Klein's Kanchi Chicken

Five ingredients, zero fuss. This slow cooker chicken recipe is the kind you set up before work and come home to a kitchen that smells incredible. Chicken breasts go straight into the crockpot, get dusted with garlic salt and onion soup mix, then drenched in Italian dressing and water.

That Italian dressing isn’t just flavor. The oil and vinegar in it baste the chicken slowly as the crockpot heats, keeping the breasts from drying out over the long cook. The onion soup mix dissolves into the liquid and builds a savory, onion-rich sauce that concentrates over hours.

Cook on low for the full 8 to 10 hours for the most tender result. The chicken should practically fall apart when you pull it with a fork.

Kitchen Tips

• Use bone-in chicken breasts if you can. They hold up better over long cooking times and stay juicier than boneless.
• The sauce at the bottom is gold. Spoon it over rice, mashed potatoes, or egg noodles. It’s essentially a concentrated onion gravy.
• Resist opening the lid to check. Every peek drops the temperature and adds cooking time.
• If using boneless breasts, check at the 6-hour mark on low. They can overcook and turn stringy.

Variations

• Use ranch dressing instead of Italian for a creamier, herby version.
• Add a jar of pepperoncini peppers and their brine for a Mississippi pot roast-style twist.
• Shred the finished chicken and pile onto hoagie rolls with provolone for sandwiches.