This Crockpot Ranch Chicken is simple, soul-satisfying, and just the type of healthy low carb comfort food you crave after a long day. Creamy and rich with all the flavors of your favorite ranch dressing!
Somedays, you just know you’re going to want comfort food for dinner.
For me, the very best comfort food is something rich and creamy that doesn’t require lots of prep. So when I know it’s going to be “one of those days”, I pull out the crockpot and make this crockpot ranch chicken recipe!
With only 5 ingredients, I can have this dish ready to go in under 20 minutes. I can even have it prepped in less than 10 minutes if I skip the optional step of browning the chicken. You seriously can’t beat that.
Everything cooks in the crockpot (also known as a slow cooker), so all you have to do is add the ingredients and then let it cook for 4 hours. It’s one of the easiest ways to cook, and the result is SUPER tasty and satisfying!
Whether you know it’s going to be a long day at work or you’re just craving a cozy dish for dinner, this recipe is one you have to try.
How to make crockpot ranch chicken
Thanks to the slow cooker, this recipe is super simple. It only has 5 steps, and you can skip the first 2 if you’re short on time!
Step 1: If your crockpot has a saute feature, spray the pot with cooking spray. If your crockpot doesn’t have this feature, spray a skillet with non-stick spray and heat over medium-high heat.
Step 2: Blot the chicken breasts dry, then add to the crockpot or skillet and cook for 3-5 minutes until browned. Turn and brown on the other side. If using a skillet, transfer the breasts to the crockpot after browning.
Step 3: Add the stock, cream cheese, pepper, and ranch mix.
Step 4: Cover and cook on the low heat setting for 4 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through.
NOTE: If you can’t get a chive and onion cream cheese spread like I am using here, just use normal cream cheese. You get plenty of flavors from the ranch mix, so you don’t absolutely need flavored cream cheese.
Step 5: Remove the chicken breasts from the crockpot and whisk the remaining liquid to create your sauce.
For a thicker sauce, set the crockpot to saute or transfer the sauce to a saucepan and cook for 5 minutes, whisking frequently until the sauce thickens. Once the sauce is ready, pour it over the chicken to serve.
That’s it! I like to garnish my chicken with chopped bacon and sliced green onions to really bring out the delicious flavors.
Choosing to brown the chicken
I always try to give myself enough time to brown the chicken at the beginning. It adds a bit of flavor, plus is crisps the outside of the chicken breast for a wonderful texture.
However, if you’re in a rush and just don’t have the time, you can absolutely skip this step! The dish will still turn out amazing and full of comforting flavors.
Browning the chicken is a nice touch, but being able to just throw everything in the slow cooker and walk away is also pretty nice.
How to make homemade ranch dressing mix
If you don’t want to use pre-made ranch mix, you can easily make it yourself (and it will taste even better). This is how I do it:
Ranch dressing mix ingredients:
- 1 cup dry buttermilk
- 2½ tbsp. dried parsley
- 2 tsp. dried dill
- 2½ tsp. garlic powder
- 1½ tsp. onion powder
- 1½ tsp. dried onion flakes
- 2¼ tsp. salt
- ¾ tsp. sugar
- ½ tsp. ground black pepper
- ½ tsp. paprika
- ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
Simply put everything in a blender or food processor and blend until the spices are evenly distributed in the buttermilk powder.
This recipe will make a big batch of ranch mix (much more than you need for this recipe). You can store the ranch mix for months in an airtight container.
You may be surprised to see ¾ tsp. of sugar listed as an ingredient. I don’t often use sugar here on Diabetes Strong, but for this ranch mix, I think it’s fine. It’s such a small amount, plus it REALLY helps the flavor.
If you want to avoid using sugar, you can also use powdered Stevia to enhance the flavor of your ranch mix.
What to serve with ranch chicken
While this dish is quite flavorful, the flavors themselves are mild enough that they will go well with almost anything.
One of my favorite ways to serve ranch slow cooker chicken is over steamed broccoli. The broccoli itself is simple to make, so it’s great when I don’t have the energy or time for much else. Plus, it adds a nutrient-packed serving of veggies to the dish!
If you have a little more time, the chicken is also delicious over zucchini noodles. It feels like you’re eating a big bowl of creamy pasta with chicken, but it’s really just healthy veggies! Similarly, you could serve the chicken over cauliflower rice as well.
Storage
I’m not sure what’s easier: making this recipe, or warming up the leftovers!
But if you do find yourself with leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
With a slow cooker, it’s easy to make a big batch of a dish so you have easy, delicious, and healthy lunches or dinners ready for later in the week!
Other healthy chicken recipes
I love my simple, delicious recipes that use healthy chicken breast as the protein. Here are a few more of my favorite dishes that I’m sure you will enjoy:
You can also take a look at this roundup of my favorite healthy diabetic chicken recipes for even more inspiration!
When you’ve tried this dish, please don’t forget to let me know how you liked it and rate the recipe in the comments below!
Crockpot Ranch Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
- ½ cup low sodium chicken stock
- 1 cup chive and onion cream cheese spread
- 1 1-oz. package ranch dressing and seasoning mix
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
Instructions
- If your crockpot has a saute feature, spray the pot with cooking spray. If your crockpot doesn’t have this feature, spray a skillet with non-stick spray and heat over medium-high heat.
- Blot the chicken breasts dry, then add to the crockpot or skillet and cook for 3-5 minutes until browned. Turn and brown on the other side. If using a skillet, transfer the breasts to the crockpot after browning.
- Add the chicken stock, cream cheese, ranch dressing mix, and pepper.
- Cover and cook on the low heat setting for 4 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove the chicken breasts from the crockpot and whisk the remaining liquid to create your sauce. For a thicker sauce, set the crockpot to saute or transfer the sauce to a saucepan and cook for 5 minutes, whisking frequently until the sauce thickens. Once the sauce is ready, pour it over the chicken to serve.
I’m not big on cream cheese, but, was wondering if I could use it & add 1/2&1/2 or milk to it, to make it more like a soup. Maybe mix the broccoli in at the end and do a broccoli ranch chicken soup? Thank for all of these chicken recipes.
That’s a good idea. I haven’t tried it so my only concern is that it might become too soupy. But if you give it a go please let us know how it works out