Chicken Bacon Ranch Poppers
These Chicken Bacon Ranch Poppers are a delicious low-carb and keto-friendly party appetizer! This recipe is keto, low-carb, nut-free, gluten-free, grain-free, sugar-free, and only 0.8g net carbs per serving!
Servings: 15 poppers
Equipment
- baking rack
- parchment paper
- mixing bowl
- toothpicks
Ingredients
Poppers
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 12 slices ~145g bacon
- 1/4 cup 28g shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 tsp dried dill
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Ranch
- 1/2 cup 120g mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup 60g sour cream
- 2-3 tbsp 30-45mL heavy whipping cream*
- 1 1/2 tsp ~7g apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp dried dill
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp dried parsley
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 1/8 tsp salt
Instructions
- Poppers: Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line baking sheet with foil and baking rack. In an even layer, lay bacon strips atop baking rack. Bake bacon in oven until crispy, about 15-20 minutes, depending on thickness of the bacon. (Alternatively, bacon can be cooked on stovetop over medium heat and drained of excess grease on a paper towel-lined plate). Crumble cooked bacon into small pieces.
- Dispose of foil from baking sheet or use a second baking sheet. Decrease oven heat to 375 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- To a large mixing bowl, add ground chicken, crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar, egg, and spices. Using hands, mix together until thoroughly combined. Form mixture into equal-sized balls, about 1 1/2 tbsp of mixture per ball, place on prepared baking sheet, and lightly press down to slightly flatten. Transfer baking sheet to oven and bake poppers until golden brown and cooked until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees, about 30 minutes.
- Ranch: Meanwhile, to a mixing bowl, add all ranch ingredients and stir until well-combined. (*Add 2 tbsp heavy cream for a thicker ranch or, for a thinner consistency, add 3 tbsp.) Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Final Steps: Remove poppers from oven and allow to cool slightly before poking individual poppers with a toothpick. Serve with ranch dressing drizzled atop poppers or on the side.
Notes
Ground Chicken Substitution: Ground turkey can be used in place of ground chicken. In most cases, ground turkey and ground chicken tend to cook similarly, but to ensure the poppers are cooked properly, use a meat thermometer to confirm the internal temperature is 165 degrees.
Where To Purchase Ground Chicken: I’ve never personally had any trouble finding ground chicken at my local grocery store; it’s always right next to the ground turkey. If, however, your store doesn’t carry it, I would suggest going to the deli counter or to a local butcher shop to ask if they can grind some chicken for you.
Bacon Substitution: Turkey bacon can be used in place of pork bacon here. Turkey bacon tends to be thinner than pork bacon, so consider adding a few extra pieces.
Shredded Cheddar Cheese Substitution: Any shredded cheese should be successful when substituted in at a 1:1 ratio for shredded cheddar here. Some options include: shredded mozzarella, shredded pepper jack, or shredded colby jack.
Mayonnaise Substitution: Sour cream can be substituted in for mayonnaise at a 1:1 ratio. Greek yogurt will also work here, but note that this will change the nutrition information, specifically the carb content.
Apple Cider Vinegar Substitution: Lemon juice or white wine vinegar can be used instead of apple cider vinegar.
Heavy Whipping Cream Substitution: Unsweetened coconut milk (from a carton, not a can) can be used here. Note, though, that this will thin the consistency of the ranch.
Net Carbs: Each serving contains 0.8 grams of net carbs. 1 popper is equivalent to 1 serving.
Refrigerator Storage: Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Freezer Storage: Store in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Unthaw in the refrigerator.
Reheating Instructions: Place poppers in oven at 425 degrees until warmed throughout, or microwave for about 15-20 seconds.