The Chicken Ranch
Folks, it doesn’t get any easier (or tastier) than this quick recipe, which may as well be considered a hot version of a cold chicken salad. We’re talking “dump and go” realness, and results loaded with cheesy, ranchy flavor. However you wish to serve it is totally your call, but I usually like to scoop some onto a potato slider bun or King’s Hawaiian roll for a hearty sandwich, or enjoy as a topping to a green salad. Any way you slice it, the end result will be an addictive experience (especially with that optional bacon-bit touch). From Super Shortcut Instant Pot® by Jeffrey Eisner, photograph by Aleksey Zozulya.
Total: 10min
Yield: 4-6 Servings
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds 1⁄2-inch-thick boneless (skinless chicken breasts)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2–4 cups shredded cheese of your choice ((I use a Cheddar blend, see Jeff’s Tips))
- 1 cup ranch dressing (I like Hidden Valley)
- 1 (5.2-ounce) package Boursin cheese (any flavor) or 3⁄4 cup Garlic Herb Cheese (page 21)
- 1⁄2–1 cup Bacon bits ((optional, I use pre-bagged Hormel or Oscar Meyer))
Instruction:
- Add the chicken to the Instant Pot and pour the broth over it. Secure the lid, move the valve to the sealing position, and hit Pressure Cook or Manual at High Pressure for 12 Minutes. Quick release when done.
- Using tongs, remove the chicken to a large mixing bowl. Reserve 1⁄2 cup of the broth and discard the rest, returning the empty liner pot to the Instant Pot.
- Using either two forks or a hand mixer, shred the chicken. Fold in the cheese (which basically means to mix it in using a gentle, scooping-like motion—this tip may have helped David & Moira in Schitt’s Creek).
- Back to the Instant Pot, hit Cancel followed by Sauté and Adjust so it’s on the More or High setting. Add the cheesy chicken mixture along with the ranch dressing and Boursin and cook for 3–5 Minutes, stirring frequently so everything combines and the chicken gets nice and hot. If using the bacon bits, stir them in them now as well. (NOTE: If you want the mixture a bit thinner, pour in some of that reserved broth and stir until you’ve hit the desired consistency.) Hit Cancel to turn the pot off.
- Serve on a bun, on a salad, over pasta, or on its own.
