This Crockpot Ranch Chicken recipe only has 3 ingredients and takes about 10 minutes of prep work. It's the perfect make-ahead meal prep recipe that is loaded with flavor.
If you're looking for more crockpot chicken recipes, you can also try our Crockpot Buffalo Chicken, Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy, or Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas.
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Easy Crockpot Ranch Chicken Recipe
Crockpot ranch chicken is one of those unicorn recipes that doesn't take a lot of time, uses ingredients you probably already have on hand, can be made ahead of time, and can be used for so many different things. It's made with boneless skinless chicken breasts, ranch seasoning mix, and a little butter.
Once cooked, you instantly have several great dinner options available with one easy recipe. You could double a batch of this shredded chicken recipe and make tacos, quesadillas, chicken salad, mini chicken sliders, chicken-bacon-avocado wraps, the list goes on. It's even good in a burrito bowl on rice, on mashed potatoes, or on top of nachos.
3 Ingredients You Will Need
- Chicken Breast - you will need about 3-4 large chicken breasts for this recipe. You can use fresh or frozen, however for safety reasons you should always thaw your chicken overnight first. This recipe would also work well with chicken thighs.
- Ranch Seasoning - you will need about 1 packet of Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning, or you can make your own Homemade Ranch Seasoning Mix.
- Butter - this mixes with the ranch seasoning and chicken juices to create a silky smooth sauce.
How to Make Crockpot Ranch Chicken
- Add ingredients to the crockpot. Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a crockpot/ slow cooker. Sprinkle the ranch dressing on the chicken breasts. Cut butter into several chunks and place on the chicken breasts.
- Cook. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours, or until you can easily shred the chicken with 2 forks.
- Shred the chicken. Once the chicken is cooked, transfer to a bowl and shred. Return the shredded chicken to the crockpot and mix well with the juices.
- Serve. Serve on a mini slider, pretzel bun, in a tortilla shell, or on a sandwich with a slice of bacon and avocado. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- Add just about any kind of vegetable, green beans, baby potatoes, asparagus, or bell peppers. You can cook them in the slow cooker with your chicken
- Add a dollop of cream cheese or jalapeno cream cheese after you've shredded the chicken and this recipe will be instantly creamy!
- Bacon slices or bacon bits are a great combo with this recipe, on a sandwich, taco, or mini-slider.
- Avocados are a perfect pairing too.
- To add a little Southwestern flair, try using this Salsa Ranch dressing as a sauce for shredded chicken sandwiches.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you'd like to make this a creamy ranch chicken recipe, after you have shredded the chicken in the juices, just add about 4 ounces of cream cheese to the chicken while the chicken is still hot.
The cream cheese will melt and make the most delicious creamy shredded chicken with so much flavor. This is our favorite to enjoy this recipe if we are serving it over rice.
Not only does making this recipe in the crockpot make it a super easy meal, but it also makes it really easy to be made ahead of time. If you're needing it in the evening, you can make it in the morning and it can cook most of the day.
If you're wanting to make this a day or two ahead of time, no worries, that works too. Just make it according to directions and then put it in a Tupperware container with a lid. Once the chicken has cooled to room temperature, you can put it in the fridge.
When there isn't enough liquid in your shredded chicken, just add a little chicken broth. Let the shredded chicken soak up as much chicken broth as possible.
If there's too much liquid, be sure you shred your chicken. Let the shredded chicken stand in the liquid and soak up as much as possible. You can always spoon out a little of the liquid if desired.
You can use the Hidden Valley Ranch mix in the packets or in bulk. Some stores sell big bottles of it now which is so nice to have on hand for these kinds of recipes.
I recommend cooking the chicken on high for 3 ½ to 4 hours, a little less time than that if your chicken isn't frozen. You can cook it longer on a low but if you cook the chicken too long the texture will change a bit. Chicken can be a bit dry if you cook it too long.
Yes, you most certainly can. Just put it in a Tupperware container with a lid, label it and pop it in your freezer. When you're ready to eat it, pull it out of the fridge and let it thaw for 24 hours.
Crockpot Ranch Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 3-4 large Chicken Breasts
- 2 Tablespoons Ranch Seasoning or 1 packet of Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning
- 3 Tablespoons Butter
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a crockpot/ slow cooker. Sprinkle the ranch dressing on the chicken breasts. Cut butter into several chunks and place on the chicken breasts.
- Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours, or until you can easily shred the chicken with 2 forks.
- Once the chicken is cooked, transfer to a bowl and shred. Return the shredded chicken to the crockpot and mix well with the juices.
- Serve on a mini slider, pretzel bun, in a tortilla shell, or on a sandwich with a slice of bacon and avocado. Enjoy!
Nutrition
More Chicken Crockpot Meals You'll Love
- Cheesy Chicken and Rice
- Buffalo Chicken
- Creamy Salsa Verde Chicken
- Crockpot Salsa Chicken
- Crock Pot Tuscan Chicken
- Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken
- Crockpot Chicken Pot Pie
- Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls
- More Chicken Recieps
- More Healthy Chicken Recipes
Your family is going to love this easy crockpot ranch chicken. It uses only 3 ingredients and takes just about 10 minutes or prep work.
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