Creamy Ranch Chicken
👩🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook the Chicken Low & Slow 🐔🍲
- Place your raw chicken breasts in a single layer at the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Pour both cans of condensed soup (Cream of Chicken and Cream of Mushroom) directly over the chicken.
- Sprinkle the entire packet of Ranch Seasoning evenly over the top, and season with a generous crack of black pepper.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours (or on LOW for 6 to 8 hours) until the chicken is tender enough to shred easily.
Step 2: Cook the Pasta 🌾💧
- About 20 minutes before the chicken is done cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Add the 1 lb bag of penne pasta and cook according to the package instructions until it reaches al dente perfection. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
Step 3: Shred and Add the Creaminess 🧀🌀
- Remove the cooked chicken breasts from the crockpot and use two forks to shred the meat completely. Drop the shredded chicken back into the warm slow cooker sauce.
- Cut your 8 oz block of cream cheese into cubes. Add the cubes and your drained, cooked penne pasta directly into the crockpot with the chicken and sauce (just like the top-right assembly photo in !).
- Sprinkle a little extra black pepper or dried herbs over the cream cheese cubes if desired.
Step 4: Combine into Velvety Goodness 🔄🔥
- Put the lid back on the crockpot for about 5 to 10 minutes to allow the cream cheese cubes to melt completely from the residual heat.
- Remove the lid and give everything a vigorous stir with a large spoon. Watch as the melted cream cheese and rich soups emulsify into a perfectly glossy, rich white sauce that clings beautifully to every piece of penne pasta (as shown in the bottom-left image!).
