded.
Easy Ranch Sauce Ingredients
- Avocado oil mayo (or your preferred mayo)
- Garlic-infused olive oil
- Milk of choice (lactose-free if needed) - I typically use almond milk, but any milk fitting your dietary requirements should work.
- Dried chives
- Scallions (a.k.a. green onions), green parts only, minced
- Lemon juice
- Dried parsley
- Dried dill - I forgot the dill in the photo above (oops), but you definitely want to include it when you make the recipe. It isn't quite ranch flavored without the dill.
- Sea salt
- Ground black pepper
Easy Ranch Sauce Substitutions:
Although this easy ranch sauce contains mostly pantry ingredients, if want to make things even easier, instead of making this ranch sauce, you can:
- If you're not concerned with FODMAPs or eating clean, use a heaping cup of store-bought ranch. My easy ranch sauce recipe is way cleaner and, in my opinion, more flavorful, but the option is there.
- Use a heaping cup of leftover Low FODMAP Ranch Dressing, which this easy ranch sauce is inspired by. This low FODMAP ranch recipe makes two cups, so you can use about a cup for salad and a cup for this casserole. While this recipe is a bit more involved as it calls for fresh herbs, it is well worth the effort as it is delicious and one of the most popular recipes on the entire blog.
For cooking:
- Avocado oil cooking spray (or your preferred cooking spray)
- Cold water
Method
The steps I take to make this Low Carb Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole include:
Preheat and Prep
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C) and place the oven rack in the center position. Spray a 9-inch by 13-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.
Steam Broccoli
Place chopped broccoli in a vegetable steamer basket in a large saucepan (mine is 3-quarts) with about an inch of cold water on high heat on the stove.
Cover and, once boiling, steam until broccoli turns bright green, about 3-4 minutes. Be careful not to overcook. Promptly uncover.
Using a large spoon, transfer broccoli from the saucepan to the largest mixing bowl you have.
Add Casserole Ingredients
Add cooked chicken, bacon, and 1 cup of the cheese to the mixing bowl with the broccoli.
Stir with a large spoon until combined.
Make Easy Ranch Sauce
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together ranch sauce ingredients: mayo, garlic-infused olive oil, milk, dried chives, scallions, lemon juice, parsley, dill, salt, and pepper...
...until combined.
Pour ranch sauce over casserole, scraping the bowl clean with a spatula.
Stir casserole ingredients until everything is evenly coated in ranch sauce.
Transfer to Baking Dish; Cover with Cheese
Spread casserole evenly in the prepared baking dish, using a spatula if needed.
Cover casserole with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese.
Bake
Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling. Remove from oven.
Cool
Allow casserole to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Spoon the casserole from the baking dish onto plates. If needing low FODMAP, keep in mind the maximum serving size of 1 ½ cups.
Store
Store completely cooled leftover casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you should be able to use frozen broccoli florets. Frozen broccoli may need to be steamed a bit longer in the saucepan and may not be cut into bite-sized chunks.
I've only tested this recipe with broccoli, so I'm not sure how other vegetables would work. You'd also want to be mindful of the carb and/or FODMAP content of the vegetable you're thinking of substituting.
You could; however, pre-cooked store-bought rotisserie chickens are typically not made with clean or low FODMAP ingredients.
Yes, that should work, provided your chicken is cooked to the point of being shred-able.
Related Recipes
Low Carb Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole (Low FODMAP, Keto)
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
This Low Carb Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole features tender chicken, crispy bacon, and broccoli enveloped in a creamy ranch sauce. This nutrient-rich dish is perfect for gatherings or cozy dinners and is Low FODMAP, low carb, keto-friendly, gluten-free, and grain-free, with a lactose-free option. Note: While low FODMAP, its richness in fats may still pose challenges for some individuals with IBS.
