This yummy Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken is a quick and simple 5-ingredient recipe that's perfect for a weeknight meal! The chicken is tender and juicy and every bite is full of flavor from the sweet, tangy cranberry sauce. The slow cooker makes this cranberry chicken recipe a breeze to prepare and clean up!
Jump to:
👩🏻🍳 Why You'll Love This Recipe
We've all had those days where dinner time rolls around and we just can't imagine cooking a meal. That's why I love slow cooker recipes! All of the prep is done in the morning and the meal cooks throughout the day. When dinner time rolls around, all you have to do is serve!
This cranberry chicken recipe is a perfect example of a low-prep, high-reward meal. The combination of ingredients yields a delicious and complex dish that will shock you with how easy and tasty it is!
Along with my Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice and Pan Fried Chicken Tenders, this recipe is one of my family's favorites! And for more cranberry goodness, make this tasty White Bean Hummus with Cranberries.
🥘 Ingredients Needed
- cranberry sauce - gives your cranberry chicken its signature sweet flavor.
- onion soup - packs a lot of flavor in just one ingredient; the best savory shortcut!
- French dressing - I like to use the sweet and spicy kind specifically for the way it pairs with the cranberry sauce.
- celery - provides some added texture and a nice pop of green flavor.
- cornstarch - this will help the sauce thicken up while it cooks.
- chicken breast - using boneless and skinless is what I prefer, you can just throw them right in the slow cooker and not worry about any extra prep.
🔪 Instructions
- Mix cranberry sauce, onion soup mix, French dressing, and celery in a bowl.
- Add the cornstarch dissolved in water and combine well.
- Place chicken breast into your slow cooker.
- Pour your cranberry mixture over the chicken, then cook for 6-8 hours on low.
👪 FAQs
Cooking at a low temperature for a longer time is one the best ways to prevent dry chicken. Even adding liquid won't help if you're cooking it too hot--the liquid will all evaporate and leave the chicken even drier.
Some other fruits that will achieve the same type of flavor as cranberries are cherries and pomegranate seeds, but this recipe is best with cranberry sauce.
Yes! As long as you give the chicken enough time to cook to completion, it's entirely safe to put raw chicken in a slow cooker.
💭 Other Helpful Tips
- Be sure to give your cornstarch enough time to dissolve in the water so it full incorporates into the sauce.
- Serve this cranberry chicken recipe over top of rice, quinoa, noodles, or with bread or biscuits on the side. Pair with a salad and you've got a perfect meal!
- Nonfat dressing will help you cut down on the fat in this dish!
Cranberry Chicken is the perfect dish for a weeknight dinner. Steam some vegetables and boil some noodles and you've got yourself a complete meal that the whole family will love!
📖 Variations
- Add some orange or lemon zest for a pop of fresh citrus flavor.
- You can substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer dark meat.
- Catalina and Russian dressing are good substitutes for the French dressing.
🥗 Suggested Side Dishes
This slow cooker chicken is great all on its own, but with the help of a side dish you've got an absolutely stellar dinner! Throw together a Cucumber Salad, make some Crispy Sauteed Potatoes, or serve your chicken with Garlic Butter Microwave Broccoli, which is a cinch to prepare and makes a great companion for any main dish!
🍲 More Slow Cooker Recipes
- Slow Cooker Olive Bread - An easy bread that would also make a delicious side for this chicken dish. Just make it the day before so your slow cooker is available!
- Spicy Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken - Another fantastic chicken recipe in the slow cooker. We really can't get enough of slow cooker chicken in this house!
- Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate - For something a little bit different, make this creamy and delicious hot cocoa in your slow cooker.
Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken Recipe
Love this recipe? Awesome! Please give it a 5 star ⭐ rating below! And if you make this, snap a photo and tag me on Instagram. You can find me at DizzyBusyandHungry or #dizzybusyandhungry!
📋 Recipe Card
Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken
Ingredients
- 14 ounces whole berry cranberry sauce (1 can)
- 1 packet onion soup mix
- ½ cup light sweet and spicy French dressing
- 4 to 5 stalks of celery (cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in ⅓ cup water
- 1 to 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
Instructions
- Combine the cranberry sauce, onion soup, dressing, and celery in a medium bowl.14 ounces whole berry cranberry sauce, 1 packet onion soup mix, ½ cup light sweet and spicy French dressing, 4 to 5 stalks of celery
- Add the dissolved cornstarch and mix thoroughly.2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in ⅓ cup water
- Place chicken in the crock pot.1 to 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Pour the cranberry mixture over the chicken. Set crock pot to low and cook for 6-8 hours.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
Update Notes: This post was originally published in April 2013, but was republished with tips, step by step photos, and a recipe change in August 2021.
Thanks so much for reading! I also invite you to follow me on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, or INSTAGRAM to keep up with what's going on in my kitchen.
Happy cooking!
Pam
Do I see that you added pine nuts?
I'll be trying this recipe for sure!
Soniya
This cranberry chicken sounds super delicious.. Can't wait to start my slow cooker and make it.
Patty at Spoonabilities
What a super easy and ABSOLUTELY AMAZING recipe! We all loved the combination of flavors going on. Will definitely be making this often!