This Slow Cooker Dill Pickle Chicken delivers a hearty homestyle dinner that is brimming with flavor! Thighs are cooked low and slow in dill pickle juice, ranch seasoning, and melting butter resulting in tender chicken smothered in a delicious gravy. Serve it over mashed potatoes or noodles for a yummy meal idea any day of the week!
Crockpot Pickle Chicken
This dill pickle chicken made in the slow cooker is exactly as amazing as it sounds. And you don’t even have to love pickles to enjoy it!
The way it comes together might remind you a bit of how we make crock pot Mississippi pot roast, but this time, we sprinkle chicken thighs with ranch dressing mix and top with pats of butter.
Then, instead of the pepperoncini, we’re using dill pickles and pickle juice to give the meat that slightly salty briny flavor, which is so flavorful but the pickle flavor is not overwhelming at all!
Cooking everything low and slow gives the flavors time to penetrate and the meat to become fall-apart tender. This dilly chicken is so good and even better when served over mashed potatoes smothered in some extra gravy. I mean, come on!
This is a comfort food classic that is so easy to make with just a few ingredients and can be ready for you at the end of a busy day. The kids will love it, the adults will love it and best of all, you can make enough to feed a crowd!
If this is a hit with your family, also try my vegetarian dill pickle soup!
Why you’ll love Slow Cooker Pickle Chicken
Dump and set – There’s no need to brown the chicken separately. Everything gets dumped into the pot then it’s hands off from there. It couldn’t be any easier!
Just a handful of ingredients – This small but mighty list of ingredients delivers complex flavors and juicy textures but there’s nothing fussy in it making crockpot dill pickle chicken accessible to everyone.
Customizable – As delicious as this hearty meal is, there are still a few ways you can customize it to make it your own. Make it a little spicy, a little extra garlicky, or use a different cut of meat. Read on!
Equipment you’ll need
- Slow Cooker – This is the one I use and love.
- Tongs – If you’re not using a pair to put your chicken in the pot, you’ll definitely want to use a pair to take them out!
Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card.
- Chicken Thighs – I use thighs because darker meat has more flavor but I’m still keeping them boneless and skinless. Even though bone-in chicken also tends to have more flavor, boneless cooks faster and is easier for the kids to eat.
- Ranch Seasoning – You’ll notice there is no added salt in this recipe and that’s because ranch seasoning mix has enough of its own. If you make homemade ranch seasoning, you can control the amount of salt added.
- Brown Gravy Packet – Pick up two packets of brown gravy mix. You’ll want to save one of them for extra gravy at the end!
- Butter – Cut into cubes, this gets added to the top of the chicken and melts into the juices adding a ton of moisture and flavor to this dish.
- Dill Pickles with Juice – The mouthwatering briny flavor comes from the pickle juice, however, the powerful tangy zest isn’t overwhelming but it sure does add another element. Save that leftover pickle juice for this amazing recipe and my copycat Chick-Fil-A nuggets!
- Parsley – A fresh herbaceous finish for serving! You could also add some fresh dill.
How to make Slow Cooker Dill Pickle Chicken
- STEP ONE: Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs and place each piece at the bottom of the crockpot. You may want to pat them dry with paper towels first, just so the seasoning sticks.
- STEP TWO: Sprinkle the ranch dressing powder over the chicken, followed by just one of the gravy packets. Reserve the other one for later.
- STEP THREE: Add the pickles to the top of the chicken, and pour in the leftover juice overtop. Then, add the pieces of butter. Distribute them equally so that you don’t have all the butter on one piece of chicken.
- STEP FOUR: Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours. You just want to make sure that the meat is cooked until it is nice and tender. You decide on the cooking time based on what you’ve got going on in your day.
- STEP FIVE: When you’re ready to serve, stir in the rest of the gravy mix to thicken it up. Garnish with parsley if desired, and enjoy!
What to serve with Slow Cooker Dill Pickle Chicken
Serve over rice, egg noodles, or garlic mashed potatoes with a side of oven roasted carrots or oven roasted green beans for a family-friendly feast!
A basket of onion dill bread or one hour dinner rolls on the table is always a good idea.
Make your sides while your main meal is cooking and everything will come together just in time for dinner!
