• Home
  • Email List
  • Cookbooks
  • FAQs
  • Instant Pot Secrets

365 Days of Slow Cooking and Pressure Cooking

Easy slow cooker and Instant Pot recipes for each day of the year

  • Filter Recipes
  • Instant Pot
  • Slow Cooker
  • Chicken
  • Beef
  • Pork
  • Meatless
  • healthy
  • Soups

April 22, 2021

Instant Pot Million Dollar Chicken

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

Instant Pot Million Dollar Chicken–-tender bites of chicken with cheese, bacon and ranch dressing mix. An easy dump and go chicken dinner that tastes like a million bucks!

Pin this recipe for later!

Note: the slow cooker instructions are listed in the recipe card below

Instant Pot Million Dollar Chicken

Instant Pot Million Dollar Chicken

This is one of those chicken dinners that everybody needs to have in their back pocket. I got started late on cooking dinner and it didn’t really matter because I threw the chicken, broth and cream cheese into the Instant Pot and set it to cook for 5 minutes. While the chicken was cooking I prepared the other ingredients and a side dish of steamed veggies. Once the chicken had pressure cooked I stirred in the remaining ingredients and had dinner on the table in hardly any time at all.

And guess what?! This chicken tastes as good to me as something more time intensive like chicken cordon bleu. It’s got all the good stuff…cheese, bacon, ranch, a bit of mayo, green onions and cream cheese. The sauce and chicken taste so good served over a bed or rice (or low carb cauliflower rice).

Recipes and Ingredient Notes

  • Chicken tenders–boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins are usually found next to the chicken breasts in your grocery store. They are like chicken strip sized pieces of boneless skinless chicken breast. They are priced a little more than chicken breast but work wonderfully in this million dollar chicken recipe as well as Instant Pot Honey Lime Salsa Verde Chicken. They only need a 5 minute pressure cook time and turn out very tender. If your grocery store doesn’t sell chicken tenders separately, it’s quite easy to cut your own. Just take a boneless, skinless chicken breast and cut it lengthwise into pieces about ½ inch thick and you’re left with essentially chicken-tender sized pieces of white meat. I haven’t tried this recipe with frozen chicken yet. If you do try that I would increase the cooking time by a couple minutes. There might be more liquid that comes off of the chicken too so you may need to use more cornstarch.
  • Cream cheese–I found that I am able to add the cream cheese in with the chicken and pressure cook it. This softens the cream cheese nicely so that you can just stir it in and make a sauce out of it. You can also add the cream cheese in later with the mayo, cheese, bacon etc.
  • Cheese–I used Colby Jack cheese that I shredded off the block. Colby jack cheese is soft and mild and melts nicely. You can also use cheddar, monterey jack or pepperjack cheeses. I do suggest grating off the block for a creamier texture.
  • Bacon–If you don’t want to cook up bacon then use bacon crumbles (I buy the big bag from Costco). Use about ½ cup loosely packed.
  • Mayo–if you don’t like mayo you can use sour cream or plain yogurt in its place.
  • Is Instant Pot Million Dollar Chicken keto friendly? This recipe only contains 6 grams of carbs per serving. If you want to cut that down further then you can eliminate the cornstarch and use a low carb thickener like arrowroot powder.

Pin this recipe for later!

Instant Pot Million Dollar Chicken

What should I serve with Instant Pot Million Dollar Chicken?

If you’re trying to eat low carb then I would suggest serving this with a side of steamed broccoli or over a bed of riced cauliflower. Other choices are over mashed potatoes, noodles, quinoa or rice. I like throwing a bag of veggies in the microwave for ease and convenience.

More Instant Pot Recipes You’ll Love…

Instant Pot Million Dollar Spaghetti

Instant Pot Million Dollar Meatballs

Instant Pot Marry Me Chicken

Instant Pot Chicken Little

Instant Pot Family Delight

Pin this recipe for later!

Instant Pot Million Dollar Chicken

Want more tried and true Instant Pot recipes?

