Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Stroganoff
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This slow cooker chicken stroganoff combines tender chicken, mushrooms, and egg noodles in a creamy sauce made with cream cheese and sour cream.
With just 15 minutes of prep, it’s an easy dinner for days when you want the slow cooker to handle most of the cooking.
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Slow Cooker Chicken Stroganoff with Cream Cheese
If creamy chicken and noodles sound like your kind of comfort food, add this one to your dinner plans! Two cans of condensed soup keep the sauce simple, while fresh mushrooms and garlic add flavor without an onion soup or dressing packet.
This crockpot chicken stroganoff cooks while you get on with your day. Near dinnertime, stir in the sour cream, boil the noodles in a separate pot, and toss everything together. Add a green salad or some steamed green beans, and dinner is ready.
For another creamy noodle dinner, try my One Pot Meatball Stroganoff.
Why Make This Chicken Stroganoff?
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Easy prep – No browning or homemade sauce to prepare before starting the slow cooker.
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Creamy, tangy sauce – Cream cheese adds richness, and sour cream stirred in at the end gives the sauce a tangy finish.
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Flexible serving options – Toss with egg noodles, or serve the chicken and sauce over rice or mashed potatoes.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Ingredients at a glance. Find the full amounts in the printable recipe card below.
- Chicken thighs or breasts: Use boneless, skinless chicken, cut into evenly sized, bite-size pieces. Thighs are more forgiving of longer cooking; trim visible excess fat to help prevent a greasy sauce. Breasts are leaner, so check them earlier to avoid drying them out.
- Condensed soups: One can each of cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soup. Add them undiluted, without the extra water or milk suggested on the soup label.
- Mushrooms: Fresh white button or cremini mushrooms are my preference for flavor. Pre-sliced mushrooms save a little prep time, and drained canned mushrooms are another option. You can also leave out the added mushrooms and still have a delicious dinner; the cream of mushroom soup will give the sauce some mushroom flavor.
- Cream cheese: Use one (8-ounce) block, softened and cut into small cubes. Regular or reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel) will work; regular cream cheese gives the sauce a richer finish.
- Sour cream: Stir it in at the end. Full-fat sour cream gives the sauce a rich finish, or substitute the same amount of plain Greek yogurt. I often use plain nonfat Greek yogurt in place of sour cream for a little extra protein and less fat. Stir it in gently off the heat to help prevent separation.
- Chicken broth: The recipe uses 1/2 cup. Keep a little extra handy in case you want to loosen the finished sauce.
- Garlic: Minced fresh garlic or jarred minced garlic.
- Egg noodles: Use 16 ounces weighed dry, then cook them separately before adding to the sauce.
- Parsley: Optional, for a little color and fresh flavor when serving.
Good to Know: Add Sour Cream at the End
Sour cream and Greek yogurt can separate with prolonged cooking or high heat, so save them for the end.
Turn off the slow cooker. Stir a few spoonfuls of warm sauce into the sour cream or yogurt first, then gently mix it into the chicken mixture. Once it’s added, avoid simmering or boiling the sauce.
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Stroganoff
1 Prep the chicken: Trim visible excess fat from the boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut them into evenly sized, bite-size pieces, and place them in a large, approximately 6- to 7-quart slow cooker.
2 Add the sauce ingredients: Stir in both condensed soups, mushrooms, cubed cream cheese, broth, and garlic. Leave the sour cream out for now.
3 Slow cook: Cover and cook on HIGH for approximately 4 hours or LOW for 6 to 8 hours, until the chicken reaches at least 165°F and is tender. Start checking before the end of the cooking window, especially if using breasts. Slow cookers vary, and you may not need the full time.
4 Finish the sauce: Stir the cream cheese into the sauce thoroughly. If the sauce needs thickening, do that now, before adding the sour cream, using the tip below. Turn off the cooker, temper the sour cream or Greek yogurt with a little warm sauce, and gently stir it in.
5 Cook the noodles and combine: Boil the noodles separately, cooking for one minute less than the package directs. Drain, toss with the chicken and sauce, and serve with parsley if desired.