Ingredients
- 5 cups fresh broccoli florets, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 2 pounds boneless chicken, cooked and chopped into ½-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
- 10 slices low sodium bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 2 cups marble cheese (lactose-free if needed), coarsely shredded, divided
Easy Ranch Sauce (see notes for substitutions):
- ¾ cup avocado oil mayo (or your preferred mayo)
- 2 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil
- 2 tablespoons milk of choice (lactose-free if needed)
- 2 tablespoons dried chives
- 1 ½ tablespoons scallions, green parts only, minced
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
For cooking:
- Avocado oil cooking spray (or your preferred cooking spray)
- Cold water
Instructions
- Preheat and prep: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C) and place the oven rack in the center position. Spray a 9-inch by 13-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.
- Steam broccoli: Place chopped broccoli in a vegetable steamer basket in a large saucepan (mine is 3-quarts) with about an inch of cold water on high heat on the stove. Cover and, once boiling, steam until broccoli turns bright green, about 3-4 minutes. Be careful not to overcook. Promptly uncover and using a large spoon, transfer broccoli from the saucepan to the largest mixing bowl you have.
- Add casserole ingredients: Add cooked chicken, bacon, and 1 cup of the cheese to the mixing bowl with the broccoli and stir with a large spoon until combined.
- Make easy ranch sauce: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together ranch sauce ingredients: mayo, garlic-infused olive oil, milk, dried chives, scallions, lemon juice, parsley, dill, salt, and pepper. Pour ranch sauce over casserole ingredients, scraping the bowl clean with a spatula. Stir casserole ingredients until everything is evenly coated in ranch sauce.
- Transfer to baking dish: Spread casserole evenly in the prepared baking dish, using a spatula if needed. Cover casserole with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese.
- Bake: Bake uncovered in preheated oven for 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling. Remove from oven.
- Cool: Allow casserole to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Spoon the casserole from the baking dish onto plates. If needing low FODMAP, keep in mind the maximum serving size of 1 ½ cups.
- Store: Store completely cooled leftover casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Notes
- Low FODMAP serving size: Containing low FODMAP quantities of fructose due to the broccoli, this casserole is low FODMAP at a serving size of 1 ½ cups. However, as mentioned, this recipe is high in fat, which may not work for some individuals with IBS.
- Broccoli florets: per Monash University’s Low FODMAP Diet App, broccoli florets (or heads) contain the FODMAP fructose and are low FODMAP in servings of up to ¾ cup or per serving. This recipe calls for 5 cups across 8 servings, which comes to about .625 cups per 1 ½ cup serving, which is below the tolerable amount of .75 cups.
- Ranch sauce: if you're not concerned with FODMAPs and want to make things easier, you can use a heaping cup of store-bought ranch dressing instead. However, this easy ranch sauce is cleaner than store-bought ranch and, in my opinion, more flavorful. Or, if you have about a cup leftover of my Low FODMAP Ranch Dressing recipe, you can use that, which the ranch sauce is inspired by.
- Lactose-free option: use avocado oil mayo (or your preferred lactose-free mayo) and lactose-free milk and marble cheese.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Conventional Oven
- Cuisine: American
Disclaimer: This recipe is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical or dietary advice. The author is not a medical professional. Nutrition info is an estimate and can vary depending on ingredients and preparation. We follow current guidelines for special diets like low FODMAP, Keto, and Paleo at the time of initial publication, but individual tolerance varies and research is always evolving. It’s up to each reader to check ingredient labels, stay informed with the latest research, and consult their doctor to make informed choices based on their individual needs. Storage times are general recommendations—always follow safe food handling practices. See our Terms of Use for more details.
CimmieS says
Followed the recipe as written except for halving ingredients. I baked it in a round deep casserole container & it needed longer cook of 15 minutes. The casserole itself was ample, tasty & a welcome addition to family’s meal repertoire.
Gail Gromaski says
Thanks so much for your thoughtful comment, Cimmie! I'm glad to hear the casserole turned out well and that it's earned a spot in your family’s meal rotation. I really appreciate you sharing your experience!
Erika Rose says
Do you think that this could be assembled in advance?
Gail Gromaski says
Yes, I think that would work well, Erika! You can assemble the casserole in advance, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it until you're ready to bake. Since it will be cold from the fridge, you may need to add a few extra minutes to the baking time. I'd also suggest letting it sit at room temperature while the oven preheats so it isn't going straight from fridge-cold to hot oven.