Tender juicy chicken, crispy bacon, and homemade ranch dressing is piled high on crunchy taco shells to create these irresistible Chicken Bacon Ranch Tacos! They are the perfect family-friendly dinner that cooks on a griddle in under 35 minutes.
Grilled chicken, crispy bacon, and creamy ranch dressing is a match made in heaven! So no wonder it’s a classic combination of flavors that can be found on so many restaurant menus.
And we’ve made our fair share of dishes with this ingredients combo – everything from chicken bacon ranch quesadillas to chicken bacon ranch skewers. So tacos were next on the list because who doesn’t love tacos?!
These chicken ranch tacos come together easily with ingredients frequently found in your kitchen. This recipe uses a simple homemade ranch dressing, perfectly seasoned chicken, and crispy bacon. I use a secret ingredient to fry the tortillas and add even more flavor.
This delicious combination is the perfect dinner when you’re pressed for time. You can also make and reheat for an even quicker meal during the week. Enjoy delicious flavor in every single bite!
The Best Chicken Bacon Ranch Tacos
It doesn’t get much easier than this taco recipe. It’s quick, easy, and delicious, which is why we love making them at home. Add these tacos to your dinner menu and you will not be disappointed!
Here are just a few reasons why you’ll love them:
- Dinner in under 35 minutes: If you’re looking for an easy weeknight dinner, then these tacos are the perfect option. Prep and cooking time is quick and easy.
- Family-friendly: Everyone loves tacos. Kids and adults will love the combination of bacon, chicken, and ranch. And you can add your own toppings to make them your own!
- Simple yet flavorful: The ingredients are simple (you probably already have them in your kitchen). The seasonings and cooking method create savory mouthwatering results.
- Versatile: This meal works great for lunch, dinner, taco night, or large gatherings. It’s easy to scale to make a larger batch to feed a crowd.
Ingredients You Need
A full list of ingredients and measurements are included in the recipe card below, but here are a few notes about the ingredients.
- Chicken: I find that chicken thighs have the best flavor, but you can also use chicken breasts. If you already have leftover chicken in your fridge, then use it for this recipe. You can also sub with rotisserie chicken.
- Bacon: If you don’t want bacon, you can omit it, but the bacon is delicious. Plus, you’ll use the bacon fat for frying the shells.
- All-purpose Seasoning: You can use your favorite all-purpose seasoning or other chicken seasoning. We used our own Shake That All-Purpose Seasoning.
- Tortillas: Use soft taco size tortillas to make the tacos. You can also substitute with store-bought taco shells, if needed.
For the Homemade Ranch Dressing:
Our homemade jalapeno ranch dressing uses a few ingredients.
- Sour cream: You can also make the dressing with a blend of Greek yogurt and sour cream for a healthier option.
- Mayonnaise
- Jalapeno juice (from jarred jalapeños): This adds a kick of heat, but you can omit, if desired.
- Jalapeno all-purpose seasoning: I use our Spice That Jalapeno All-Purpose Seasoning for this dressing, but you can use your favorite ranch seasoning or store-bought dressing instead. We also have a fantastic homemade ranch dressing that we made for these griddle potato wedges.
- Milk or half and half: This is used to thin the dressing to your desired consistency. You can also add more jalapeno juice if you wish.
Other Topping Ideas:
- Lettuce
- Tomato
- Diced Red Onions or Pickled Red Onions
- Cheese: Pepper jack cheese, cheddar cheese, or Mexican cheese blend
- Cilantro
- Guacamole
- Sliced Green Onions
How to Make Chicken Bacon Ranch Tacos
These tacos are so easy to make in under 30 minutes. Heat up your griddle to about 375°F (about medium-low to medium heat) and start cooking!
Step 1: Make the dressing.
In a small bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing. Cover and let the dressing rest in the fridge to allow the flavors to meld.
TIP: The homemade ranch dressing really elevates the flavor of these tacos. You can use your own favorite homemade dressing recipe or use your favorite store-bought ranch dressing to make it easier. Either way, it will be delicious!
Step 2: Prepare the chicken.
Season the chicken all over with all-purpose seasoning. You can use whatever seasoning you like.
Step 3: Cook the bacon.
Add the bacon to the hot griddle and cook until crispy. Then transfer to paper towels for the excess grease to drain.
Step 4: Cook the chicken.
Push the bacon grease to one side of the griddle. On the other side, dry it off pretty well, but leave some bacon grease on it. Increase the heat to medium on the side without the grease (about 425°F) , add the chicken and cook until the chicken is browned on one side. Flip and cook until the internal temperature reads 165°F on an instant-read meat thermometer.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, and let it rest for about 5 to 10 minutes.
Step 5: Fry the tortillas.
While the chicken is resting, fry the tortillas in the bacon grease on one side of the griddle until they start to brown. Move the tortilla to the dry side of the griddle to allow it to continue to cook until lightly browned.
TIP: Cooking the tortillas in bacon fat really elevates the flavor of the tacos. This is one of my secret tips for creating the best bacon chicken ranch tacos.
