My brother swears by this dirt cheap dinner hack. Just 4 ingredients for a ridiculously creamy, savory meal that leaves the plate completely clean.

This slow cooker 4-ingredient ranch pork chop recipe is the kind of dirt cheap dinner hack my brother swears by: minimal effort, almost no cleanup, and plates that come back wiped clean. It leans on the classic American pantry combo of dry ranch seasoning and condensed cream soup to create an ultra-creamy, savory sauce that tastes like you fussed for hours. Thick-cut pork chops simmer low and slow in the crockpot until tender and juicy, soaking up a rich, herby white gravy that feels comforting on a weeknight but is simple enough for even a rushed evening.

Serve these ranch pork chops spooned over a bed of mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or steamed white rice so all that creamy sauce has something starchy to cling to. A simple green side—like roasted broccoli, sautéed green beans, or a crisp salad with a tangy vinaigrette—balances the richness. Warm dinner rolls or crusty bread are handy for mopping up the extra gravy, and if you enjoy a drink with dinner, a light lager or an easy-drinking white wine like Pinot Grigio pairs nicely with the savory, herbal flavors.

Servings: 4

4 thick-cut boneless pork chops (about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick, 2 to 2 1/2 pounds total)

Lightly grease the insert of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker with a bit of butter or neutral oil to help prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the condensed cream of chicken soup and dry ranch seasoning mix until completely smooth and no streaks of powder remain. This creates the base for your creamy white herb sauce.

Spread a thin layer (2 to 3 tablespoons) of the ranch cream mixture over the bottom of the slow cooker. This helps keep the pork chops from sticking and starts the sauce underneath them.

Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels and season very lightly with salt and pepper if desired, keeping in mind that the ranch mix and soup already contain salt.

Arrange the pork chops in a single layer in the slow cooker. If your slow cooker is small and you need to overlap them slightly, that’s fine—just avoid stacking them too thickly so they cook evenly.

Pour the remaining ranch cream mixture evenly over the pork chops, using a spatula to spread it so each chop is well coated and the sauce runs down around the sides.

Scatter the butter pieces over the top of the sauce, spacing them out so they melt into little pools of richness that will baste the pork as it cooks.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours, or until the pork chops are tender and cooked through (an internal temperature of 145°F) but still juicy. Thicker chops will be closer to 6 hours; thinner chops will be done sooner. Avoid lifting the lid often so the heat and moisture stay trapped.

Once done, taste the sauce and adjust with a pinch of black pepper if you like. If the sauce seems a bit thick for your taste, you can thin it with 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk or water, stirring gently around the chops.

Transfer the pork chops to plates and spoon plenty of the creamy ranch sauce over the top. If you have a bit of fresh parsley on hand, sprinkle a small pinch over each serving for a pop of color that matches the creamy, herb-speckled look.

For a slightly tangier, more pronounced ranch flavor, swap one can of cream of chicken soup for 8 ounces of softened cream cheese; whisk it with the remaining can of soup and the ranch mix until smooth before adding to the slow cooker. If you prefer bone-in pork chops, use 4 thick bone-in chops and add 30 to 60 minutes to the cook time, checking for tenderness. To lighten things up a bit, you can use a reduced-sodium condensed soup and a low-sodium ranch packet, then adjust salt at the end. For extra herbiness and a look closer to a restaurant-style white sauce, stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons of finely chopped fresh parsley or chives right before serving. If you like a browned finish, transfer the cooked chops to a baking sheet, spoon some sauce over the top, and broil for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly golden around the edges. Leftovers reheat well on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of milk or water to loosen the sauce, and the shredded pork and sauce also make an easy filling for open-faced sandwiches on toast or biscuits.