• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • meet the team
  • blogger resources
  • Contact Me
My Account
Member Dashboard
40 Aprons Premium (Ad Free!)

40 Aprons

Delicious, Healthy-ish Meals for the Whole Family

  • All Recipes
  • Most Popular
    • Cheryl’s Favorites
    • 30-Minute Recipes
    • Creamy Soups
    • Copycat Recipes
    • Casseroles
    • One-Dish Wonders
  • Method
    • Air Fryer
    • Baking
    • Crockpot
    • Grilling
    • Instant Pot
    • Sous Vide
  • Course
    • Appetizers
    • Cooking Basics
    • Breakfast
    • Condiments
    • Dessert
    • Main Course
    • Meal Prep
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
  • Cuisine
    • American
    • Asian
    • Indian
    • Italian
    • Mediterranean
    • Mexican & Latin
    • Southern
Home Blog Course Main Course

Whole30 Chicken Bacon Ranch Poppers (Paleo)

Cheryl Malik
Cheryl Malik Posted: 03/23/18 Updated: 05/15/22
5
/5
33 Comments
Jump to Recipe
DF Dairy Free GF Gluten Free P Paleo 30 Whole30

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Whole30 chicken bacon poppers with ranch dressing - a crowd pleasing healthy appetizer!

These Whole30 chicken bacon ranch poppers are one of our favorite Whole30 dinner recipes: super flavorful, family-friendly, and great for leftovers. Loaded with veggies and plenty of Whole30 dump ranch dressing for dipping, these Whole30 chicken bacon ranch poppers are a must-try Whole30 dinner recipe for any meal plan!

Whole30 chicken bacon ranch poppers with Whole30 dump ranch dressing

What Makes This Recipe So Good

I’m pretty sure meatballs and poppers are the best thing to ever happen to a Whole30.

I don’t care what day I’m on, how over a round I am, how sick of savory food I’ve already gotten, chicken poppers always sound good. And they usually make a veritable ton, meaning easy leftovers I actually look forward to, instead of dread, the next day.

And if poppers are the best thing to ever happen to a Whole30, bacon and ranch are the food soulmates without a doubt. I can’t think of a single instance where one is not bolstered by the other. I challenge you to find one!

Whole30 chicken bacon ranch poppers with Whole30 dump ranch dressing

So these Whole30 chicken bacon ranch poppers were a whole mess of matches made in heaven: tender bites of chicken loaded with veggies, fresh garlic and herbs, and plenty of Whole30-compliant bacon. Dipped in my favorite Whole30 dump ranch, I just can’t get enough of these little flavor bombs.

The best thing about these Whole30 chicken bacon ranch poppers is that my child loves them. Sure, we have to call them chicken nuggets, but I don’t care. He loves them! They’re healthy! He eats them! It’s a toddler miracle. I might have to put them on exactly the right plate and give him exactly the right fork, but that’s to be expected. The focus here, y’all? These Whole30 chicken bacon ranch poppers are totally family friendly.

Whole30 chicken bacon ranch poppers with Whole30 dump ranch dressing

And if you have a food processor, these Whole30 chicken bacon ranch poppers come together super easily. I actually chop most of my ingredients in the food processor: the garlic first, because you want it to be super minced; then the parsley to get a nice mince without blitzing it to paste. I stir all of that into the chicken mixture, then fit my food processor with the shredding blade to make grating the zucchini super easy.

Whole30 chicken bacon ranch poppers with Whole30 dump ranch dressing

Mush it all together in a large mixing bowl with your hands, use a meatball-sized scooper (<<< click there to order my favorite), and fry them up. Serve family-style with plenty of ranch for dipping and a quick side of garlicky kale, and you’re set with a healthy dinner the entire family will devour.

These Whole30 chicken bacon ranch poppers are such a perfect addition to your Whole30 meal plan, and I know you’ll love them just as much as we do. Plus, that all-important bonus… leftovers you’ll actually dig. A great idea for weekly meal prep, too. Just make sure you have plenty of my Whole30 dump ranch on hand for generous dipping!

