- $5 Dinners | Budget Recipes, Meal Plans, Freezer Meals - https://www.5dollardinners.com -

Slow Cooker Creamy Ranch Chicken

This recipe is part of our 6th Costco Meal Plan: 20 Slow Cooker Freezer Packs from Costco for $150!

Y’all know that I’m just not that into cream of soups. I’m just not.

I’m also not that into the dressing packets.

So this is a ‘made from scratch’ version…combining the flavors of ranch with the creaminess of cream cheese.

(Like with some of the other recipes in this 6th meal plan in the 20 Meals from Costco for $150 series, pay close attention to the packing directions and recipe directions!)

Couple notes:

Note: I’ve written the recipe below to be based on the shopping list for the 6th plan in the 20 Meals from Costco for $150 series.

Slow Cooker Creamy Ranch Chicken

Melt in your mouth weeknight dinner!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time8 hours
Servings - 4 servings

Ingredients 

  • 4 Tbsp butter
  • 4 Tbsp flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 tsp salt
  • pepper to taste
  • 1 cup chopped mushrooms
  • 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 Tbsp homemade ranch dressing mix (or 1 packet)
  • 4 oz cream cheese, cut into 1/2" cubes (or 8 oz. if you make more chicken)
  • Side: Dinners rolls & frozen veggies

Instructions

Homemade White Sauce

  • In a skillet or saucepan, melt the butter and then whisk in the flour. Whisking while pouring, add the milk to the flour-butter paste. Whisk vigorously until the flour melts into the milk.
  • Over medium heat, bring to bubbling and the sauce will begin to thicken. Add the salt and chopped mushrooms.
  • {Let cool for 10-15 minutes if you are adding the sauce to the freezer bags during the all at once assembly of the packs.}

Slow Cooker Creamy Ranch Chicken

  • Place the chicken in the base of the slow cooker and season with salt and pepper and then add the ranch dressing mix spices over the top. Pour the homemade cream of mushroom soup over top of the chicken.
  • Set your slow cooker on low and cook for 8 hours. When there is 30 minutes left in the cooking cycle, switch the slow cooker to high and add the cubed cream cheese.
  • Serve Creamy Ranch Chicken with dinner roll or frozen veggies. (Or with brown rice or GF pasta if GF.)

Freezer Meal Instructions

  • To pack into gallon size freezer baggie: Make the homemade cream of mushroom soup as directed and let it cool. Add the chicken to the baggies, then salt and pepper, then the ranch dressing mix spices.
  • Pour the cooled sauce over the top.Do not add cream cheese to the freezer baggies. Be sure to make a note on the bag to add it before the end of the cooking cycle.Label it, remove as much air as you can and seal. Freeze up to 6 months in your fridge freezer or 12 months in a deep freezer.
  • To thaw: place the bags in the fridge overnight. Or quick thaw in a bowl of warm water.

This recipe is included in the Deck the Freezer Party!