Receive FREE daily Instant Pot recipes and tips in your email box. Sign up by filling out the gray form below. Other ways to follow: join the 365 Days of Instant Pot Recipes Facebook group and subscribe to my YouTube channel where I share Instant Pot stuff with you weekly. You can also order The 365 Days of Pressure Cooking Cookbook if you’d like the blog in book form.

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Instant Pot Million Dollar Chicken


★★★★★

5 from 6 reviews

  • Author: 365 Days of Slow and Pressure Cooking
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes (plus 5 minute NPR)
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth (or 1/2 cup water and 1/2 tsp better than bouillon)
  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken tenders (or boneless, skinless chicken breasts sliced in half horizontally)
  • 2 Tbsp dry ranch dressing mix (I prefer Hidden Valley)
  • 4 oz cream cheese
  • 1–2 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 3 Tbsp mayonnaise
  • 5 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded Colby jack cheese
  • 1/2 cup diced green onions

Instructions

Instant Pot Instructions:

  1. Pour broth into Instant Pot. Add chicken into Instant Pot. Sprinkle the chicken with ranch dressing mix. Dump the cream cheese on top.
  2. Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 5 minutes. When time is up let the pot sit for 5 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
  3. For this part it’s easiest if you remove the chicken and place it on a plate. Then turn Instant Pot to saute. Stir the cream cheese into the broth. Thicken with a cornstarch slurry. In a small bowl stir together 1 Tbsp of cornstarch with 1-2 Tbsp of water, until smooth. Then pour the mixture into the Instant Pot. The cornstarch mixture will thicken up contents of pot quickly. Stir in the mayo, cheese, bacon and green onions. 
  4. Toss the chicken back into the Instant Pot and coat in the sauce. 
  5. Serve chicken with sauce over cauliflower rice, rice, potatoes, noodles etc. 

Slow Cooker Instructions:

  1. Pour broth into slow cooker. Add chicken into slow cooker. Sprinkle the chicken with ranch dressing mix. Dump the cream cheese on top.
  2. Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours, or until chicken is cooked to 165° F. 
  3. Stir the cream cheese into the broth. Thicken with a cornstarch slurry. In a small bowl stir together 1-2 Tbsp of cornstarch with 1-2 Tbsp of water, until smooth. Then pour the mixture into the slow cooker. Stir in the mayo, cheese, bacon and green onions. 
  4. Cook on high for 15 more minutes, without the lid, or until sauce has thickened.
  5. Serve chicken with sauce over cauliflower rice, rice, potatoes, noodles etc. 
  • Category: Chicken
  • Method: Instant Pot or Slow Cooker

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @365dayscrockpot on Instagram

Pin this recipe for later!

Instant Pot Million Dollar Chicken

*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

21 Comments Filed Under: All Recipes, Chicken, Dump and Go, Gluten Free, Instant Pot, Low Carb, Slow Cooker Tagged With: bacon, 10 ingredients or less

Recommendations

Comments

  1. Tara says

    April 15, 2022 at 2:58 pm

    Another 5 star recipe!! I cooked this in my slow cooker and it was perfection. I added minced garlic because I add garlic into anything I possibly can. I served it over cauliflower rice. Chef’s 💋!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      April 20, 2022 at 10:51 am

      I love garlic too! Thanks for the 5 stars Tara!

      Reply
  2. Joan Swanson says

    June 13, 2021 at 2:46 pm

    Karen, you brighten my day. Love the recipes and comments. Your recipes are a good start for people who want to add their little extras. You are always so positive. I’m 78 now and love cooking and baking. One thing on my bucket lustisto meet you.

    Reply
    • Karen says

      June 14, 2021 at 3:28 pm

      Ahhh, thanks Joan! You are so kind!

      Reply
  3. Aimee says

    May 24, 2021 at 6:41 pm

    This was a solid hit tonight. I did increase to 2.5 pounds of chicken tenders which was perfect for a family of four with two teens! Based on other reviews, I added some minced garlic and a few shakes of worchestershire sauce. Served over egg noodles and it was great!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      May 25, 2021 at 12:51 pm

      Thanks Aimee for the 5 star review!

