Originally posted 5/23/08.
Image and post updated 5/15 via deposit photos @imagesetc
Day 144.
Cream cheese chicken is usually one of the first dishes tried in a crockpot. It is delicious. There are many different variations, but the standard recipe revolves around a can of cream-of-something soup, a package of Italian salad dressing mix, and a block of cream cheese.
I have a freezer full of cream of mushroom soup, so I made this recipe fully from scratch. But it's okay with me if you use the packaged stuff. It's really good either way.
PS: I also have an EVEN EASIER WAY!!
PS: I also have an EVEN EASIER WAY!!
But the made-from-scratch way gives you lots of bragging rights.
The Ingredients.
FROM SCRATCH RECIPE:
2 cups homemade cream of mushroom soup
(OR SEE EVEN EASIER WAY!)
3 - 4 pounds chicken (I used frozen breast tenderloins)
2 cups homemade cream of mushroom soup
(OR SEE EVEN EASIER WAY!)
3 - 4 pounds chicken (I used frozen breast tenderloins)
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon white granulated sugar (weird, I know.)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt (if you only have table salt, use about 1/4 teaspoon)
2 cloves minced garlic
1 thawed block of cream cheese (to add later)
or you can make it with:
--1 can cream-of-something soup
--1/2 cup chicken broth
--frozen chicken pieces
--packet of Italian salad dressing mix
--2 cloves minced garlic
--8 ounce block of cream cheese (to add later)
OR EVEN EASIER:
Put 2 tablespoons salted butter in a large skillet.
Brown 16 ounces sliced mushrooms for a VERY LONG time on medium heat. (longer than you think --- a good 20 minutes or so, you want them to shrink in half and get nice and brown.
Add a few twists of ground pepper. Then add to crockpot -- juice from pan and all.
The Directions.
Put everything except for the cream cheese into the crockpot.
Cook on low for 6 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and begins to shred.
Shred the chicken with two large forks, and mix in the block of cream cheese.
Switch the crock to high and cook for another 30 minutes, or until the cream cheese is fully melted.
Cook on low for 6 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and begins to shred.
Shred the chicken with two large forks, and mix in the block of cream cheese.
Switch the crock to high and cook for another 30 minutes, or until the cream cheese is fully melted.
Serve over pasta. We are gluten free so I used gluten free noodles.
The Verdict.
This is really, really, really, really good. I like the original cream cheese chicken an awful lot, but this truly did taste better.
The homemade mushroom soup just tastes better and gives it that "restaurant" flavor.
The homemade mushroom soup just tastes better and gives it that "restaurant" flavor.
My six-year-old retorted that this was the very best pasta she's ever had. I let her skip bathtime.
