Slow Cooker Chicken and Potatoes
112 CommentsUpdated Mar 20, 2026
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This slow cooker meal combines tender chicken and well-seasoned potatoes for an easy, comforting dinner with classic ranch flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fall off the bone chicken
- Fork-tender ranch flavored potatoes
- Dinner will be ready when you get home
- Economical ingredients
Key Ingredients
Here’s what brings all the flavor and heartiness to this simple recipe:
- Chicken Thighs – A rich, flavorful cut that turns tender as it cooks.
- Red Potatoes – Hearty and perfect for soaking up savory juices.
- Ranch Dressing Mix – Delivers that classic herbed, tangy flavor.
- Butter – Adds richness and helps the seasoning coat everything evenly.
- Oil – Used for browning to lock in flavor before slow cooking.
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken and Potatoes
- Start by giving the chicken a quick sear to build flavor.
- Layer everything into the slow cooker with seasoning and butter.
- Let it slow cook until the chicken is tender and the potatoes are perfectly soft
Cook’s Tips & Variations
Want to switch it up? Italian dressing mix or Lipton onion soup mix both taste great with the chicken and potatoes.
Other vegetables you can add to the crock are green beans, baby carrots, mushrooms, and onions.
If you want to use boneless chicken, you’ll want to add a 1/2 cup of chicken broth.
Featured Comment
The best recipe I have ever done!!!!
– debbi
Slow Cooker Chicken and Potatoes
How to Video
Ingredients
- 2 ½ lbs. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 2 Tbsp. cooking oil
- 2 lbs. red potatoes, cubed
- 1 oz. pkt. ranch dressing mix
- 3 Tbsp. salted butter, melted
Instructions
- In a large skillet set to medium-high heat, add the oil after the pan is hot. Brown the chicken thighs on both sides, no need to cook through. Set aside.
- Add the red potatoes to the slow cooker. Sprinkle over half of the ranch packet. Drizzle over the butter.
- Add the chicken thighs on top of the potatoes.
- Sprinkle over remaining dressing mix over the chicken.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 5 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
More crockpot chicken recipes:
Chicken and Gravy, Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken, and Chicken, Potatoes and Green Beans are easy, comforting favorites. If you want a creamy chicken and potatoes meal, try my Creamy Ranch Chicken and Potatoes recipe.
Try Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Chicken, Crockpot Whole Chicken, or Crokcpot Tuscan Chicken for rich, flavorful meals with minimal prep.
Fiesta Chicken Casserole and Chicken Enchilada Casserole are bold, cheesy dishes your whole family will love.
Is there a way you can print out these recipes?
Yes! on the recipe card, there is a print button. 🙂
Lactose intolerant family here, so the ranch packet is a no go, but I think it would be yummy. Can I substitute maybe Lipton Onion Soup packet for the Ranch packet?
I think that would be a great substitution!
Can you use chicken legs
Yes!
I am an absolute newbie here, sorry! Does browning the chicken have any purpose other that aesthetics? I’m wondering if it’d be fine for me to just dump the chicken and go without browning it. Thanks!
It does add flavor. If you don’t brown it, I would remove the skin before serving, it’s very soggy looking.
If using boneless chicken breasts, still need to brown first?
Thanks!
You don’t need to!
Cutting this in half? Cook time?
I would do 4 hours. Still needs the time cook the chicken.
Have you ever made this with boneless skinless chicken breast?
No, If I did, I would add a splash of water or more butter. A lot of the liquid from this recipe is from the juiciness of the skin-on thighs.
What other seasoning do you recommend rather than ranch? Also, can I substitute olive oil for the butter? If so, how much?
Could you do this with boneless chicken breast? If so how many lbs like 1.5 or 2lbs of boneless chicken? And would you still cook it for 5hrs? Thanks
If I wasn’t to do the ranch packet I would do onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and parsley. Same amount of olive oil as the butter, would work fine.
Can you used White Meat- “Chicken Breast” and not used the Dark Meat- “Thighs” for this Receipej
If you do, add more butter or a bit of water. The chicken thighs have all the liquid for this recipe.
Thank you so much for your recipes! We do enjoy them. My question is cooking the thighs on high for 5 hours seems too long. Is it because of the bone in ?
Mostly because of the potatoes, they take the longest (it’s a very full pot of food). If you watch my video, the thighs still held together, but were very tender.