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Hot Ranch Chicken and Bacon Sandwich: Grilled or roasted chicken with homemade ranch dressing, salsa verde, pepperjack, and Havarti cheese all sandwiched between crusty ciabatta bread. The sandwich is then baked until toasted and melty and topped with sun-dried tomatoes, arugula salad, bacon, and even more dressing. It’s every bit as DELICIOUS as it sounds, and it’s just as wonderful for dinner as it is on game day!
Well, this is a fun recipe! I remember dreaming up this sandwich on a hike sometime last month. As it happens every single year, this is the time when I really start to think about summer recipes and the summers I spent with my family as a kid in Cleveland.
Summer in Cleveland meant summers with my Nonnie. I speak a lot about my grandma, and I realize more and more each day what an impact she really had on me. Just as Asher and I do now, my Nonnie and I had so much fun together. We’d do everything from running errands to gardening and party prep. We shopped for new clothes, bags, and shoes and usually made a quick trip to Florida each summer. And, of course, there were always our lunches out.
Nonnie loved a lunch outing.
As a kid, I actually ordered fairly adventurously for a kid. Everything from salads to pizza, to chicken fingers, and fun sandwiches.
Nonnie used to take me to a restaurant that always had the best chicken sandwich combined with melted cheese. So I tried as best I could to recreate that sandwich for us all here! She’d be so proud!
Some Details for You
Step 1: make the dressing
This creamy dressing is easy to make. It’s made with fresh dried parsley, dill, and chives and the usual ranch ingredients: mayonnaise, buttermilk, Worcestershire, garlic, onion powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
I’ll usually toss in a jalapeño two, or a few tablespoons of salsa verde. YUM!
Blend everything up in a blender or food processor until creamy – super easy to do. This really adds all the flavor!
Step 2: the chicken
The recipe calls for already-cooked chicken. You can use whatever you have on hand. Or just make my roasted lemon pepper chicken.
It’s simply chicken (I like to use thighs, but breasts are good, too) tossed with olive oil, Cajun seasoning, and black pepper. Then, roast the chicken and finish with lemon zest. You can either make the lemon pepper chicken or, as mentioned, use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken.
Step 3: assemble the sandwich
You’ll need ciabatta bread, cheese (I love to use Havarti and pepperjack), arugula, chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, pickles or pepperoncini (or both!), toasted sesame seeds, and crispy bacon. Then, add the dressing and salsa verde.
Slice the loaf in half lengthwise. Working with the bottom piece first, spread on a bit of dressing. Then, layer the bread with Havarti and pepperjack cheese. Now add the sliced chicken and then the salsa.
Step 4: bake
Once you have everything layered up on the bottom piece of bread, throw the pan in the oven to warm the sandwich and melt the cheese.
Step 5: the salad.
While everything bakes, mix the arugula with sun-dried tomatoes, cilantro or basil, dill, and toasted sesame seed
When the cheese is melted, remove the pan from the oven. Add the arugula and bacon, and finish with the top piece of bread. I like to bake for 5-10 minutes more to get the sandwich nice and toasty.
I serve these topped with extra ranch and then sweet potato fries + ketchup on the side.
The homemade fries and ketchup are not needed per se. But we sure do like a salty French fry right alongside a really great sandwich!
Looking for fun family dinners? Here are my favorites:
Black Pepper Chicken and Bacon Quesadillas
Sheet Pan Honey Buffalo Chicken with Broccoli
Cheesy Green Chile and Avocado Rice Quesadillas
One Skillet White Chicken Chili Bake
Skillet Chicken Fajitas with Creamy Jalapeño Verde Sauce
Cauliflower Al Pastor Quesadillas
Lastly, if you make these Hot Ranch Chicken and Bacon Sandwiches, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Hot Ranch Chicken and Bacon Sandwich
Servings: 6 sandwiches
Calories Per Serving: 593 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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1. To make the dressing. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.2. To make the sandwich. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Lay the bread, cut side up, on a cutting board. Working with the top piece of ciabatta, pull out some of the insides to create a space for the filling. Spread the ranch dressing over the bottom piece of bread. Layer the cheese and chicken on top and season with salt and pepper. Pour the salsa verde over the chicken. Bake for 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted.3. Meanwhile, toss the arugula with the sun-dried tomatoes, cilantro, dill, and sesame seeds. Season the with salt. 4. Remove the sandwiches from the oven. Arrange the greens over the chicken. Add the bacon, then drizzle with additional dressing. Add the top half of the ciabatta and gently push down on the sandwich. Bake another 5 minutes until toasted.5. Remove from the oven. Slice into 6 sandwiches. Serve and enjoy!
