This recipe uses the magic of the slow cooker to give you a no-fuss meal that’s an easy chicken dinner by definition but is so creamy and cheesy and crave-worthy that it feels almost sinful. It features a (mostly) dump-and-run kind of preparation and a number of hard to resist ingredients – like cream cheese, ranch seasoning, plenty of cheddar, and bacon.
You can use chicken breasts or thighs here. You just want to season them up with some salt, pepper, a packet of ranch seasoning, and some garlic powder and place them in the bottom of your slow cooker.
A little (okay, a lot) of cream cheese goes on top and then you cover it, walk away, and let it cook.
When you come back, you shred the chicken up with a couple of forks and stir it into that creamy mixture.
Top it with some crispy bacon and shredded cheddar and pop the lid back on long enough for the cheese to melt and you’re in business.
You can serve this on a bun or spooned over a potato or pasta, but I especially love it served over some white rice.
It’s creamy, yes, but not just for the sake of being creamy. It’s also super flavorful – full of garlicky ranch – and that flavor is carried throughout the dish by the cream cheese. The salty bacon, the bright green onion, the melty cheddar on top… well, those are almost like an added bonus, but there’s nothing wrong with being extra every once in a while.
Cream Cheese Ranch Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, trimmed of excess fat
- 1 oz packet ranch seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 16 oz cream cheese
- 8 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup green onions, sliced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Preparation
- Add chicken to slow cooker insert. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with ranch seasoning and garlic powder.
- Chop cream cheese into quarters and place over chicken.
- Cover and cook on low for 7 hours or high for 4 hours without lifting lid.
- Shred chicken with two forks. Add most of the bacon and stir mixture together to break up cream cheese.
- Spread back out into an even layer, top with cheddar cheese and remaining bacon. Cover and cook until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.
- Serve with green onions and enjoy!
Recipe adapted The Magical Slow Cooker.