Creamy Crock Pot Cream Cheese Chicken

Chicken in a cream sauce with Broccoli and Rice

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Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 7 hrs
Total: 7 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings

This tasty cream cheese chicken recipe takes just minutes to throw together and then it cooks hands-free in the slow cooker. Warm and comforting, it's also kid friendly, thanks to the creamy cheesiness that the cream cheese and condensed soup imparts. All you have to do is toss the ingredients in the slow cooker, set it, and forget it until it's time to eat.

The recipe is a popular one, and it's versatile. Add extra celery if you like or add some baby carrots or sliced carrots to the pot. For more color and flavor, add some frozen vegetables—peas, mixed vegetables, green beans, or broccoli florets—about 20 minutes before serving time. Feel free to replace the cream of chicken soup with cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup. If you use the cream of mushroom soup, add some sliced canned or fresh mushrooms to the pot along with the celery and onions if you'd like.

Hot cooked rice makes an excellent base for the chicken and sauce. Or serve the chicken with mashed potatoes. Add a salad or steamed veggies for a well-balanced dinner. This meal will satisfy everyone, from picky toddlers to adults.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds boneless chicken breast halves, about 4 to 6

  • 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, or to taste

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • 1 cup chopped onions

  • 1/2 cup chopped celery

  • 1 (10 1/2-ounce) can cream of chicken soup

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, reduced fat if desired, cut into cubes

  • 1/2 cup chicken stock, preferably unsalted or low sodium

Steps to Make It

  1. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and arrange them in the crock pot.

  2. Brush the chicken with the melted butter and sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme, and garlic.

  3. Add the onions and chopped celery to the pot.

  4. In a bowl, combine the cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, and cream cheese. Pour over the chicken and vegetables.

  5. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 7 hours.

Tip

  • Chicken breasts are easy to fix in the slow cooker, but there are a few caveats. Overcooked chicken breasts can become dry and chewy. To avoid this, check the chicken for tenderness after 5 hours, especially if your crock pot tends to cook quickly. According to the USDA, the minimum safe temperature for chicken is 165 F. If you want to be certain the chicken is cooked to tender perfection, check the temperature with an instant-read thermometer.

Recipe Variation

  • Boneless chicken thighs are another option for this recipe. Chicken thighs contain more fat, so they are much more forgiving. Chicken thighs stay tender and juicy even after long, slow cooking. If you have to be away for 7 hours or more, you might want to choose chicken thighs.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
517 Calories
29g Fat
10g Carbs
52g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 517
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 29g 37%
Saturated Fat 15g 75%
Cholesterol 192mg 64%
Sodium 710mg 31%
Total Carbohydrate 10g 4%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 52g
Vitamin C 3mg 15%
Calcium 86mg 7%
Iron 2mg 14%
Potassium 571mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)