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This ranch chicken recipe has tender pan-fried chicken smothered in an irresistible ranch gravy. It comes together fast and uses only a few everyday ingredients!
Craving pork? Try my similar Ranch Pork Chops recipe instead.
Why you’ll love it
Ranch seasoning is such a versatile ingredient to enhance so many different dishes. I’m not quite sure where I got the idea for this skillet ranch chicken recipe, but I adore how it turned out! It’s basically a quick gravy with a twist, and I love me some gravy.
This is a weeknight winner since it’s ready in a mere 30 minutes with just a few everyday ingredients, is super comforting, and it’s not too heavy on the calories either. Pair this chicken and gravy with some fluffy mashed potatoes, and I’m in heaven. I could eat that sauce all day. And I did. Oh, I did.
Ingredients for it
- Chicken breasts – we’re using two of them cut in half lengthwise to make 4 smaller cutlets so that dinner is on the table faster.
- Pepper and garlic powder – to season the cutlets directly for infusing flavor
- Olive oil – for sautéing
- Butter and flour – it makes a quick and easy roux to thicken the sauce
- Chicken broth – I went for the low-sodium variety since the ranch seasoning already contains salt
- Ranch seasoning – Hidden Valley is my go-to always!
- Parsley – for a bright and fresh contrast
Pro tip
- Ranch seasoning generally has a fair amount of salt, so if you’re on a low-sodium diet, you may want to skip this one. You could probably get away with using half the recommended amount of ranch seasoning if you still want to try it, though!
How to make ranch chicken
This is an overview, and full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Cut the chicken to make 4 thinner cutlets. Season on both sides with pepper and garlic powder. Pan sear the chicken in the olive oil and some of the butter until golden, and then transfer to a plate.
- In the same skillet, add the remaining butter and flour to make a roux. Slowly whisk in the broth until the flour is incorporated, followed by the ranch seasoning.
- Add the chicken back in, and continue cooking until done. I recommend using an instant read thermometer so that chicken is perfectly cooked every time. 165F ensures juicy chicken that’s not uncooked or overcooked and dry. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, and enjoy!
Substitutions and variations
- You could definitely substitute chicken thighs if you prefer. They may take a little longer to cook, though, so make sure they’re done all the way through.
- If Hidden Valley ranch seasoning isn’t available in your area, try making a Homemade Ranch Seasoning instead.
What to serve with ranch chicken
- It’s delicious with Mashed Potatoes, rice, or my Quick & Easy Garlic Butter Noodles.
- For veggie sides, pretty much anything will work great! Try this Easy Asparagus Recipe, broccoli, sweet corn, green beans, or Maple Roasted Beets and Carrots. Anything you love with gravy is going to go perfect here.
Leftovers and storage
- Leftovers of this ranch chicken will last in the fridge for 3-4 days no problem in an airtight container.
- Reheat over a low heat in a small saucepan, giving the gravy a stir occasionally, until everything is warmed through. You can also microwave it in 30-second increments.
- While we haven’t tested freezing leftovers for this one, it should be fine since there’s no dairy!
Will you give this chicken with a tasty ranch sauce a try? Tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram if you’ve made one of my recipes, or leave me a comment below!
Easy Ranch Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise
- Pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter divided
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning (I used Hidden Valley)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped (optional but recommended)
Instructions
- Cut the chicken in half lengthwise so you've got 4 thinner cutlets. Season each piece with pepper and the garlic powder.
- Add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter to a skillet over medium-high heat. Let the pan heat up for a few minutes.
- Add the chicken to the pan and cook for about 4-5 minutes/side until golden. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining butter to the skillet, and once it's melted, stir in the flour and cook for about a minute.
- Slowly whisk in the broth until the flour has fully dissolved.
- Whisk in the ranch seasoning.
- Add the chicken back to the skillet and cook for another 4-5 minutes or until it has finished cooking through (165F) and the sauce has thickened up a bit more. You may need to turn the head down again so it's gently bubbling (you don't want the sauce to get too thick before the chicken is cooked through).
Notes
- Use an instant read meat thermometer to ensure that chicken isn’t overcooked or undercooked.
- This recipe is fairly salty due to the ranch seasoning and chicken broth. If you’re particularly sensitive to salt but still want to make this recipe, use low (or no sodium) chicken broth, halve the amount of ranch, or make your own homemade ranch seasoning.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I made this for my meal prep this week and it worked great! I used 4 chicken breasts (they were already thinned), and it worked well! Will definitely make again, was super easy! Made my kitchen smell amazing
That’s so nice to hear, Alaina!! 😀
Tasty! Didn’t have chicken broth so just sprinkled Ranch powder on the chicken cooked it a bit longer and served with Parmesan egg noodles. Def make again!!
Excellent!
Easy recipe ,,husband doesn’t like chicken breast he did enjoy this one
Will make again
That’s great to hear, Marie!!
I wasn’t paying attention and seasoned the chicken with both salt and pepper. I don’t think it was overly salty at the end but I won’t do that again.
I made this for 2 and the leftovers heated up nicely. This is a keeper!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Michael!! 😀
This recipe was so easy and tasted delish!! Hubby enjoyed it so that’s a big plus! Will be adding this to my recipe board and will make again for certain.
That’s so nice to hear!! 😀 Thanks, Beth! Let me know if you try anything else.
Very happy with how this recipe turned out! I am not a fan of Ranch dressing or seasoning but husband is. My only change was to use Simply Organics Ranch dressing mix rather than Hidden Valley (personal preference only). I served it with broccoli and brown rice. I enjoyed the meal, as well. Thank you for another great recipe. So glad to have found you on Pinterest!
I’m so happy you two liked it!! Glad you found me, Ann! 😀
Delicious, even for my picky eaters:)
Excellent! 😀
Easy and delicious
Glad you enjoyed it! 😀