Description
Creamy ranch chicken with bacon and sharp cheddar stuffed into fluffy baked russet potatoes and broiled until hot and bubbly.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 pounds large russet potatoes, about 4 to 6 potatoes
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning mix
- 4 ounces block cream cheese
- 3 slices cooked bacon, diced or crumbled
- 1 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
- Olive oil, as needed
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Butter, as needed
- Extra cooked bacon, optional
- Chopped fresh chives, optional
- Ranch dressing, optional
- Blue cheese crumbles, optional
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in a slow cooker and sprinkle the ranch seasoning evenly over them.
- Place the cream cheese on top of the chicken.
- Cover and cook on high for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or on low for 4 to 5 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F if using the oven method for the potatoes.
- Wash and completely dry the potatoes.
- Rub the potatoes lightly with olive oil and season them with salt and black pepper.
- Place the potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until fork-tender.
- For the microwave method, microwave the potatoes on a microwave-safe plate for 7 minutes, turning once halfway through.
- Continue microwaving in 1-minute intervals until the potatoes become fork-tender.
- Let the cooked potatoes rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Shred the cooked chicken directly in the slow cooker with two forks.
- Stir three-quarters of the crumbled bacon and most of the grated cheddar into the chicken.
- Preheat the broiler and line a baking sheet with foil.
- Cut a lengthwise slit across the top of each potato without cutting completely through.
- Gently squeeze the ends to open each potato and fluff the centers with a fork.
- Season the potato flesh with salt and pepper, then add a small pat of butter.
- Fill each potato with the creamy chicken mixture.
- Top each potato with the remaining cheddar and bacon.
- Broil for about 5 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese melts and bubbles.
- Let the potatoes rest for 5 minutes.
- Garnish with chives, ranch dressing, extra bacon, or blue cheese crumbles and serve warm.
Notes
- Choose potatoes with similar sizes so they finish cooking at the same time.
- Freshly grated cheddar melts more smoothly than packaged shredded cheese.
- Store assembled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Reheat foil-wrapped potatoes in a 350°F oven until hot.
- Store extra chicken filling separately in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Use leftover shredded chicken for a faster stovetop version.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker and Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed potato
- Calories: 414
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 609
- Fat: 13
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Unsaturated Fat: 7
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 44
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 30
- Cholesterol: 78