Once golden brown, transfer the fried tortillas to a taco holder. Carefully press the tortillas into the holder to form them into a taco shell.
TIP: If you don’t have a taco holder, you can use tongs to fold over the tortilla while frying. Hold the tortilla in place to form a taco while it cooks. Alternatively, you can use store-bought taco shells, but they might not have as much flavor.
Step 6: Assemble the tacos.
Slice the chicken and bacon into bite sized pieces.
Layer the chicken and then the bacon into the taco shells. Drizzle the ranch dressing over the top. Add lettuce, tomato, cheese, or any other toppings you desire. See the ingredient list above for other topping ideas.
Secrets for the Perfect Tacos
- The secret sauce – Homemade ranch dressing is a must for these tacos. The dressing is better than anything you can buy at the store. It also pairs really well with the chicken and bacon.
- Fry the tortillas in the bacon fat – If you really want to elevate the flavors beyond just store-bought shells, fry the tortillas in the bacon fat and form your own taco shells. This simple method adds incredible flavor. It’s my secret to the best tacos!
Storage and Reheating
You can make everything in advance and store it until you are ready to eat. Store the chicken, bacon, and ranch dressing in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat the chicken and bacon on the griddle or on the stove, then assemble your tacos and enjoy.
This makes it even quicker at meal time!
Serving Suggestions
While these delicious chicken bacon ranch tacos are completely irresistible, you can switch up the serving method and try a few other combinations.
- Quesadillas: Layer the bacon, chicken, and ranch dressing on one side of a large tortilla. Sprinkle plenty of cheese on top (cheddar or pepper jack cheese works well), then fold the tortilla over to make a quesadilla and cook on the griddle until lightly browned and the cheese is melted.
- Grain Bowls: Skip the taco shells and serve the chicken, bacon, and ranch dressing over rice. Top with your favorite toppings.
- Burritos: Layer all of the ingredients for the tacos into a tortilla and wrap it up into a burrito. Place the burrito on the hot griddle and cook until warmed through.
This simple recipe creates endless options!
Other Taco Recipes
If you love this Chicken Bacon Ranch Tacos recipe and want to try something different, try a few of our favorite taco recipes for your flat top griddle:
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Chicken Bacon Ranch Tacos
Equipment
- taco holder see notes
Ingredients
- 1 lb bacon
- 1½ lb boneless skinless chicken thighs about 6 thighs
- 1½ tablespoons all-purpose seasoning like Shake That All-Purpose Seasoning
- 12 soft taco sized flour tortillas about 8"
For the Ranch Dressing:
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Spice That Jalapeno All-Purpose Seasoning see notes
- 1-2 tablespoons juice from a jar of pickled jalapeños
- 1-2 tablespoons milk or half and half to thin to desired consistency
Instructions
- Make the dressing – In a medium bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, seasoning, and pickled jalapeno juice. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. When ready to use, add 1-2 tablespoons milk or half and half, if needed to thin to desired consistency. *The dressing will thicken a bit as it sits in the refrigerator.
- Heat the griddle on low to medium (depending on what type of griddle you have). Aim for a griddle temperature of about 375℉. Season the chicken on all sides with the all-purpose seasoning, or a blend of salt and pepper.
- Cook the bacon – Add the bacon to the hot griddle and cook until crispy. Then transfer bacon slices to a paper towel to drain excess grease. Reserve about half of the bacon grease in the corner of the griddle – you'll use that to fry the flour tortillas in a later step. Scrape the remaining bacon grease into the grease trap to clear a space to cook the chicken.
- Cook the chicken – Increase the heat to medium on the side without the grease (425 – 450°F). Place the chicken on the clear side, and cook untouched about 4-5 minutes, or until chicken is browned on the first side. Flip and continue to cook until the internal temperature reads 165°F on an instant-read meat thermometer. Then transfer chicken to a cutting board to rest for 5-10 minutes. *Note – You may need to flip the chicken thighs a few more times for even cooking.
- Fry the tortillas – While the chicken is resting, fry the tortillas in the bacon grease on one side of the griddle until they start to brown. Then move the tortilla to the dry side of the griddle to allow it to continue to cook until lightly browned. Carefully press the tortillas into a taco holder to form them into a taco shell.
- Assemble the tacos – Slice the chicken into strips against the grain. Chop bacon into small pieces. Layer the chicken and then the bacon into the taco shells. Drizzle the ranch dressing over the top. Add lettuce, tomato, cheese or any other toppings you desire. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Forming the taco shells – If you don’t have a taco holder, you can use tongs to fold over the tortilla while frying. Hold the tortilla in place to form a taco while it cooks. Alternatively, you can use store-bought taco shells, but they might not have as much flavor.
- For the Ranch dressing – If you don’t have Spice That, then you can serve the tacos with your favorite store-bought dressing, or use this alternate ranch dressing recipe here: https://theflattopking.com/potato-wedges-blackstone-griddle/
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