There are some days where there is nothing I enjoy more than planning meals and taking my time to cook the kind of meals that require hours of prep and leaves people oohing and ahhing. Sometimes, though, there just isn’t time. Thankfully, I’ve found quite a few crowd-pleasing recipes that I can whip together ahead of time and have ready in no time.
Buffalo Chicken Dip
I made this recipe in the evening, throwing all the ingredients on top of each other. I didn’t soften the cream cheese or have to pull out my mixer. I just tossed everything in the slow cooker, left it in the fridge overnight, and put it in the slow cooker the next morning. I left it on low all day without mixing it even once, until I got home from work 9 hours later. It turned out just as great as any other time I’ve made buffalo chicken dip! It is best served warm with tortilla chips.
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Buffalo Chicken Dip
The perfect appetizer!
- Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 – 28 oz can Lehman’s Chicken, rinsed and drained
- 2 – 8 oz cream cheese
- 8 oz cheddar cheese
- 1 cup ranch dressing
- 12 oz Franks Red Hot buffalo wing sauce or hot sauce of choice
Instructions
- Spray slow cooker with cooking spray, then add all ingredients.
- Leave on low until melted and mix thoroughly.
Alternatively, cream the cream cheese, then add the ranch dressing and buffalo sauce. Mix well. Fold in cheddar and chicken. Put mixture in a greased 9″ x 13″ casserole pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 4 hours
Keywords: buffalo chicken dip, buffalo dip, chicken dip, slow cooker
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Creamed Chicken
This recipe is even quicker than the buffalo chicken dip! I simply browned the onions, then tossed everything into the slow cooker. Once it was warm, it was ready to serve. I enjoy the 5 minute prep time, and my family enjoys eating this comfort food on homemade bread, with chips, or even on salad!
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Creamed Chicken
Quick on the stove or in the slow cooker!
- Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 – 28 oz can Lehman’s Chicken, reserve half of the broth, then drain and rinse
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 1 T butter
- 1 – 10 3/4 oz cream of chicken soup
- 2 to 3 cups crushed potato chips
Instructions
- Saute onions in 1 T butter.
- Add onion, chicken, half of the broth, and soup to slow cooker. Leave in slow cooker on low until warm.
- Add chips til you get desired consistency.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 4 hours
Keywords: creamed chicken, slow cooker
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Hot Chicken Salad
This recipe is a Lehman family favorite. I remember my grandma making it for the whole family and have since enjoyed my mom continuing the tradition. My favorite memory is making it myself as a little girl for my grandpa and I to enjoy on our picnics together.
Most recently, I made this dish in advance, leaving it in the fridge until we were ready to enjoy it. Then, when I baked it two days later, I sprinkled bread crumbs on top and put it in the oven! If you’re looking for a delicious meal you can make in advance or freeze and enjoy later, this is it!
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Hot Chicken Salad
The best kind of comfort meal!
- Total Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 – 28 oz can Lehman’s Chicken, rinsed and drained
- 1 – 10 3/4 oz can of cream of chicken soup
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 1 T minced onion
- 1 T lemon juice
- 1/2 t salt
- 3 hard boiled eggs
- 8 oz can of water chestnuts, drained
- 1 cup buttered bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds, optional
Instructions
- Combine the Lehman’s chicken, soup, mayonnaise, celery, rice, water chestnuts, onion, lemon juice and salt.
- Place half of this mixture in a 9″ x 9″ casserole dish and top with the 3 sliced hard boiled eggs.
- Cover with remaining chicken mixture and then top with bread crumbs and almonds.
- Bake covered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
Keywords: hot chicken salad, chicken salad
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Chicken Noodle Casserole
You can make this immediately before baking with about 20 minutes notice, or you can make it the night before and wait to bake it until the following day. I used my dutch oven to mix all of the ingredients, making it an easy one pot meal. I made our’s in advance, and it offered enough leftovers for a full week!
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This is a classic hearty meal, and quick, too!
- Total Time: 55 minutes
Ingredients
- 8 oz egg noodles
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/3 cup flour
- 2 cups Lehman’s chicken broth
- 1 – 10 3/4 oz can cream of chicken soup
- 1 t salt
- 1/2 t pepper
- 1 – 28 oz can Lehman’s Chicken, rinsed and drained
- 1/3 cup fresh Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook the egg noodles as directed on package and drain.
- In a separate pan melt butter and blend in flour. Stir until smooth.
- Add the broth and soup. Stir and cook over medium heat until thick.
- Remove from heat and add salt, pepper, chicken and noodles. Stir and put into a greased 9″ x 13″ casserole dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
- Prep Time: 30 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
Keywords: chicken noodle casserole, noodle casserole, chicken casserole, casserole
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Lindsay Lehman Peters is the granddaughter of Founder Jay Lehman and daughter of CEO Galen Lehman. She lives in Kidron with her husband, Grant, and her two furbabies. Lindsay is a teacher by trade and is currently training for her first half marathon.
