Get ready for a flavor explosion with these Chicken Bacon Ranch Kabobs! Juicy griddled chicken pieces are threaded onto skewers with crispy bacon and smothered in melted cheese and ranch dressing. These griddle chicken kabobs are perfect for backyard cookouts or easy weeknight meals!
If you love the classic flavors of chicken, bacon, and ranch, then these chicken bacon ranch skewers are going to become your new favorite dish. Tender chunks of chicken are marinated in a zesty ranch seasoning blend before being skewered and cooked to perfection on the griddle. Be sure to try our Chicken Bacon Ranch Pinwheels, too!
The real magic happens when you top each hot-off-the-griddle piece of chicken with crispy bacon bits, melted colby jack cheese, and a drizzle of cool, creamy homemade ranch dressing. Every bite is an irresistible flavor bomb of savory, smoky, cheesy goodness.
These griddle chicken kabobs make a great appetizer for parties and tailgates. Or turn them into a hearty main course by serving over a bed of greens or pasta. However you enjoy them, get ready for rave reviews when you fire up the griddle for these chicken bacon ranch kabobs!
*If you’re looking for more delicious griddle chicken recipes, check out our Loaded Grilled Chicken and Griddle Orange Chicken.*
Why You’ll LOVE This Chicken Skewers Recipe:
These Chicken Bacon Ranch Kabobs take juicy griddled chicken and turn it into a hand-held, flavor-packed meal with smoky bacon, melty cheese, and creamy ranch dressing. If that’s not enough, here are more reasons to love them:
- Party Pleaser. These chicken bacon ranch kabobs make a fantastic appetizer or snack for backyard parties, tailgates, and cookouts. The portable skewer format is perfect for casual outdoor gatherings.
- Meal Prep Friendly. The chicken can be prepped and marinated up to 24 hours in advance. The skewers can even be preassembled for fast cooking right before serving.
- Customizable Toppings. While bacon, cheese, and ranch are the classic toppings, you can get creative with different cheese varieties, sauces, or extras like sautéed mushrooms or onions.
- Kid-Friendly. Kids will go crazy for these fun kebab-style chicken skewers loaded with their favorite flavors like ranch, bacon, and melty cheese. It’s a great way to get those picky eaters to eat chicken!
Ingredients for Chicken Bacon Ranch Kabobs
What I love about this recipe is the simple ingredients! By making a homemade ranch dressing, you control the ingredients and the flavors. Here’s what you’ll need to make these delicious chicken skewers:
- Chicken Thighs – Boneless, skinless chicken thighs provide great flavor and stay nice and juicy on the griddle. You could also use boneless chicken breasts if preferred.
- Ranch Seasoning – A packet of dried ranch seasoning mix adds tons of zesty flavor to the chicken marinade.
- Lemon Juice – Fresh lemon juice helps tenderize the chicken and brightens up the ranch flavors.
- Olive Oil – This helps the seasoning adhere to the chicken and prevents sticking on the griddle.
- All-Purpose Seasoning – Or just use salt and pepper. The all-purpose blend adds extra savory notes.
- Bacon – No ranch dish is complete without smoky bacon! Center cut or thick cut both work well.
- Colby Jack Cheese – This melty cheese blend is perfect for topping the skewers. You could substitute cheddar cheese or another favorite cheese.
- Green Onions – These are the perfect fresh garnish to balance out all the richness.
- Buttermilk, Sour Cream, Mayo – These are the base for making a thick, tangy homemade ranch dressing to drizzle over the skewers. You can also use a store-bought ranch dressing if you want to take a shortcut!
- Herbs & Spices – Garlic powder, dill, onion powder, parsley, salt, and pepper season the ranch dressing. Omit these ingredients if you’re using a premade ranch dressing.
How to Make Chicken Kabobs on the Griddle
Make the Ranch Dressing
Start by preparing the cool and creamy ranch dressing that will be drizzled over the finished skewers.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic powder, dill weed, onion powder, lemon juice, parsley, salt, and pepper. For a kick, stir in 2 tablespoons of prepared horseradish. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to meld. If you’re using a store-bought ranch dressing you can skip this step.
Marinate the Chicken
Cut the boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or boneless skinless chicken breasts) into 1-1.5 inch cubes and place in a large bowl. Add the packet of ranch seasoning mix, lemon juice, olive oil, and all-purpose seasoning. Toss to coat the chicken evenly in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Tip: The olive oil helps the seasonings really adhere to the chicken and prevents sticking on the hot griddle.
Prep the Toppings
While the chicken is marinating, cook the bacon slices on the preheated griddle until crispy. Drain on paper towels and let cool, then chop into bits. Grate the Colby jack cheese. Thinly slice the green onions for garnish.
Assemble the Skewers
Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto wooden or metal skewers, folding the chicken as needed to secure the pieces. Aim for 6-8 pieces per skewer.
Tip: If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes beforehand to prevent burning.
Cook the Kabobs on the Griddle
Preheat your griddle to 400-425°F. Place the assembled skewers on the hot griddle surface, pressing down lightly to ensure even contact. Cook for 3-4 minutes untouched to develop a nice crust.
Then rotate the ranch chicken kabobs, cooking and turning every few minutes until the chicken is cooked through to 165-175°F internally. Use a meat thermometer and check multiple pieces, as some will cook faster than others.
