This ’emergency weeknight chicken’ will be your go-to dinner on busy days

The end of summer and start of back-to-school days can certainly leave a person in need of some rest, relaxation and comfort food. Luckily, we’ve got you covered. While this may not be your mom’s cooking, this emergency weeknight chicken recipe is sure to leave you feeling all sorts of warm and fuzzy inside, even on the busiest days.

Part of the beauty of this particular recipe for creamy Italian chicken from Passionate Penny Pincher is that it can be cooked in your Instant Pot or Crock-Pot. That means you can spend more time crossing items off your to-do list and less time in the kitchen. Sound like just the kind of thing you need? You’re in for a real treat.

You’ll combine chicken breasts, cream cheese, Italian seasoning and cream of chicken soup to make this delicious dinner. To start, you’ll cook the chicken in the slow cooker for three hours, using the Italian seasoning as a marinade, before shredding it and adding in the cream cheese and soup. Let everything cook together for an extra hour and, pretty soon, this will be warm and ready to eat!

The Passionate Penny Pincher recommends placing the chicken on a bed of noodles and serving it all with a slice of garlic bread, but you can get creative with this step. Serve it with mashed potatoes, a salad, a bed of cooked spinach — whatever you’re in the mood for (or have time for).

Of course, you could always just plop this straight into a bowl and enjoy it by the spoonful. If a hearty soup is what you’re in the mood for, this recipe for creamy Italian slow-cooker chicken noodle soup is a great option, too. Much like the previous recipe, this version from The Recipe Rebel is creamy and super easy to make. But instead of simply creating a base that’s ready to be paired with a side, this is an all-in-one meal for which you can combine noodles and veggies in the slow cooker right alongside the chicken and cream.

These quick dinner recipes are sure to make even your busiest weeknights a little easier!