Description
Creamy Ranch Chicken is a savory and comforting dish featuring tender Italian-seasoned chicken breasts seared to perfection and simmered in a rich, creamy ranch-flavored sauce. Perfect for a hearty dinner, this recipe blends creamy soup, sour cream, and ranch seasoning to create a luscious sauce that pairs wonderfully with baked potatoes or vegetables.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 large boneless/skinless chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce
- 10.5 oz. cream of chicken soup
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 oz. packet Ranch seasoning mix
Instructions
- Season and prepare the chicken: Slice each chicken breast into 2-3 thinner slices about ½ inch thick. Pound with a meat tenderizer if needed to even out thickness. Pat the chicken slices completely dry with paper towels, then sprinkle both sides with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Brush one side of each piece with melted butter, ensuring the butter is not too hot.
- Sear the chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken slices in batches for 4-5 minutes per side until each piece develops a golden brown crust. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Make the sauce: Into the same skillet, add cream of chicken soup, milk, sour cream, onion powder, and the ranch seasoning mix. Stir gently to combine all ingredients. Allow the sauce to bubble gently and reduce for about 5 minutes over medium heat.
- Combine chicken with sauce: Return the seared chicken slices to the skillet. Spoon the sauce generously over the chicken. Partially cover the skillet with a lid and let the chicken simmer in the sauce for about 10 minutes, allowing it to absorb the flavors and heat through thoroughly.
- Serve: Optionally, serve with baked potatoes, spooning extra sauce over the potatoes. This dish also pairs well with steamed or roasted vegetables for a complete meal.
Notes
- Use Ranch seasoning mix specifically, not Ranch dip mix, as they differ in flavor and intended use.
- Ranch seasoning adds savory and zesty flavor but will not make the sauce taste exactly like bottled ranch dressing.
- Crispy crumbled bacon is a delicious topping addition.
- You can mix frozen vegetables into the sauce when adding the sauce ingredients; make sure they have enough time to heat through before adding the chicken.
- If chicken breasts are smaller, consider using 3-4 pieces instead of 2 to maintain portion sizes.
- For a variation, try adding bacon and cheese for a Bacon Ranch Chicken twist, or substitute pork chops for the chicken.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- The dish freezes well and pairs nicely with frozen baked potatoes and vegetables for easy reheating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
