Through years of meticulously testing multiple variations of ingredients, I have perfected this Crockpot Ranch Chicken recipe to ensure it’s reliable, easy to follow, and still packed with flavor while only being 4 ingredients.
This Crockpot Ranch Chicken stands out for a reason. By focusing on the right ingredients and proven cooking techniques, this time-saving dish brings a comforting home-cooked meal to your family’s table with minimal effort.
While there are only four, the ingredients you use in this recipe do matter. It can make the difference between a delicious ranch chicken and an overly salty or dry one.
Our Crockpot Ranch Chicken is a game-changer for busy weeknights, combining the ease of a slow cooker with only 4 ingredients and no prep work. Through years of making this for my own family, I have made sure this recipe is foolproof and packed with flavor. It’s not only simple, but gives you a stress-free, reliable meal everyone can enjoy.
Why I love Crockpot Ranch Chicken
- Easy to make
- Versatile – it goes with so many sides and dishes
- Only requires 4 ingredients
- Dump and go – just put it all in the slow cooker and let it go
Ranch Chicken Crock Pot Ingredients
- Dry ranch dressing mix
- Boneless skinless chicken breast
- Cream of chicken soup
- Chicken stock
How to Make Crockpot Ranch Chicken
Detailed instructions and measurements to make Crockpot Ranch Chicken are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
How to Serve Ranch Crockpot Chicken
I like serving ours over rice or pasta. Both work really well with the chicken and sauce. I usually serve it with a side of roasted broccoli or a salad.
Tips, Tricks and FAQs for Ranch Chicken in Crock Pot
Don’t overcook the chicken. A lot of crockpot recipes call for cooking chicken 8+ hours which is normally far too long. You’ll end up with dry chicken. Four to six hours is usually plenty of time.
I use either Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix or the store brand from my local HEB.
Boneless, skinless chicken breast only needs 4-6 hours on low.
You can use a mixer, two forks, or even your hands.
Yes, you can put raw chicken in the crockpot. It needs to be cooked until an internal temperature of 165°F.
It is better to cook chicken breast on low in the crock pot for 4 hours. By cooking it slow and not overcooking it, you will have tender, juicy chicken breasts.
You can put frozen chicken in the crockpot. It will not be as tender as if you cooked it thawed, but you can put it in frozen. Be sure the chicken is cooked until the internal temperature reaches 165°F at the thickest part.
You do not need to add liquid to chicken in the slow cooker. The moisture and fat will render down from the chicken while it cooks.
Chicken Ranch Crockpot Substitution and Alterations
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts – You can substitute these with boneless skinless chicken thighs. You’ll need to reduce the cook time if you do this.
- Ranch dressing mix – I do not recommend substituting this.
- Chicken stock – You can replace this with chicken broth or even vegetable stock.
- Cream of chicken – You can use various versions of cream of chicken or make your own homemade.
You could also add cheddar cheese or bacon to this to add extra flavor.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat Crock Pot Ranch Chicken
Cooked crockpot ranch chicken can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
I recommend reheating it 1 minute at a time if using the microwave.
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Crock Pot Ranch Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 packet hidden valley ranch dressing mix
- 10.5 ounces cream of chicken canned
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
Instructions
Video
Notes
- The ingredients in this recipe each have salt in them, so give the ingredients a stir and decide if more is needed. Then add more to your taste.
- Want to lower the salt in the recipe? We recommend using low-sodium cream of chicken and unsalted broth.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi! Can i use any other liquid than chicken stock and get the same results?
Hi Brooke,
To get similar results, you could use vegetable stock, bone broth, or water mixed with chicken bouillon. However, the chicken stock provides a flavor that’s hard to match, so the taste will vary slightly with substitutions.
Will this recipe be okay for boneless chicken thighs?
Hi Sandy! This recipe works great with boneless skinless chicken thighs. Depending on how many/how much you may need to slightly lower the amount of time.
how much of the chicken broth or stock ? Size please
Hi Judy! The recipe calls for 1/2 cup of chicken broth or stock. You can find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Let me know if you have any other questions—happy to help!
Do you make the cream of chicken soup with the directions on the can using water, or just use it condensed
Hi Deborah, It just gets added in to the recipe straight from the can. Don’t follow the directions on the can itself.
So I wanted to add cream of mushroom soup to the chicken Crock-Pot meal the recipe that I got on your site is it okay that I do that? So the ingredients that I have from your website is cream of chicken soup a ranch seasoning packet chicken stock. I was just trying to give it a little bit more flavor but I don’t know if that would work in that dish or not please let me know
Hi Jennifer, You can replace the cream of chicken with any flavor of “cream of” soup of your choice and follow the recipe as written for the rest of it.
Has anyone made this recipe (the 3x amount) on high? How long did you cook it for? I cooked 3 lbs of fresh breasts (different recipe) last night in the slow cooker on HIGH for 4 hours and they were cooked perfectly.
Hi Elgina, I would still recommend cooking for 4-6 hours on low for 3lbs depending on hot your specific crockpot cooks. Since you had experience with a previous recipe doing well with that amount for 4 hours, I would recommend the same here.
How long for fresh chicken tenders?? It’s all I have but it’s a pound of them.
You’ll probably only need about 3 hours.
Want this to be really awesome? Use Hidden Valley Ranch dill ranch seasoning! It’s in another level!
If I was to add potatoes cut up in 1-2”, when should I put them in the crockpot? Same time as the chicken?
I would put them in at the same time as the chicken
Can i use cream of mushroom ?
Hi Christine! Yes, you can swap the cream of chicken for cream of mushroom 1:1.
Can you use frozen chicken breast??
Hi Nae,
You can use frozen chicken breasts, but the overall result will be much thinner.
Made this tonight. I had Costco chicken and when I opened the package the usual large 2 chicken breasts turned out to be 3 somewhat small ones. I decided to set the time for 6 hrs at low and hope for the best. The only change I made was to add mushrooms because I wanted to use them up. This was delicious and I rarely feel that way about online recipes. My husband said make this any time. I put it over leftover rice. This is a real keeper and I will be making it often. Thank you for sharing this simple and scrumptious recipe
If I cooked this with 4 chicken breasts would I need to add more of any of the ingredients?
As long as they are medium sized chicken breasts, the amount of ingredients can stay the same.
Could I double up on this recipe for a bigger crockpot and it still turn out okay?
Hi Brandy! I use an 8.5qt crockpot and it comes out just fine. I think it really depends on how large of a crockpot you’re looking to use.
Could you add potatoes to this?
You definitely could. I would recommend using baby potatoes or chopping them into 1-2″ pieces.
If You are using boneless skinless thighs how long would you cook for?
I would cook it on low for 4 hours.
I am wondering How to convert this to Instant pot? Looks amazing!
Hi Beth, I haven’t personally tried it in the Instant Pot yet. Sometimes the Instant Pot can be a bit finicky with cream soups and give burn notices. If I were to try it out, I’d start by bumping the broth amount up to 1 cup and cooking 10-12 minutes on high pressure and then depending on how that turned out, adjust from there.