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Creamy Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken and Veggies: Your New Go-To Dinner

This recipe features tender chicken thighs slow-cooked with a creamy ranch sauce and a medley of vegetables like onions, sweet peppers, and zucchini. It's served with spaghetti squash and offers a convenient make-ahead option for future meals.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 7 hours 45 minutes
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 650 kcal

Equipment

  • 5- to 6-quart slow cooker
  • Small Bowl
  • Medium bowl
  • microwave-safe baking dish
  • fork
  • plate
  • Foil
  • very large bowl
  • Two forks
  • serving plates

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients

  • 2 medium onions cut into thin wedges
  • 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes crushed
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme crushed
  • ½ teaspoon dried dill
  • 5 pounds large chicken thighs skinned (12 to 14 total)
  • 2 cans reduced-fat, reduced-sodium condensed cream of chicken soup 10.75 ounce
  • 1 carton sour cream 8 ounce
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons chipotle chile peppers in adobo sauce finely chopped, canned
  • 2 medium sweet peppers red and/or green, cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips
  • 2 medium zucchini halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
  • 1 3-pound spaghetti squash
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley snipped (Optional)

Instructions
 

Instructions

  • Layer onion wedges in a slow cooker, then top with one-third of the chicken thighs and a portion of the combined spice mixture. Repeat these layers twice until all chicken and spices are used.
  • In a separate bowl, mix the condensed soup, sour cream, and chipotle chile peppers, then pour this mixture over the layered chicken in the slow cooker.
  • Cook the chicken on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-3.5 hours. Afterwards, if on low, switch to high heat, then add sweet peppers and zucchini to the cooker and cook for an additional 45 minutes.
  • While the chicken cooks, halve the spaghetti squash, remove seeds, and microwave each half until tender. Once slightly cooled, use a fork to shred the pulp into strands.
  • Take all chicken thighs out of the slow cooker, setting aside 6 to keep warm. Shred the meat from the remaining thighs, discard bones, and place the shredded chicken in a bowl.
  • Serve by dividing spaghetti squash and one whole chicken thigh onto each of six plates. Stir the vegetable-sauce mixture from the slow cooker, then spoon about 1/2 cup over each serving, garnishing with fresh parsley if desired.
  • Stir the leftover vegetable-sauce mixture into the shredded chicken, then cover and refrigerate for up to two days for future use in another recipe.

Notes

Adjust the amount of chipotle chile peppers to suit your preferred spice level. The recipe makes extra shredded chicken and sauce, which can be refrigerated and used for a different meal, like Chipotle Ranch Chicken Pasta.