Slow Cooker Chicken and Dressing

The following “Chew This!” column has been reprinted from “The Courier-Times”, Sunday, May 7th 2017 edition. By: Blaise Doubman 

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dressing is Family Favorite
Blaise Doubman

I love recipe developing and especially love recipe developing meals in a slow cooker. Throw everything together, go about your day and come back to a delicious and flavorful meal! The recipe I am sharing with you all today is no different in that it contains tons of delicious flavor and texture, but it is different in how it is prepared. Everything is layered together and topped with cubed stuffing, almost like a casserole, and the finished result is nothing short of amazing! I have made this meal several times for family and friends and every time I serve it, people go crazy! Serve it alongside honey corn and cooked to death green beans for the perfect meal! To make the honey corn combine canned corn and a couple tablespoons honey in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat about 20 minutes. To make the cooked to death green beans add 2 cans of undrained green beans to a medium pot and fill over half with water. Place in a chicken bouillon cube and boil on high for 40 minutes at least.

What exactly is the difference between dressing and stuffing? I have often found myself wondering the same question and thought that it would really depend on where you were from or how you were raised as to what you called either dressing or stuffing. The correct answer? Dressing is served alongside the meat, as a dressing – whereas stuffing is actually stuffed into the meat! For example chicken and stuffing would be a chicken filled with stuffing, whereas the recipe I am sharing with everyone today is chicken served alongside dressing, so it is called dressing, almost like a side dish. How easy is that to remember?

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dressing

If you can not find cream of chicken and mushroom soup – it is like the best of both worlds combined – you can substitute one can of cream of chicken soup and one can of cream of mushroom soup. I use Campbell’s brand. Also be sure to use an herbed stuffing mix with nothing else added. My favorite brand is Pepperidge Farm. You can find this in a clear plastic bag either in the crouton area or the stuffing mix area in your local grocery store.

4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
8 slices Swiss cheese
2 cans cream of chicken and mushroom soup
1 can chicken broth
¼ cup milk
2 cups herb stuffing mix
1 stick (4 oz.) salted butter, melted
Salt and Pepper

Start by lining your slow cooker with a slow cooker plastic liner and spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray.

Place in the boneless skinless chicken breasts and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place the slices of Swiss cheese evenly over the top of the chicken breasts.

In a medium sized bowl combine the cans of cream soup with the chicken broth and milk. Whisk together well before pouring over the cheese and chicken.

Evenly sprinkle the herb stuffing mix over the contents in the slow cooker.

Drizzle evenly the melted butter over the herb stuffing mix.

Cook on low 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours, being sure to check for doneness.

Once cooked, serve and enjoy!

Ask and Answer: While I was posting my recipe development process of this dish on my Facebook page, I had a friend write with a suggestion that I thought I would share here with everyone. Phyllis R. suggested instead of using canned cream soups – make your own! She said to make a roux with butter and flour, add sautéed chopped mushrooms, chicken and stock with garlic, salt, pepper add cream and cook it down. Can also use sautéed celery and onions. She suggested to pour the finished mixture into ice cube trays and freeze until ready to use. 2-3 frozen cubes equal about 1 can of soup. She also said she really doesn’t follow a recipe but instead uses whatever she has. Finished cream soup is silky and flavorful.