Possible Substitutions/Additions
- I like to use petite pickles, also known as Gherkins or cornichons, but you can use slices or cut-up spears from regular pickles.
- I used dill but feel free to use your favorite. Spicy pickles would be fabulous in this if you like a little heat.
- You can add some fresh garlic cloves to this while cooking if you like a bit of a garlicky kick.
- One of my favorite ways to serve this crock pot dill pickle chicken is to shred leftovers & take the shredded chicken and pile it on slider buns.
How to reheat and store Slow Cooker Dill Pickle Chicken
How to store leftovers
Once completely cooled, keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
How long will Slow Cooker Dill Pickle Chicken last in the fridge?
As long as it’s covered, it should stay good for up to 3 days.
How to reheat Crockpot Pickle Chicken
If you’re just reheating a piece for yourself, the microwave is the easiest way to reheat your lunch or dinner. If you’re reheating leftovers for everyone, use a skillet on the stove. You might want to add a splash of water to help loosen up the gravy.
FAQs
Can I use chicken breast instead?
You can substitute chicken breasts if you like or even bone-in cuts if you prefer. If using bone-in breasts or chicken legs, just be sure to cook it a little longer. The internal temperature should be 165 degrees.
If you go with chicken breasts, make sure they are thick enough to not overcook. Thin cutlets or butterflied breasts aren’t going to cut it.
Is ranch seasoning mix the same as ranch dressing?
No! The seasoning mix is a dry rub loaded with all the stuff that gives the dressing flavor. Ranch dressing is a thick, creamy condiment made with sour cream (or plain greek yogurt), buttermilk, mayo, and the seasoning mix combined.
What else can I add to the crockpot as the chicken cooks?
Drop in a few pearl onions in there if you’d like. Adding veggies like baby carrots or baby potatoes would also be a yummy addition.
Can I put frozen chicken in the slow cooker?
Can you? Yes. Should you? No. Because a slow cooker cooks slowly, meat can sit at an unsafe temperature for too long. I always start with thawed meats. That said, plenty of people will tell you they use frozen and are just fine, but the USDA recommends that you don’t.
Need more slow cooker chicken recipes? Try these:
Slow Cooker Cajun Chicken Alfredo
Crockpot Cream of Mushroom Chicken
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip
Slow Cooker Hot Honey Chicken Sandwiches
Click here for my entire collection of slow cooker recipes.
More recipes for the pickle lover
Slow Cooker Dill Pickle Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 medium boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 ounce Ranch seasoning mix homemade or one packet
- 2 0.87 brown gravy mix
- 1 cup mini dill pickles with juice
- 4 tablespoons butter cubed
- Parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Place the chicken thighs into the bottom of the slow cooker.8 medium boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Sprinkle the ranch seasoning and one of the gravy packets over the chicken. Reserve 1 packet of gravy for later.1 ounce Ranch seasoning mix, 2 0.87 brown gravy mix
- Sprinkle the pickles and pickle juice all over the top.1 cup mini dill pickles with juice
- Place the butter on top of everything.4 tablespoons butter
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours or until the meat is tender.
- Right before serving stir in the reserved gravy mix to thicken it up.2 0.87 brown gravy mix
- Garnish with parsley if desired.Parsley for garnish
- Serve over rice, egg noodles, or mashed potatoes.
Notes
- You can substitute chicken breasts or bone-in cuts if you prefer.
- Pickle slices or spears can also be used.
- Spicy pickles or your favorite variety will work.
- Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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AWESOME RECIPE!!
Thank you!
Delicious! So easy to make.
Do you have a recipe for Polish dill pickle soup?
I do! No claims to authenticity, but here it is.
So yummy!
This is now my favorite chicken recipe.
Thanks
Yay, thanks, Sarah!
I can’t seem to find mini dill pickles, except the ones loaded with onion and garlic flavor. Is it best to toss the whole pickle in without cutting? Or can I just use regular size pickles cut into spears? Just wondering if the purpose of mini pickles is to preserve the texture when cooked since you don’t break the skin by cutting.
I think you’ll be fine cutting them into spears.
Delicious meal!! Definitely will be making again. My kids also loved it, which is a plus!!