💡 Pro Tip:
The noodles absorb some sauce, so don’t rush to thicken a sauce that looks just a little loose. If you do need a thickener, add it before the sour cream. Once the cooked noodles are mixed in, loosen the finished dish with a splash of broth if needed.
Recipe Tips
- Keep the noodles slightly firm. They’ll soften further in the hot sauce, so add them shortly before serving rather than letting them sit in the crockpot.
- Soften the cream cheese and cut it into small cubes before adding it. Stir thoroughly before adding the sour cream. A few small cream cheese pieces can remain even after stirring; they don’t mean the dish is ruined.
- If the sauce needs thickening, stir in a little cornstarch mixed with cold water and cook on HIGH until thickened. Do this before adding the sour cream, then reduce the heat and finish the sauce as directed. Avoid boiling once the sour cream is added, as this can cause it to separate.
- Taste before adding salt. The soups and broth already contribute salt, and the amount varies by brand. Reduced-sodium soups and broth are options if you want more control over the seasoning.
- Use a thermometer and check the texture. Chicken should reach at least 165°F, but thighs may need more cooking to become as tender as you like. Breasts can dry out with prolonged cooking, so don’t leave them in for the full 8 hours if they’re ready sooner.
Variations
- Add Worcestershire sauce: A small splash adds a savory flavor boost. Stir it in and taste before adding more.
- Change the serving base: Skip the noodles and spoon the chicken and sauce over rice or mashed potatoes.
- Add a vegetable: Fold in separately steamed broccoli or asparagus just before serving.
- Add a topping: Try a sprinkle of shredded cheese, or stick with chopped parsley and black pepper.
How to Make This a Freezer Meal
For a dinner you can prep ahead and cook later, assemble the chicken and sauce ingredients in a freezer bag. Keep the cream cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt, and noodles out of the bag and add them on cooking day.
- Fill the bag: Add the raw, bite-size chicken pieces, both undiluted condensed soups, mushrooms, broth, and garlic to a freezer bag. Use the amounts in the recipe card. Leave out the cream cheese, sour cream or yogurt, noodles, and parsley.
- Seal and freeze: Gently press out excess air, seal, label with the recipe name and date, and freeze flat. Note on the label which ingredients you’ll need on cooking day.
- Thaw in the refrigerator: Place the bag on a tray in the refrigerator and allow it to thaw completely before cooking. A full bag may need longer than overnight. Keep it refrigerated until ready to cook; don’t thaw it on the counter or put partially frozen chicken in the slow cooker.
- Slow cook: Empty the fully thawed bag into the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for approximately 6 to 8 hours or HIGH for approximately 4 hours, until the chicken reaches at least 165°F and is tender. Check before the end of the cooking window, especially when using chicken breasts.
- Finish and serve: Stir in the softened, cubed cream cheese and heat gently on LOW until melted and blended into the sauce. If thickening is needed, do that before adding the sour cream or yogurt. Turn off the heat, temper the sour cream or yogurt with a little warm sauce, and gently stir it in. Toss with separately cooked egg noodles and add parsley if desired.
Storage Suggestions
Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow, airtight containers and use within 3 to 4 days.
If you expect leftovers, keep some noodles separate from the chicken and sauce so they don’t absorb as much sauce during storage. Reheat individual portions on the stovetop or in the microwave to 165°F, stirring as needed. Add a splash of broth if the sauce needs loosening.
The finished dish doesn’t freeze well: the dairy-based sauce can separate or become grainy, and the noodles can turn soft. For the best texture, enjoy cooked leftovers from the refrigerator. To prepare an uncooked freezer meal instead, follow the freezer-meal instructions above, leaving out the cream cheese, sour cream or yogurt, and noodles until cooking day.
FAQs
Can I make this chicken stroganoff on the stovetop?
Yes. Use a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven. Sauté the bite-size chicken pieces in a little oil until cooked through to 165°F, then transfer to a plate. Sauté the mushrooms, adding the garlic near the end. Stir in the condensed soups and broth, then gently melt in the softened cream cheese. Return the chicken to the pan, turn off the heat, and stir in the tempered sour cream or Greek yogurt without boiling. Toss with separately cooked egg noodles, adding a splash of broth if needed.