Whole30 chicken bacon ranch poppers with Whole30 dump ranch dressing

More Whole30 Recipes You’ll Love

  • Whole30 Hibachi Chicken and Veggies with Cauliflower Fried Rice and Mustard Sauce
  • Egg Roll in a Bowl Meal Prep (Whole30, Paleo, Keto)
  • Whole30 Chicken Lo Mein
  • Whole30 Fried Chicken and Mashed Potato Bowl with Gravy
  • Cheeseburger Soup (Whole30, Paleo, Dairy-Free)
  • BBQ Chicken Bowls with Sweet Potatoes and Coleslaw (Whole30)

Hey – you’ve made it this far, so now we’re basically best friends! If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a quick review & star rating ★ below. Make sure you follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook, too!

Whole30 chicken bacon ranch poppers with Whole30 dump ranch dressing
5 from 12 votes

Whole30 Chicken Bacon Ranch Poppers (Paleo)

Prep:15 minutes
Cook:20 minutes
Total:35 minutes
These Whole30 chicken bacon ranch poppers are one of our favorite Whole30 dinner recipes: super flavorful, family-friendly, and great for leftovers. Loaded with veggies and plenty of Whole30 dump ranch dressing for dipping, these Whole30 chicken bacon ranch poppers are a must-try Whole30 dinner recipe for any meal plan!
Print Save Saved! Click Here to Remove Ads
4

Ingredients

  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 5-6 green onions chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
  • 4 slices bacon diced, see Notes
  • 2 pounds ground chicken breast see Notes to make your own
  • 4 cups zucchini unpeeled, grated
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon freshly cracked pepper or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil or avocado oil or ghee, for frying
  • ½ cup Whole30 dump ranch dressing for dipping

Equipment

  • Food processor (optional)
  • Large mixing bowl

Instructions 

With a Food Processor

  • Add peeled and smashed garlic to bowl of food processor and process until minced. Add green onions and parsley and pulse until chopped. Add diced bacon and pulse until chopped. Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl.
  • Fit shredding blade to food processor and process zucchini through until you have 4 cups. Transfer zucchini to large mixing bowl. Continue to "Make the Meatballs" section below.

Without a Food Processor

  • Prepare the garlic, green onions, parsley, bacon, and zucchini as noted in the ingredient list. Combine all in a large mixing bowl.

Make the Meatballs

  • Stir in ground chicken and seasoning to large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly with clean hands. Use a disher to scoop out uniform balls of meatballs mixture and place on a baking sheet. Repeat until all mixture has been used.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat and coat with a layer of oil. Fry meatballs in batches until browned on all sides and cooked through, about 7-10 minutes total.
  • Remove fried meatballs from skillet with a slotted spoon or spatula and drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat until all meatballs are cooked. Serve with plenty of Whole30 dump ranch dressing.

Notes

  • Bacon: Make sure to use a Whole30-compliant bacon, with no added sugars.
  • Homemade Ground Chicken: Cut 2 pounds of chicken breasts into chunks and spread evenly on a baking sheet. Place in freezer about 15-30 minutes, then, add a handful of chicken chunks to food processor at a time. Pulse until texture appears ground and uniform. Don’t overprocess. Remove from food processor bowl and repeat with remaining chicken chunks.
 
Recipe yields approximately 4 servings. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including Whole30 Dump Ranch for dipping. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by 4. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 448kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 53g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 160mg, Sodium: 1296mg, Potassium: 1306mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 798IU, Vitamin C: 34mg, Calcium: 63mg, Iron: 2mg, Net Carbs: 6g

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

 

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

 

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

© Author: Cheryl Malik

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @40aprons on social and be sure to leave a review on the blog post!

Rate Recipe Tag Me on Instagram
Cheryl Malik

Meet Cheryl Malik

Cheryl Malik is the recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind the healthy, flavorful, family friendly recipes at 40 Aprons. She's been a blogger for 10+ years and is known for her delicious recipes and detailed recipe instructions. Cheryl is a mom of three who lives in Memphis, TN.

Read more...

You may also like...

  • White bowl with bacon ranch chicken salad
    Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad (Paleo)
  • Whole30 Mushroom bacon chicken thighs in a skillet
    Creamy Whole30 Bacon Mushroom Chicken Thighs with Thyme (Paleo)
  • This Whole30 cranberry chicken is a simple but flavorful Whole30 dinner recipe that you'll love in the fall and winter! With just a few recipes, this Whole30 cranberry chicken is so good when you need a fruity flavor but want to keep it quick and easy. Bound to become a favorite Whole30 dinner recipe!
    Whole30 Cranberry Chicken (Paleo)

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Have a question? Submit your question or comment below.

