This Crock Pot Catalina chicken is one of the most delicious dishes I make. We love it because it’s nutritious, yummy, and filling … and it’s chicken, which we eat often.

I highly recommend reading this entire post before you begin preparing the recipe. However, if all you want is the list of ingredients with full directions, please either click on the jump-to-recipe button above or scroll to the bottom of this post.

Slow Cooker Chicken

Chicken is one of those versatile foods that take on the flavors you add. Cooking it in the slow cooker gives it time to marinate while it cooks.

We like a variety of foods made in the slow cooker. We really enjoy this flavorful pork tenderloin.

For something different, try these amazingly good creamy ranch pork chops. You’ll be surprised by how easy they are to make.

If you’re in the mood for chili, try this delicious Crock Pot chili con carne. It’s perfect to warm you up on a cold evening. But we honestly like it year-round.

Please don’t be afraid to experiment. I always encourage people to follow the recipe the first time but take chances and tweak it to suit your taste in the future.

Someone has to create new recipes, right? It might as well be you.

Ingredients

Although you need certain ingredients for this dish, there is some flexibility. Here are the items that come together for the wonderful flavor:

• 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• 8 ounces of Catalina dressing
• 3 tablespoons of peach preserves
• 1 package of dry onion soup mix
• 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
• 1/2 cup of water or chicken stock
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground cayenne or pepper flakes (optional)

Since the chicken breasts I purchased were so huge, I cut them in half so each piece would be a single serving.

However, someone who’s really hungry might be able to eat a whole one.

There’s also some flexibility with the remaining ingredients. You can use more or less Catalina dressing.

The same goes for the peach preserves. This ingredient adds a hint of sweetness to the dish, so if you want it sweeter, simply add more.

I like to add some heat—sometimes pepper flakes and other times ground cayenne. This time, I chose the cayenne because that’s what I currently have the most of.

Although I’m including the full recipe here, I also have it at the bottom of this post in a printable recipe card. It’s added there for your convenience.

How to Make Crock Pot Catalina Chicken

Since I like to make clean up easy, I always spray my Crock Pot with nonstick spray. That way, the meat and sauce don’t stick.

Next, combine the Catalina dressing, peach preserves, and onion soup mix in a medium-size bowl. 

I like to add a little kick to it, so I typically toss in a bit of cayenne pepper or pepper flakes.

However, this isn’t necessary—especially if you have someone who doesn’t enjoy the extra heat.

Whisk the ingredients until they are well mixed. 

Now, place the chicken in the bottom of your slow cooker.

As I mentioned above, each chicken breast was large enough for 2 servings, so I cut them in half before I put them in the Crock Pot.

Next, pour the Catalina dressing mixture over the chicken.

Make sure all of the pieces are coated.

Put the lid on the slow cooker and turn it on low. Cook it for 4 hours or until the thickest piece of chicken reaches 165 degrees F. If the chicken is thin, you can cook it for 3 hours before checking to see if it’s done.

Then, make a slurry of the cornstarch and water. Whisk until the cornstarch dissolves and the mixture has a smooth consistency. Sometimes I use chicken stock instead of water, but the sauce already had quite a bit of flavor.

Pour the slurry into the pot and stir it into the sauce. Put the lid back on and cook another half hour so the cornstarch has a chance to thicken the sauce.

This gives you time to cook the rice (or potatoes) and steam the vegetable. 

Catalina Chicken in the Oven

You can also cook this Catalina chicken in your oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and grease the inside of a baking pan.

Follow the ingredient directions for the Crock Pot version. Cover the pan with a lid or aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil and finish baking for 15 minutes.

More Chicken Recipes

My husband often teases me about how many different ways I cook chicken. That used to bother me, but now I consider it a challenge to come up with even more recipes.

I have several favorites, including this chicken rice casserole. It’s so comforting, delicious, and easy to make.

If you’re looking for a powerful punch of flavor, check out this amazing Greek chicken with zoodles. Be prepared for requests for it in the future.

Do you like beef stroganoff? If so, try this delicious chicken stroganoff that is out of this world.

My friend Julie makes this delicious pesto chicken. You’ll see this recipe and more at her Back to My Southern Roots blog.

Ever since I purchased my air fryer, I’ve gone a little crazy cooking different things in it. We absolutely love these crispy air fryer chicken thighs.

Staying with the air fryer, I’ve added garlic lemon chicken to my dinner rotation because it is simply delicious! And it’s easy, so it’s a total win-win for me!

Please feel free to share!