Juicy 3 Ingredient Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken cooked to tender perfection in a sweet and tangy cranberry sauce!
Craving more cranberry recipes? Try my Apple Cranberry Walnut Salad, Easy Cranberry Sauce, and Cranberry Pecan Turkey Salad next!
Let’s talk about typos. Because they might happen here. Scratch that, they will happen here. I know that because I’ve already had them happen and now that I am writing at the bright and shiny (read: not bright and shiny) hour of 3:09 am, they’re bound to happen even more often than usual. But that is my life right now. I side the darker side of 3 or 4 am every single morning. Cause that’s feeding time for the two little babes who my life revolves around. And if you haven’t seen their crazy-adorable little faces yet, you should take a gander at my Instagram page for a plethora of baby toes and squishy faces.
And just a side note, as I woke up the babes for this little 3am feeding frenzy I thought – thank goodness this doesn’t last forever. Not for my sake actually – I really don’t mind the frequent nighttime feedings and snuggling baby noses throughout the night. I’m okay with that. But could you imagine all of your life having to eat every three hours? One the one hand awesome. Because…. more food right? You get it.
But on the other hand, who has time to cook 8 times a day you know?! I think frozen entrees would be your new best friend or, if you’re like me, cereal all. day. long.
But that leads perfectly into what I want to talk about next. 3 ingredient dinners. Three ingredients is a beautiful thing and it’s exactly what you need for this juicy cranberry chicken.
If you’re feeling adventurous you can even make your own cranberry sauce or French dressing (<—my favorite easy version is included in the notes of the recipe!) but if not, canned cranberry sauce and bottled French dressing are perfect. We all have those days. For some of us it’s pretty much every day and that’s okay.
Because, LIFE.
What people are saying about this 3 Ingredient Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken
“This was my “go to” dish for every party, dinner guest, or no idea what to make for dinner because it’s so incredibly easy and I almost always have the ingredients on hand! Everyone at every party asks for the recipe and it’s kinda funny to see their jaw drop when I say it’s just salad dressing, whole berry cranberry sauce and Lipton Onion soup mix! When I make it for a party I cut the chicken into bite size pieces.” – Heidi
“I loved it. My son keeps asking when I am going to make it again and I just made it a few days ago. I loved the homemade French dressing recipe. It was easy and good.” – Marie
“This was a very strange set of ingredients but my goodness was this tasty. Room-mate and I whipped this up in the crockpot for Christmas dinner. Was entirely skeptical based on the list of items in it, but man. This is one of the best crockpot chickens I’ve ever made.” – Holly
3 Ingredient Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup French dressing - (see note for my easy homemade version!)
- 1 15-ounce can whole cranberry cranberry sauce - OR 1 cup homemade cranberry sauce
Instructions
- Lightly grease a slow cooker. Place chicken breasts in the bottom in a single layer.
- Whisk together French dressing and cranberry sauce. Pour over chicken. Turn chicken to coat all sides of the chicken.
- Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6 hours until chicken is cooked through. Garnish with toasted pine nuts and chopped parsley if desired and serve.
Tastes good BUT did not look like picture! Cranberries lost in sauce.picture reason I tried recipe
I am not sure if you add the onion soup to the dressing, or just layer it on—- instructions not clear????
We use the onion soup mix and it adds a nice flavour depth!
Best chicken ever! Mmmmm
I bet that is delicious! Thanks for sharing, Katie!
Which setting on my instant pot do i ise to cook? Slow cook?
Yep!
I tried the recipe. My sauce didn’t thicken up, it was watery. Was expecting a thicker sauce. The dressing creamy French or Catalina? Want try this again.
It is a creamy French dressing!
like this….
I use catAlina
dO YOU THINK I COULD SUBSTITUE CALIFLOWER FOR THE CHICKEN? tHE SAUCE SOUNDS AMAZING BUT I AM VEGETARIAN.
Hi Missy- I haven’t made that change with this recipe before so I can’t say for sure. Maybe check this recipe for reference or just as an alternative to this?
https://www.lecremedelacrumb.com/baked-sweet-sour-cauliflower/
I prefer a nutrition list for new recipes. I have some picky sat fat vs carb eaters
I bought all the ingredientS to make this dIsh in the crock pOt tonight for dinner and COMPLETEly forgot to put it in this MORNING when i left(Mom brain). COULD i cook it in the oven instead?
I think so!!
Nikki, I’ve always MADE THIS DISH IN THE OVEN. IT WASN’T UNTIL I DECIDED TO CUT UP THE CHICKEN BITE SIZE FOR AN APPETIZER THAT IT DAWNED ON ME I SHOULD TRY MY SLOW COOKER SO I COULD TAKE IT TO THE PARTY AND HAVE IT STAY WARM.
Is the orange french dressing or the red?
your home made french dressing was horrible…i should have known better when it asked for 1 cup of oil….far too much…would not mix with other ingredients
sounds great but I hate ketchup so what could I substitute for it?
Hi Tracy- you could try tomato paste? But keep in mind that I can’t guarantee recipe results using that because it will change the flavor for sure!
I made the cranberry chicken dish yesterday, I have to say that I have found my new favorite go to dish that even the picky eaters in the family are already asking me if I will fix it again next Thursday. So glad I found this slow cooker recipe
Yesss! Way to go, Terry! Sometimes it’s quite the task to please all the picky eaters, let alone with one dish! 😉
Would this work with fat free French dressing?
Probably?? But it’s definitely going to change the overall flavor of the dish. I haven’t ever used it for this recipe so I can’t make any guarantees.
I will try this. Sounds wonderful. It is similar to a delicious Hawaiian Chicken I make. boneless, skinless Chicken breasts, can of pineapple chunks or tidbits with 1/2 the juice, , 1/2 bottle Low fat Catalina dressing, envelope of dry onion soup mix…Place Chicken in 9×13 baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients and pour over chicken. Bake at 350 for 30 to 40 minutes or until chicken is done.
Awesome- that sounds delicious, Marlene! Thanks for sharing with us!
With the onion soup mix, do I make it separately then add it into the slow cooker, or just throw the powder into the slow cooker?
Mix it with the french dressing and cranberry!