Cody Casey
A tasty and convenient meal, crockpot ranch chicken is a great option for busy weeknights. The recipe is simple: combine chicken broth, ranch dressing mix, and chicken in a slow cooker, and cook until the chicken is tender. From here, you can shred the chicken and add cream cheese, soup, and any other desired ingredients. This versatile dish can be served over rice, noodles, potatoes, or even in a sandwich. With minimal prep and cleanup, it's a convenient and tasty option for any night of the week.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Chicken breasts, ranch seasoning mix, cream of chicken soup, chicken stock, cream cheese, noodles, potatoes, carrots, milk, salt, pepper, parsley |
| Recipe | Combine ranch seasoning mix, cream of chicken soup, and chicken stock in the crockpot. Add chicken to the crockpot and push to the bottom. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. |
| Tips | Use low-sodium cream of chicken and unsalted broth to reduce salt intake. |
| Variations | Cream of mushroom soup, cream of onion soup, rice, Texas toast garlic bread, baby potatoes, dill pickle, spinach, taco seasoning |
| Cooking Time | 3-9 hours |
| Calories | 195kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 10g |
| Protein | 26g |
| Fat | 5g |
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What You'll Learn
Ingredients and preparation
To make crockpot ranch chicken, you will need a crockpot or slow cooker. The size of the crockpot will depend on the number of people you are serving. A 4- or 5-quart slow cooker is suitable for this recipe.
For the ingredients, you will need:
- Chicken broth or chicken stock
- Ranch dressing mix or seasoning (store-bought or homemade)
- Chicken breasts or tenders (fresh or thawed, not frozen)
- Condensed "cream of" soup (e.g., cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, cream of onion)
- Milk (optional)
- Cubed cream cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
You can also add vegetables such as potatoes and carrots to make it a one-pot meal.
- Spray the crockpot with non-stick spray.
- If you are adding vegetables, place the cut potatoes and carrots at the bottom of the crockpot.
- Trim the chicken breasts and lay them over the vegetables or directly into the crockpot.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, ranch dressing mix, and milk (if using).
- Pour this mixture over the chicken.
- Cover the crockpot with its lid and cook on high heat for 5-6 hours or on low heat for 8-9 hours. Do not remove the lid during cooking.
- After the specified time, remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred it using two forks.
- Return the shredded chicken to the crockpot and stir in the condensed soup and cubed cream cheese.
- Cover and cook on low heat until the cream cheese is melted, about 30 minutes.
- Serve the crockpot ranch chicken over rice, noodles, baked potatoes, or Texas toast garlic bread.
You can also use this recipe to make crockpot ranch chicken tacos. Simply shred the chicken directly in the crockpot and let it sit in its juices while you prepare the taco toppings. Serve the chicken in warmed tacos with your desired toppings, and don't forget to try ranch dressing as your taco sauce!
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Cooking times and temperatures
The cooking time for crock pot ranch chicken varies depending on the heat setting and the quantity of chicken. It is important to note that frozen chicken should not be used in a slow cooker as it can stay at unsafe temperatures, potentially encouraging bacteria growth.
For 1-1.5 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cook on low heat for approximately 5 hours. For 3 pounds of chicken, cooking for 4-6 hours on low heat is recommended.
If you prefer to cook on high heat, the cooking time will be shorter. For example, crock pot ranch chicken tacos can be cooked on high heat for 3-4 hours. Similarly, another recipe recommends cooking on high heat for 5-6 hours or on low heat for 8-9 hours.
It is important to ensure that the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Once the chicken is cooked, it can be shredded and returned to the crock pot to absorb the juices.
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Serving suggestions
Crockpot Ranch Chicken is a versatile dish that can be served in a variety of ways. Here are some serving suggestions to consider:
Noodles or Rice
One popular option is to serve the creamy ranch chicken over noodles or rice. For noodles, thick egg noodles are recommended as they provide a better texture and allow the sauce to stick to them. If you prefer rice, basmati rice or simple white rice are both good choices.
Baked Potatoes or Garlic Bread
If you want to switch things up, try serving the ranch chicken over baked potatoes or a large piece of Texas toast garlic bread. The contrast between the creamy chicken and the starchy potatoes or garlic bread is sure to be delicious.
Sandwiches
Get creative and turn your crockpot ranch chicken into a sandwich! Pile the creamy chicken onto a bun with lettuce, melted cheese, and any other desired toppings.
Vegetables
Consider serving the ranch chicken with vegetables such as mashed potatoes, baby carrots, or green beans. You can also add vegetables directly to the crockpot during cooking, such as potatoes, carrots, or mushrooms.
Toppings
Enhance your crockpot ranch chicken with various toppings. Shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled cooked bacon, chopped green onions or scallions, and fresh parsley are all great options to add flavor and texture to your dish.
Tacos
If you're feeling adventurous, use your crockpot ranch chicken as a filling for tacos. Simply shred the chicken and serve it in warmed corn or flour tortillas with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and ranch dressing as your taco sauce.
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Storage and reheating
To store your crockpot ranch chicken, wait for it to cool down and then transfer it to an airtight container. It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. If you don't plan on eating it within this time frame, you can freeze it for up to 3 months.
When you're ready to eat your leftover crockpot ranch chicken, you can either reheat individual portions in the microwave for around 1 minute or until heated through, or you can reheat the whole batch in a pot on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally until heated through. If you froze your leftovers, be sure to thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
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Recipe variations
There are several ways to change up the classic crockpot ranch chicken recipe to suit your taste.
Firstly, you can switch up the soup you use. While the standard recipe calls for cream of chicken soup, you can substitute this with cream of mushroom soup, cream of onion soup, or any other cream of" soup you like.
Secondly, you can play around with the seasonings. Try using Hidden Valley Ranch dill ranch seasoning for an extra kick of flavor. If you can't get your hands on a ranch seasoning mix, you can make your own, although it is considered the star of the dish, so it's not recommended to skip it altogether.
You can also add different ingredients to the crockpot to cook alongside the chicken. Potatoes and carrots are a popular choice, and you can also add milk to the soup mixture. If you want to make the dish even creamier, add some cubed cream cheese on top before serving.
Finally, you can change what you serve the chicken with. While rice or noodles are the classic accompaniments, you could try serving the chicken over baked potatoes or a big piece of Texas toast garlic bread. You could even make it into a sandwich by piling the chicken onto a bun with lettuce and melted cheese.
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