Crock Pot Ranch Chicken
Crock Pot Ranch Chicken is a simple and comforting slow cooker dish featuring tender, juicy chicken breasts or thighs cooked low and slow with creamy ranch seasoning, cream cheese, and savory spices for maximum flavor and ease. Perfect for busy weeknights, meal prep, or family dinners, this recipe offers versatile serving options from shredded sandwiches to hearty bowls.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 to 8 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high
- Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes to 8 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 to 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 packet (about 1 oz) ranch seasoning mix
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Optional: chopped fresh parsley or chives for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Place the boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs in the bottom of your slow cooker, forming a base layer for the flavors to infuse.
- Mix the Seasonings and Cream Cheese: In a small bowl, combine the ranch seasoning mix, garlic powder, paprika, and softened cream cheese. Stir until smooth and evenly blended.
- Add the Cream Mixture and Broth: Spread the ranch and cream cheese mixture evenly over the chicken in the slow cooker. Then pour the chicken broth over everything to keep the chicken moist and create a creamy sauce.
- Cook Low and Slow: Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is tender and easily shredded with a fork.
- Shred and Stir: Using two forks, shred the chicken directly in the crock pot. Stir thoroughly to coat the shredded chicken evenly with the creamy ranch sauce.
Notes
- Choose chicken thighs for juicier results, but breasts also shred well.
- Do not skip the cream cheese; it is essential for the creamy texture and flavor.
- Adding paprika and garlic powder enhances the ranch seasoning with extra depth.
- Use the low setting on your slow cooker whenever possible for the best texture and flavor.
- Prepare ingredients in the morning to come home to a fully cooked meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
Keywords: Crock Pot chicken, ranch chicken, slow cooker chicken, creamy chicken, easy chicken dinner, meal prep chicken, gluten free chicken
Find it online: https://jamescookes.com/crock-pot-ranch-chicken/