Tip: If the chicken sticks to the griddle, it likely needs a bit more time to develop that crust before turning.
Add the Toppings
As the skewers finish cooking, group them together on the griddle. Sprinkle the chopped bacon and shredded cheese over the top. Cover with a melting dome to help the cheese melt, if needed.
Tip: When using a melting dome for your chicken kabobs, it’s okay if the ends of the skewers stick out from under the dome. The dome will still help to circulate the heat from the griddle, creating more of an oven effect and helping to melt the cheese.
Finish and Serve the Chicken Bacon Ranch Kabobs
Once the cheese is melty, use a spatula to separate and remove the cheesy bacon skewers from the griddle. Transfer to a platter and drizzle with the chilled ranch dressing. Garnish with extra sliced green onions.
Serve the bacon ranch chicken skewers while hot, with extra ranch dressing on the side as a dipping sauce!
FAQ’s about Bacon Ranch Chicken Kabobs
How do I know when the chicken is fully cooked?
The chicken is fully cooked and safe to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of 165-175°F. Use a meat thermometer and check multiple pieces on the skewers, as some may cook faster than others. The chicken should also have an opaque, white color throughout with no pink remaining.
Since this kabob recipe uses chicken thighs instead of breasts, you’re able to overshoot the recommended internal temp of chicken by about 10 degrees, without worrying about the chicken drying out. That’s why I like to use boneless skinless chicken thighs in so many of my griddle recipes!
Can I marinate the chicken for longer than 2 hours?
You can marinate the chicken for up to 24 hours for maximum flavor penetration. Just be sure to cover and refrigerate it. Any longer and the acidic lemon juice may start to break down the chicken too much.
How can I make these chicken skewers ahead of time?
The chicken can be marinated up to 24 hours in advance. You can also fully assemble the uncooked skewers and refrigerate until ready to grill. Let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
What are some good veggie options to add to the skewers?
These skewers are a great way to use up veggies! Some tasty additions include chunks of red onion, green bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, or even pineapple chunks for a fun sweet/savory combo.
Is there a good sauce alternative to ranch dressing?
Absolutely! While ranch is classic, you could also drizzle these skewers with blue cheese dressing, honey mustard, or even barbecue sauce for BBQ chicken bacon ranch skewers! With honey mustard, these griddle chicken kabobs would be similar to another one of our favorite griddle chicken recipes, this Loaded Griddle Chicken!
Chicken Bacon Ranch Kabobs
Ingredients
- 3-4 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 packet ranch dressing seasoning mix
- Juice of ¾ of a lemon
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Shake That All-Purpose Seasoning or all-purpose seasoning of your choice (or substitute salt and pepper)
- 8-10 slices bacon
- 8 oz colby jack cheese grated (or substitute cheddar)
- 2 green onions thinly sliced for garnish
For the Ranch Dressing:
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ¾ cup full-fat sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp prepared horseradish
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried dill weed
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp lemon juice about ¼ lemon
- ½ tsp dried parsley
- ¼-½ tsp salt
- fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Add all ranch dressing ingredients to a medium bowl. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Cut chicken thighs into pieces that are roughly 1-1.5” square. Add cut chicken thighs to a large mixing bowl with ranch seasoning packet, lemon juice, olive oil, and all-purpose seasoning. Mix to combine and refrigerate covered for 2 hours.
- Preheat griddle to about 400-425 degrees F.
- Cook bacon on the griddle until crispy. Then drain on paper towels. Chop the cooled bacon and set aside.
- While bacon is cooking, prepare the chicken skewers. Add about 6-8 pieces of chicken to each skewer, folding the chicken pieces over if needed to secure the oddly-shaped ends in place.
- Scrape excess bacon grease off the griddle surface into the grease trap. Place the chicken skewers on the heated griddle, lightly pressing down on top of the chicken so that it is in even contact with the griddle surface. Cook on the first side untouched for about 3-4 minutes, or until a nice crust develops on the first side. Then rotate the skewers to the next side and continue to cook. *As the chicken cooks and a crust develops, the meat will release a bit from the griddle. If the chicken is still sticking to the griddle, it is probably not yet ready to flip. If needed, you can add a melting dome on top of the chicken to speed up the cooking process.
- Continue to cook the chicken skewers, rotating to a new side as the crust develops. Cook the chicken until the internal temperature reaches about 165-175 degrees F. *Be sure to probe multiple pieces of chicken, as some pieces on the skewer will cook faster than others.
- As the chicken skewers finish cooking, group them closer together on the griddle. *If needed, you can turn 1-2 of the griddle burners off to adjust the temperature down a bit. Sprinkle shredded cheese, chopped bacon, and sliced green onions on top of the skewers. Add a melting dome to melt the cheese.
- When the cheese is melted, use your spatula to separate the cheesy chicken kabobs and remove from the griddle. Transfer chicken bacon ranch kabobs to a serving platter.
- Drizzle chicken skewers with ranch dressing and sprinkle with more sliced green onions for garnish. Serve warm.
Video
Are you a Pinterest user? Be sure to save this PIN to your Blackstone Griddle Recipes board:
Get More Griddle Recipes!
Follow The Flat Top King on YouTube for more recipes and tips for mastering your griddle!
Subscribe Now