Creamy Italian Sherry Chicken Recipe: Slow-Cooked Comfort

Why You’ll Love This this Creamy Italian Sherry Chicken

This recipe turns four simple ingredients into something that tastes like you’ve been slaving away in the kitchen all day, when really you just tossed everything in the crock pot and went about your business.

The Italian dressing mix does all the heavy lifting for flavor while the cream cheese creates this ridiculously smooth, restaurant-quality sauce that clings to every bite of tender chicken.

Plus, it’s one of those forgiving recipes where you can’t really mess it up – the slow cooker keeps everything perfectly moist while you’re off doing more important things, like binge-watching your favorite show or pretending to fold laundry.

Ingredients List

You need just four ingredients to create this restaurant-worthy dish that’ll have everyone asking for your secret.

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• 1 ounce Italian salad dressing mix (1 envelope)
• 1/4 cup dry sherry

• 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed
• The cream cheese factor: Sure, we’re not exactly talking health food central here, but you can swap in reduced-fat cream cheese if you want to cut some calories without sacrificing too much of that creamy goodness.
• Sherry situation: Don’t stress if you don’t have cooking sherry hanging around – you can use the real stuff from your wine rack, or even substitute with chicken broth if you’re keeping things alcohol-free.
• Dressing mix magic: That little packet is doing some serious flavor heavy lifting, packing herbs, garlic, and seasonings that would take forever to measure out individually.
• Chicken choice: Boneless, skinless breasts are convenient, but if you want to mix things up, boneless thighs work beautifully too and stay even more tender in the slow cooker.

Step by Step Directions



Making this creamy Italian chicken couldn’t be simpler – just layer, pour, cook, and stir for a rich, flavorful meal that practically makes itself.

• Place chicken in crock pot: Arrange the 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves in your slow cooker in a single layer.
• Mix the flavor base: In a small bowl, combine the Italian salad dressing mix with the dry sherry until well blended.
• Pour over chicken: Drizzle the sherry mixture evenly over the chicken breasts, making sure each piece gets coated.
• Slow cook low and slow: Cover and cook on low heat for 4-5 hours until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
• Remove chicken temporarily: Carefully lift the chicken breasts out of the crock pot and set aside on a plate.
• Melt the cream cheese: Add the cubed cream cheese to the remaining liquid in the crock pot and let it heat until melted.
• Stir until smooth: Mix the melted cream cheese with the cooking liquid until you have a smooth, creamy sauce.
• Return chicken to reheat: Place the chicken breasts back into the creamy sauce and let them warm through for a few minutes before serving.

For the best results, consider investing in a premium slow cooker that maintains consistent temperatures and provides even heat distribution throughout the cooking process.

Substitutions and Variations

• Go dairy-free with coconut cream – use the thick part from a can of coconut milk instead of cream cheese, though you’ll lose that tangy richness we all secretly crave.
• Make it spicy with pepper jack cheese – stir in some shredded pepper jack along with the cream cheese for a kick that’ll wake up your taste buds without being overwhelming.

Additional Things to Serve With This Dish

This creamy, dreamy chicken practically begs for the right sidekicks to make it a complete meal.

• Cauliflower rice or mashed cauliflower – these low-carb champions soak up that luscious sauce like little flavor sponges, and honestly, who needs regular rice when you’ve got something this good.
• Zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash – because sometimes you want to twirl your fork around something, even if you’re keeping things light and veggie-packed.
• Roasted broccoli or asparagus – a little char on those green gems adds the perfect contrast to all that creamy richness, plus it makes you feel like a responsible adult.
• Simple side salad with balsamic vinaigrette – something crisp and acidic cuts through the cream sauce beautifully, kind of like how a good friend keeps you grounded.
• Garlic green beans – they’re easy, they’re classic, and they won’t compete with your star chicken for attention.
• Wild rice or quinoa – if you’re not going the low-carb route, these nutty grains add substance without being boring white rice’s bland cousin.

Cooking Tips & Tricks (Chef’s Notes)

A few smart moves in the kitchen will turn this simple recipe into something that tastes like you’ve been cooking for decades.

• Don’t peek too often – I know it’s tempting to lift that lid and check on things, but every time you do, you’re adding about 15 minutes to your cook time, and nobody has patience for that.
• Pound your chicken to even thickness – because nothing says “amateur hour” quite like serving chicken that’s simultaneously overcooked and undercooked, which is somehow always what happens with those thick, uneven breasts.
• Let the cream cheese come to room temperature first – cold cream cheese chunks turn into stubborn little lumps that refuse to melt nicely, and then you’re standing there whisking like your life depends on it.
• Use a whisk or immersion blender for the sauce – if you end up with lumpy cream cheese despite your best efforts, don’t panic, just blend it smooth and pretend it was always supposed to look that way.
• Check your chicken with a meat thermometer – 165°F is your magic number, because nobody wants to serve rubber chicken or worse, send someone to the emergency room.
• Save some sauce for serving – this stuff is liquid gold, so ladle a little extra over each plate because more is definitely more when it comes to creamy Italian goodness.
• Let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing – patience, grasshopper, because all those beautiful juices need a minute to redistribute instead of running all over your cutting board.

Nutritional Facts

This comfort food favorite packs plenty of protein while keeping carbs surprisingly low, making it a solid choice for various dietary approaches.

• Calories per serving: Approximately 380-420 calories (serves 4)
• Protein powerhouse: 35-40 grams of high-quality protein per serving from the chicken breast
• Fat content: 24-28 grams, primarily from the cream cheese with some healthy fats
• Carbohydrates: Only 4-6 grams per serving, making it naturally keto-friendly
• Sodium levels: Moderate to high (800-1000mg) due to the Italian dressing mix
• Cholesterol: 120-140mg per serving from the chicken and dairy
• Key vitamins: Rich in B-vitamins, especially niacin and B6 from chicken
• Minerals: Good source of phosphorus and selenium
• Sugar content: Minimal, around 2-3 grams naturally occurring
• Fiber: Less than 1 gram (add high-fiber vegetables as suggested to boost this)
• Calcium boost: Cream cheese contributes about 8-10% of daily calcium needs
• Low carb friendly: Perfect for ketogenic, Atkins, or general low-carb meal plans

Fun “Did You Know?”

Ever wonder why sherry became such a beloved cooking wine in Italian-American kitchens? I realized it’s because sherry adds nutty, caramelized notes that complement tomato-based dishes beautifully.

Here’s what’s fascinating: cream cheese wasn’t traditional in Italian cooking until American cooks started experimenting in the 1950s. They created fusion dishes that married Italian herbs with American convenience ingredients.

The slow cooker method actually intensifies flavors better than stovetop cooking because the low, steady heat allows the sherry to mellow while the Italian seasonings infuse deeply into the chicken.

That’s why this dish tastes so rich and complex!