      Reply
  4. Sue Placey says

    May 2, 2021 at 3:43 pm

    Is it half the cream cheese before cooking and the other half for the sauce?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      May 3, 2021 at 12:47 pm

      The whole thing of cream cheese gets added in at the beginning and then you stir it in with the broth after the pressure cooking time is up…because it’s still in block form. Make sense?

      Reply
  5. Grrard6 says

    May 1, 2021 at 5:38 am

    Good and easy, but too bland for me. Some worstershire, hot sauce, onion powder and black pepper improved it a lot. Also I used boneless thighs. I let them stay in the pot an extra 5 minutes before releasing press and they were perfectly cooked.

    Reply
    • Karen says

      May 3, 2021 at 1:00 pm

      Good additions! That sounds great!

      Reply
  6. Lynn Olson says

    April 23, 2021 at 5:22 pm

    Eating this as I write this review and have to say…..Karen you nailed it again!!! Super easy, tasty and yummy. I didn’t have green onions on hand but everything else is awesome. Will probably add more bacon next time (can never have to much) and the green onions for color or maybe green pepper.
    Love your recipes.
    Thanks for sharing.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      April 29, 2021 at 1:46 pm

      Thanks so much for the 5 star review Lynn!

      Reply
  7. Brenda Burton says

    April 23, 2021 at 3:58 pm

    I made this with what I had on hand (no green onions, no bacon) and it was absolutely delicious. I can’t wait to try it with onions and bacon.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      April 23, 2021 at 4:36 pm

      no bacon?!?!? haha!! Next time it will be brought to a whole new level!

      Reply
  8. Betz says

    April 23, 2021 at 10:47 am

    Sauce was fabulous, I did jazz up the sauce some with hot sauce and garlic. The chicken tenders were overcooked and under flavored, next time I will season them more and sauté before cooking.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      April 23, 2021 at 12:08 pm

      Dang! I’m sorry they were overcooked. Mine were perfect. Maybe use 3 minutes next time??

      Reply
  9. Betsy says

    April 22, 2021 at 2:44 pm

    Can you make this with boneless, skinless thighs?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      April 23, 2021 at 12:13 pm

      yes that would be great! I would increase the cooking time to 12 minutes for fresh thighs or 15 for frozen.

      Reply
  10. Kim B. says

    April 22, 2021 at 1:31 pm

    WHOA, girl! You must have read what’s left of my mind! I just found a bg of frozen tenders in my freezer & was getting ready to check out your cookbook to try something new tonight. Checked email first & BANG! problem solved. Will come back tomorrow with stars. Thank you AGAIN!!

    Reply
    • Kim B. says

      April 23, 2021 at 12:09 pm

      You nailed it! Wouldn’t change a thing, but I did add some garlic. Was delicious. Will also be looking for your answer on using the boneless thighs. Thanks again.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Karen says

        April 23, 2021 at 12:16 pm

        I’m happy to hear that you found a great way to use chicken tenders! and for thighs I would increase the cooking time to 12 minutes for fresh thighs or 15 for frozen.

        Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

Hi! I'm Karen

I know that dinner time can be less than relaxing. Busy schedules and cranky kids and a hundred other things can lead to weariness when it comes to putting dinner on the table. I can help! I make homemade, family-friendly slow cooker and Instant Pot dinners and share the recipes with you.
Karen
 

Stay In Touch

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent Posts

Categories

Archives

Amazon Associates Disclosure

Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

365 Days of Slow Cooking © 2022 · Privacy Policy

MENU
  • Home
  • Email List
  • Cookbooks
  • FAQs
  • Instant Pot Secrets
  • Filter
  • Instant Pot
  • Slow Cooker
  • Chicken
  • Beef
  • Pork
  • Meatless
  • Healthy
  • Soups