Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken
2 Comments May 19, 2024
Updated Jun 03, 2024
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Simple ingredients like chicken breasts, onion soup mix, French onion dressing, and whole berry cranberry sauce are all you need to make this delicious Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken. This is the easiest crock pot recipe that yields a flavorful dinner!
Check out my other chicken recipes that call for few (but flavorful) ingredients – Crock Pot Mississippi Chicken and Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo are two of my favorites.
Table of Contents
Why This Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken Recipe Works
Making tasty meals the whole family will enjoy doesn’t have to be stressful. This cranberry chicken recipe is also easy to cook. You can skip the homemade and go straight for canned cranberry sauce, onion soup mix, skinless chicken breasts, and salad dressing.
This simple and flavorful dinner uses the dump-and-go method, has a quick prep time, and a moderate cooking time. Dinner can be ready and on the table in as little as 4 hours.
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts: You’ll only need a pack of boneless skinless chicken breast for this easy recipe. You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Creamy French Dressing: Adds flavor and a complimentary twist to the soup mix. I use wishbone creamy french dressing.
- Onion Soup Mix: I prefer to use Lipton Recipe Secrets; however, you can use whatever brand you prefer.
- Whole Cranberry Sauce: This is where the recipe gets its name as well as its unique cranberry flavor. You can use jellied cranberry sauce if desired. (Full recipe in the recipe card below the images).
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Add the chicken breasts to the slow cooker.
Step Two – Pour over the creamy French dressing.
Step Three – Sprinkle over the Lipton onion soup mix.
Step Four – Spread over HALF of the cranberry sauce.
Step Five – Cover and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or on HIGH For 4 hours.
Step Six – When the cooking time is up, degrease the sauce. Do this by laying paper towels over the sauce in the slow cooker.
Step Seven – Next you can decide to serve the chicken breasts whole or shredded. Serve the chicken with the remaining cranberry sauce on top.
How to Serve
- For a quick and delicious meal option, serve the cranberry chicken crock pot pieces over a bed of white rice garnished with extra cranberry sauce and a dash of parsley.
- Side dishes that taste great with this chicken are hearty selections such as mashed potatoes, a crisp green salad, or roasted veggies (like carrots, green beans, and/or asparagus).
- Top this flavorful dinner off with your favorite bread. This tasty dish is complete with homemade dinner rolls, hot water cornbread, or homemade biscuits.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts in this recipe. Chicken thighs will add extra juiciness and flavor to the dish.
Allow the leftover chicken to cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container or resealable plastic bag. Refrigerate for 3-4 days. You can also freeze them for longer-term storage. Place the cooled chicken in a freezer-safe container or resealable freezer bag, removing as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. Store for 2-3 months.
Yes, you can definitely use Catalina salad dressing as a substitute for French dressing. While it will alter the flavor profile slightly, the tangy sweetness of Catalina dressing can complement the cranberry sauce and chicken well.
More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes:
- Slow Cooker Brunswick Stew
- Slow Cooker Green Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
- Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken Sliders
- Slow Cooker Jamaican Jerk Chicken
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Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup creamy french dressing
- 15 oz. can whole cranberry sauce, divided
- 1 oz. packet lipton onion soup mix
Serving ideas
- serve over mashed potatoes or rice
Instructions
- Add the chicken breasts to the slow cooker.
- Pour over the creamy French dressing and sprinkle over the Lipton onion soup mix.
- Spread over HALF of the cranberry sauce.
- Cook on low for 5-6 hours or on HIGH For 4 hours.
- When the cooking time is up, degrease the sauce. Do this by laying paper towels over the sauce in the slow cooker.
- Next you can decide to serve the chicken breasts whole or shredded. Serve the chicken with the remaining cranberry sauce on top.
Sarah’s Notes
- You can use Catalina salad dressing as a substitute for French dressing. While it will alter the flavor profile slightly, the tangy sweetness of Catalina dressing can complement the cranberry sauce and chicken well.
- Allow the leftover chicken to cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container or resealable plastic bag. Refrigerate for 3-4 days. You can also freeze them for longer-term storage. Place the cooled chicken in a freezer-safe container or resealable freezer bag, removing as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. Store for 2-3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Has anyone used Italian dressing? Thanks!
I’ve made this recipe for years. I do just a slightly different version. I use Catalina dressing in place of the French and I mix all the ingredients (dressing, onion soup mix, and entire can of whole berry cranberry sauce) in a bowl and then pour this over the chicken in the crockpot. I’ve never once found it to have any grease at all. (I remove visible fat from chicken before putting into crockpot) I usually only make 3-4 pieces of chicken breast, on low for about 3 hours. Serve it over mashed potatoes. DELICIOUS!!