Do you ever just need an easy dinner that you can throw in your slow cooker?

On a long day, I love putting in a simple protein with a sauce, and letting it cook for a few hours. Having the main part of the meal done is so satisfying, especially on busy nights!

And in the Summer, using my crock pot means I don’t have to heat up the house.

This 4-Ingredient Ranch Chicken is made in the slow cooker, using simple ingredients I always keep in my pantry for a quick meal. It has a creamy savory sauce, is full of flavor, and is great as leftovers too!

My husband actually told me this should be added to our regular meal rotation. To get a compliment like that means a lot, so this is definitely an easy dinner recipe the whole family will enjoy!

Scroll to the bottom of the post to get to the printable card for this Ranch Chicken recipe. Or keep reading to get photo instructions and extra tips!

The beauty of 4 and 5-ingredient recipes

I have ADHD. And because of that, I tend to get overwhelmed pretty easily. If a recipe has 15 ingredients and a bunch of steps, my brain shuts down and I just can’t bring myself to cook.

So I’m always looking for easy meals that can be made in no time flat, with just a handful of ingredients. And on busy weeknights, these save my sanity.

Does this make cooking boring? Not really! Sometimes I even find a new family favorite, like with this easy recipe. You can still make healthy meals, even when you don’t use a lot of fancy ingredients or need a long cooking time.

Ingredients

• Boneless chicken breast
• Cream of chicken soup
• Chicken broth
• Ranch dressing mix

Substitutions and Additions

• Chicken: Use chicken thighs for more fat and a bit more flavor
• Soup: Use another kind of cream soup, or make your own
• Cheese: Add some shredded cheddar cheese or mozzarella cheese on top right before serving!
• Ranch seasoning: If you have a bulk container, then 1-2 tablespoons of ranch seasoning will work. You can also use your own homemade ranch mix.
• Other vegetables: Next time I think I’ll add a can of mushrooms!

Can you use frozen chicken in this?

Absolutely! My favorite thing to do is buy chicken when it’s on sale and freeze them for later. You can use fresh chicken, but frozen works just fine too.

If this is your first time using frozen chicken, then having a meat thermometer can give you peace of mind. The internal temperature of chicken should reach 165 degrees F.

How to make

In a slow cooker, add the cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, and ranch powder, and stir together.

Place chicken breasts on top and place the lid on.

Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours, or HIGH for 2-3 hours. Note that I’m using my Instant Pot here, but it has a Slow Cooker function!

Remove chicken and shred or dice, then add back to the slow cooker and mix with the sauce.

Pour over rice or noodles and serve with your favorite vegetable sides.

How to store

This is just as good the next day! Once the chicken has cooled to room temperature, the best way to store this is in an airtight container in the fridge. For best results, use up within 3-5 days.

What to serve with this

On this day, I served the chicken over rice! I also roasted frozen green beans and baked some canned biscuits.

This would also be good over mashed potatoes and egg noodles.

Other 5-ingredient recipes

Looking for other delicious recipes that only have 5 ingredients or less? Check out my Master Post to get more ideas! It has slow cooker recipes, easy chicken recipes, and more that the entire family will enjoy!

Print the recipe card for this crockpot ranch chicken: