Description
Succulent creamy ranch chicken brings comfort and flavor to weeknight dinners. Home cooks can savor this simple, hearty meal that satisfies hunger with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1.5 oz (3 tbsps) cream of chicken soup
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 cup sour cream (at room temperature)
- 2 tbsps butter (melted)
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 1 oz (3 tbsps) ranch seasoning mix
- 2 tsps Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp onion powder
- salt (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Preparing Chicken: Slice chicken breasts into uniform, thin pieces and tenderize with a meat mallet to ensure consistent thickness and even cooking.
- Seasoning: Coat chicken pieces thoroughly with Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper, ensuring complete flavor coverage.
- Searing Chicken: Preheat large skillet over medium-high heat, adding olive oil and butter to create a rich cooking foundation. Carefully place seasoned chicken in the skillet, cooking 6-7 minutes total until golden-brown and reaching 165°F (74°C), flipping midway for even browning.
- Creating Sauce: Reduce skillet heat to medium and combine condensed cream of chicken soup, whole milk, sour cream, onion powder, and ranch seasoning mix. Whisk vigorously, scraping pan’s bottom to incorporate caramelized remnants, creating a luxurious, smooth sauce.
- Finishing Dish: Simmer sauce for 2-3 minutes until it thickens, then return chicken to skillet, gently nestling pieces into the creamy mixture. Cover and let flavors meld for an additional 2-3 minutes, allowing chicken to absorb the rich sauce.
- Serving: Allow dish to rest 5 minutes before plating, which enhances sauce consistency and flavor absorption. Serve alongside mashed potatoes or roasted vegetables for a complete meal.
Notes
- Meat Preparation Trick: Slicing chicken thinly and tapping with a meat mallet ensures even cooking and tender texture, preventing dry or unevenly cooked meat.
- Temperature Control: Use medium-high heat for golden-brown crust and medium for sauce to prevent burning and maintain smooth consistency.
- Flavor Layering: Scraping browned bits from pan adds deep, rich undertones to the sauce, transforming an ordinary dish into a restaurant-quality meal.
- Resting Time Matters: Allowing dish to rest helps sauce thicken and chicken absorb flavors, resulting in more delicious and cohesive final presentation.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking, Sautéing, Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 45 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 24 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg