Simple Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken

As a busy, working mom, my slow cooker is my best friend. That’s why, the more recipes I can find that I can use in it, the happier I am. This simple slow cooker ranch chicken is one my daughters loved when they were little. They are now grown and flown.

Simple Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken

This recipe for Simple Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken is such a classic. It has only six ingredients, three of which are store bought and you only have to open a container. The rest of the ingredients are easy to mix in. In the end you get a delicious mix of creamy chicken and tender cooked vegetables. You just pop everything in the slow cooker and you will have a fabulous, delicious dinner in no time.

If you work outside the home — or even if you work at home — this is the kind of recipe you can prepare with your morning coffee. Everything goes into the slow cooker, you set it on low for eight hours and go about your day. By the time it is quitting time, dinner is ready, and you haven’t even gotten your hands dirty.

Ingredients Overview

As I mentioned earlier, there are three ingredients in this recipe for simple slow cooker ranch chicken where you need to just open a container. Well, actually there are four.

In addition to the dry ranch dressing packet, heavy cream and cream of chicken soup, there is the container of baby carrots. Just rip open the bag and pour in. In fact, the only prep you really need to do is halving the baby potatoes.

As I mentioned in the Honey Chipotle Steak and Potatoes recipe, you can buy a bag of many colored baby potatoes at Costco and use them. This will add some color to this dish, though the carrots do give it a nice pop of orange.

Steps to Make Simple Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken

Also, because everything is going into your slow cooker, this recipe doesn’t involve a lot of process. So, unlike some of our other dishes, there aren’t a lot of what’s called “process shots” to share. Here are the steps to prepare this simple slow cooker ranch cooker.

In a bowl or large measuring cup, combine the ranch mix, cream of chicken soup and heavy cream. Whisk until blended.

Layer potatoes and carrots on bottom of slow cooker. Then place chicken breasts on top of them. Spread creamy ranch sauce on top of the chicken. Use a rubber spatula or the back of a large spoon to spread evenly.

Cover and cook on low for six to eight hours. If you need it faster, you can cook on high for four to six hours. The ranch mix, cream of chicken soup and heavy cream that you spread on top will have “melted” into a lovely, creamy sauce that now covers the chicken and veggies.

Check the carrots and potatoes for doneness. If they’re tender and the chicken is cooked through, you can switch your slow cooker to “keep warm” — if it hasn’t done so already. Everything checks out? That means your dinner is ready. If you’ve made a loaf of quick rise bread, use it as a side.

Tips and Tricks

This is a pretty straightforward slow cooker recipe. Also, except for the bowl or measuring cup in which you mixed the ranch sauce, your only cleanup is washing the slow cooker crock. I’m going to put this recipe under my one-pot wonders.

Here are a few other tips and tricks to keep in mind.

What I love about this recipe is the longer it sits in the sauce, the yummier it gets. So, double everything if you want leftovers to take or reheat for lunch. Again, the longer the chicken and vegetables are exposed to the soft, the tastier they become.

Speaking of leftovers, if you don’t think you’ll eat everything before three days, then portion out and pop in the freezer. If you use microwave safe containers, you’ll be able to reheat

You have flexibility with this recipe. Don’t like carrots? Swap them for fresh green beans. Want to use a different kind of potato? You can always cut up sweet potatoes or yams instead. Other kinds of starchy vegetables could work, too, such as parsnips.

In addition, we recommend cream of chicken soup because chicken is the main protein in this dish. However, if you’re cooking from canned goods in your pantry and all you have is cream of mushroom, celery or onion soup, those can work, too.