Can I cook the dry noodles in the slow cooker?
For this recipe, cook them separately. The sauce isn’t designed with enough measured liquid to cook a full pound of dry noodles. Boiling them in a separate pot also gives you more control over their texture.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes. Fully cook the chicken and sauce the day before, leaving out the sour cream or Greek yogurt and the noodles. Refrigerate promptly in shallow, airtight containers. The next day, transfer the chicken and sauce to a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven and reheat to 165°F, stirring and adding a little broth if needed. Meanwhile, cook the noodles separately. Remove the chicken mixture from the heat, temper and stir in the sour cream or yogurt, then combine with the noodles and serve.
Why is my chicken dry?
Chicken breasts can dry out when left in the slow cooker too long, even when surrounded by sauce. Start checking before the end of the cooking window rather than automatically cooking for the full 8 hours. Use a thermometer to confirm at least 165°F and check the texture. Thighs tolerate longer cooking better and may need additional time beyond reaching 165°F to become tender. Trim visible excess fat from thighs to help keep the sauce from becoming greasy.
What if my stroganoff sauce is too thin or too thick?
If it’s just a little loose, remember that the cooked noodles will absorb some sauce. For a sauce that needs more thickening, stir in a little cornstarch mixed with cold water and cook on HIGH until thickened, before adding the sour cream or yogurt. If the finished dish is too thick, gently stir in chicken broth a splash at a time. Avoid simmering or boiling after adding the sour cream or yogurt.
Can I freeze slow cooker chicken stroganoff?
Freezing isn’t the best option for the finished dish. The dairy-based sauce can separate or become grainy after thawing, and the noodles can become mushy. For the best texture, refrigerate leftovers and enjoy within 3 to 4 days.
If you want to prepare this as a freezer meal, follow the freezer-meal instructions above, leaving out the cream cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt, and noodles until cooking day.
More Easy Dinner Recipes
- One Pot Meatball Stroganoff
- Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
- Baked Chicken Leg Quarters
- Healthy Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Did You Make This slow cooker chicken stroganoff?
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Print
Slow Cooker Chicken Stroganoff
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: slow cooker
Description
Chicken, soup, mushrooms, cream cheese, sour cream, broth and noodles come together in the slow cooker to make a delicious chicken stroganoff.
Ingredients
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of visible excess fat and cut into bite-size pieces (boneless, skinless chicken breasts may be substituted)
- 1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
- 1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, softened and cut into small cubes (regular or reduced-fat)
- 1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 pound egg noodles, weighed dry
- Chopped fresh parsley, optional, for serving
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Instructions
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Place the bite-size chicken pieces in a large, approximately 6- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add both undiluted condensed soups, sliced mushrooms, softened cubed cream cheese, chicken broth, and garlic. Stir to combine. Leave out the sour cream or Greek yogurt and noodles.
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Cover and cook on LOW for approximately 6 to 8 hours or HIGH for approximately 4 hours, until the chicken reaches at least 165°F and is tender. Start checking before the end of the cooking window, especially when using chicken breasts. Slow cookers vary, and you may not need the full time.
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Near the end of cooking, boil the egg noodles separately according to the package directions, cooking them for one minute less than directed. Drain.
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Stir the chicken mixture until the cream cheese is incorporated into the sauce. Turn off the slow cooker. In a small bowl, stir a few spoonfuls of warm sauce into the sour cream or Greek yogurt, then gently stir that mixture into the slow cooker. Avoid simmering or boiling after adding it.
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Gently toss the cooked noodles with the chicken and sauce. If the mixture is too thick, add a splash of chicken broth. Serve with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.
Notes
- Cook the noodles for 1 minute less than the package recommends. They will continue cooking in the sauce and you don’t want them to get mushy.
- This dish is wonderful with a sprinkle of shredded cheese when serving.
- Nutrition info is approximate, based on 2.75lbs of chicken breasts, using reduced-fat cream cheese and plain nonfat Greek yogurt. Values vary with ingredient brands and serving size.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8th of recipe
- Calories: 530
- Fat: 16
- Carbohydrates: 48
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 52
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