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Abigail says

    Posted on 12/10/22 at 8:13 am

    Does one need to wring out the zucchini in a cheese cloth prior to adding to the mixture?

    Reply
    • Megan | 40 Aprons TeamMegan | 40 Aprons Team says

      Posted on 12/12/22 at 6:25 pm

      Not in a cheesecloth necessarily, but I would at least try to remove as much excess liquid as possible with paper towels! That’ll keep the poppers from being too wet. You can salt and sweat the grated zucchini before starting, to pull out even more moisture.

      Reply
  2. Nancy says

    Posted on 9/12/21 at 2:04 pm

    1TBSP of pepper? That is a lot! Im making these now, but cutting way back on the pepper

    Reply
    • Anna Claire | 40 Aprons TeamAnna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says

      Posted on 9/13/21 at 7:48 pm

      That’s what we used, but it’s totally to taste!5 stars

      Reply
  3. R says

    Posted on 1/19/21 at 8:44 pm

    Is the bacon precooked first? There are 2 different answers in the post.

    Reply
    • Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says

      Posted on 1/21/21 at 9:56 am

      It’s not precooked. 🙂 Sorry for the confusion!5 stars

      Reply
  4. Jenna says

    Posted on 9/6/20 at 1:32 pm

    These were yummy and my whole family approved! I cooked them in the air fryer for about 5-6 min on 390 degrees and they were so juicy and delicious!5 stars

    Reply
    • Amelia Camurati says

      Posted on 9/9/20 at 2:04 pm

      Glad this was a family hit Jenna!5 stars

      Reply
  5. TT says

    Posted on 9/10/19 at 9:02 pm

    Have you ever made these as an app for a gathering? Would they hold up well in a crock pot to keep them warm?

    Reply
    • Cheryl MalikCheryl Malik says

      Posted on 9/11/19 at 7:38 am

      Yes!!!

      Reply
  6. Julia says

    Posted on 8/12/19 at 2:17 pm

    Have you tried freezing these? I’m thinking of doing some meal prep and cooking these ahead of time and then freezing. If so, how long and at what temp do you suggest reheating?

    Reply
    • Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says

      Posted on 3/11/21 at 10:49 am

      I thin they’d be pretty easy to freeze! To reheat, we’d reheat them in the microwave or heat them in the oven at 400° for about 15 minutes or so.5 stars

      Reply
  7. Jen says

    Posted on 8/6/19 at 12:26 pm

    These look amazing! Could you use left over chicken for this recipe?

    Reply
    • Cheryl MalikCheryl Malik says

      Posted on 8/7/19 at 6:18 am

      Yes, you can! Maybe adjust the cooking time to prevent the chicken from drying out.

      Reply
Older Comments

Primary Sidebar

What’s Popular?

Side view of a glass of cucumber margarita with cucumber garnish in front of a pitcher of margaritas.

Cucumber Margarita on the Rocks (By the Glass or Pitcher)

Overhead view of a fish taco bowl with mango salsa and red cabbage slaw.

Blackened Fish Taco Bowls with Mango Salsa and Cilantro-Lime Rice

Overhead view of 4 salmon fillets in a large silver saucepan with red pepper parmesan sauce.

Pan-Seared Salmon in a Creamy Red Pepper Parmesan Sauce

Close up, slightly overhead angle of apple salad in a large bowl, with whole apples in the background

Crisp Apple Salad with Raisins and Pecans

In Season

Three paleo lemon bars stacked on top of each other. A bite is missing from the corner of the lemon bar on top. Other lemon bars surround the stack, just out of focus.

Paleo Lemon Bars

Top-down, overhead view of a Crockpot-cooked marry me chicken breast with sauce atop a bed of mashed potatoes in a large white bowl.

Crockpot Marry Me Chicken

Side view of two wine glasses holding POG juice mimosas with a carafe of pog juice in the background.

POG Juice Mimosas

Overhead view of a long oval salad boat with strawberry goat cheese salad and balsamic vinaigrette.

Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

As seen on:

More Goodies + NO Ads!

Become a 40 Aprons Premium Member!

All the 40 Aprons content you love - now even better.

  • Member-Exclusive Recipes
  • Meal Plans & Grocery Lists
  • eBooks
  • NO ADS!
Join now

Privacy Policy

Accessibility

Disclaimers

Contact

© 2023 40 Aprons
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled
Back to Top
13402 shares