Healthy BLT Chicken Ranch Casserole

When I think of "mom's cooking," I think of one-pot soups and warm casseroles that were ready to eat in under an hour. She was a busy woman and wanted to find the balance between providing good meals for her family and getting her kids where they needed to be each day.

Now, as a former college student, wife, and full-time food blogger, I have a better understanding of why she came to love simple meals so much!

In a perfect world, you'd spend the least amount of time preparing your food (with the smallest grocery bill) and the most amount of time enjoying the meal with those you love most so you have time for the other responsibilities in your day.

Sadly, not a lot of people think that perfect world exists.

But guess what? THAT'S my reality! And that's what Ka Pai Cooking is all about - providing easy, healthy, and affordable recipes that minimize time and money while maximizing nutrition, flavor, and your schedule.

So, I've taken it upon myself to be known as the "Queen of Casseroles."

Casseroles are the ultimate meal for busy people that just want good food on the table, and this Healthy BLT Chicken Ranch Casserole is exactly what every casserole should be: easy, affordable, healthy, and incredibly delicious!

‍

‍

Ingredients for chicken BLT casserole

• Diced chicken: fresh is preferred here, but frozen will work. Just make sure your chicken is completely thawed and as dry as possible.
• Turkey bacon: a healthier alternative to traditional bacon. You get all the flavor with less saturated fat, sodium, and calories! This brand is my favorite.
• Shredded Brussels sprouts: the "L" in this BLT equation. Brussels sprouts add a great savory flavor and unique texture to this recipe, and they're much more nutritious than just plain lettuce. You can buy them pre-shredded or learn to shred them yourself in this post!
• Bright cherry tomatoes: for a pop of color, vitamin C, and crisp texture. They are the perfect compliment to the savory bacon and cheese!
• Riced cauliflower: most, if not all, of my casseroles call for cauliflower rice to balance out the amount of carbs in the dish, as well as provide a heaping serving of vegetables.
• Grated Swiss cheese: I actually Googled which cheese was served with BLTs and it was a toss up between Cheddar and Swiss. I'm not a fan of cheddar (and it's so basic, too), so I went with Swiss and it was an amazing choice. Just wait until you try it!
• Bolthouse Farms Ranch: I absolutely love this brand of ranch because it's made with Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise and has over 60% fewer calories than regular ranch. You'll find this brand in the refrigerated section!

‍

‍

How to make the best healthy BLT casserole

Really, because it's a casserole, it's quite simple. If I'm being honest, most of the "work" comes during the preparation phase, like dicing the chicken and tomatoes, shredding the Brussels sprouts, and grating the cheese.

Luckily, it's not hard work though!

A quick side note: if you're using frozen cauliflower, I recommend cooking according to instructions first before adding it to the casserole. Frozen food doesn't retain any seasonings during prep and it adds too much water during cooking if combined with other ingredients.

Once all the ingredients are prepped, literally toss everything (except for one ounce of cheese) in a big mixing bowl and toss to combine. That's it!

See why this BLT casserole is a fantastic choice for busy weeknight family dinners?

‍

‍

Spread the casserole into an even layer in a greased 9x13 baking dish. (I love this dish because it comes with a plastic lid for easy storage in the fridge!)

Top with the remaining cheese, then cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the BLT casserole from the oven, remove the foil, then return to the oven and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes uncovered. This allows the cheesy to crisp up on top and really finish off the bold flavors in the dish.

Since this is a low-carb meal (like 6g net carbs!), I love making a batch of my 90-Minute Dinner Rolls to go along with it! It's the perfect touch to this incredible casserole.

‍

‍

More easy weeknight recipes

Healthy Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas

Healthy Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole

Better-Than-Takeout Healthy Orange Chicken

Irresistible 30-Minute Egg Roll in a Bowl

Incredible Made-From-Scratch Turkey Sloppy Joes

‍

‍

I CANNOT WAIT for you to try this BLT Chicken Ranch Casserole!! It's by far my favorite casserole to date. Bold flavors and almost no effort is the best combo in my book!

Be sure to leave a star rating and review below after trying my recipe so I and other readers (and Google!) know what you thought, then tag me on Instagram @kapaicooking so I can see you enjoying your meal! Happy healthy dinner!