This Crack Chicken Recipe is incredibly creamy, cheesy, and loaded with crispy bacon. It’s definitely a family-friendly dinner that takes less than 5 minutes to prep. Naturally low carb and keto-friendly, this recipe includes instructions for both Instant Pot and Slow Cooker preparation.
I love preparing easy and quick Instant Pot recipes. You simply toss in the ingredients, and it magically cooks the food.
While I enjoy spending time in the kitchen, creating delicious recipes for my family, there are those very busy days when all I crave is a warm and quick meal. Of course, deliciousness is an essential factor, so this Crack Chicken recipe is unquestionably a winner for our weeknight dinners.
What’s not to love about a cream cheese loaded chicken recipe that’s warm and delicious. It’s equally creamy as my marry me chicken recipe, cream cheese stuffed chicken, or our popular chicken bacon ranch casserole.
I’m glad I tried this crack chicken recipe because it’s become a family favorite – super comforting and easy to prep. It needs only ingredients you have on hand, and they transform into the best shredded chicken dip.
Reasons You’ll Love This Crack Chicken Recipe
- Only 5 minutes of prep
- Easy to make and incredibly tasty
- Naturally low carb and gluten-free
- Tons of ways to serve
- A family-friendly favorite dinner in our house
- Perfect to use up those chicken leftovers
What is Crack Chicken?
This crack chicken is the perfect combo of shredded chicken, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, and ranch seasoning. It’s definitely an incredibly addictive meal, and everyone keeps asking for more. You’ll end up eating the most creamy, richest meal with tons of flavor in each bite.
Crack Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken Breast – I used chicken breast, but this recipe is equally delicious with boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- Cheese – The quality of the ingredients is so important, as a high-quality cheddar cheese will intensify the taste. Feel free to substitute cheddar cheese with low-moisture Mozzarella, Pepper Jack Cheese, or Provolone. You’ll also need high-fat cream cheese; we don’t want the low-fat version for this recipe.
- Ranch Seasoning – To make a homemade seasoning, you have to combine all the ingredients listed below in the recipe card. I prefer making ranch seasoning at home to avoid all the unnecessary and unhealthy ingredients. Store-bought ranch seasoning often contains ingredients like Maltodextrin (worse than sugar), Monosodium Glutamate (which enhances the flavor but is very toxic for the body), Starches, etc.
- Chicken broth – While water will work fine, chicken broth adds an extra layer of flavor to the Instant Pot Crack Chicken.
- Bacon – I always read the ingredient list of the products I buy to avoid added sugars and nitrites, which are often found in processed foods. Making oven-baked bacon is super easy, mess-free, and results in super crispy bacon.
- Instant Pot – I own a medium 6 quart Instant Pot, so that’s what I use for my recipes.
How to Make Crack Chicken?
- Start by cooking the bacon until it’s crispy, then set it aside.
- In your slow cooker, place the 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
- In a separate bowl, combine the Ranch Seasoning ingredients: dried parsley, dried dill, dried chives, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes if using.
- Sprinkle the ranch seasoning mix over the chicken breasts in the slow cooker.
- Add the chicken broth to the slow cooker.
- Place the cream cheese on top of the chicken and seasoning.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours until the chicken is cooked through.
- Shred the chicken in the slow cooker using two forks, mixing it with the creamy sauce.
- Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese and most of the cooked bacon pieces.
- Allow the mixture to cook for an additional 15-20 minutes on LOW until the cheese melts and the Crack Chicken is heated through.
- Garnish with the remaining bacon bits, extra shredded cheese, and green onions if desired.
- Serve your Slow Cooker Crack Chicken as a creamy and flavorful dish, perhaps with a side of keto-friendly buns or your preferred side dish.
How to Serve Crack Chicken?
Crack chicken is super creamy and can be enjoyed in many different ways. Some of my favorite ways to eat crack chicken:
- Crack chicken with a side salad– Simply make a greens salad with your favorite dressing and enjoy.
- Crack chicken sandwiches– Serve it with your favorite low carb burger buns or top a slice of my keto bread.
- Crack chicken lettuce wraps – Place a few tablespoons of crack dip into lettuce to make delicious keto lettuce wraps or use my egg-free coconut flour wraps.
- Crack Chicken with roasted veggies such as broccoli or cauliflower
- Crack Chicken with Mashed Cauliflower.
- On top of steamed zucchini noodles or spinach.
- Enjoy it as it is with a fork straight from the pot.
- As a dip for celery or tortilla chips.
There are tons of different ways to enjoy crack chicken. What’s yours?
Can I Use Frozen Chicken?
Yes, using frozen chicken is totally fine in this crack chicken recipe. Just adjust the cooking time.
When I’m making this recipe with frozen chicken I cook on manual for 25 minutes, followed by 5 minutes of natural release. Release all the pressure and shred the chicken.
How To Store
- Allow your leftover Crack Chicken to cool.
- Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Microwave: Place in a microwave-safe dish, cover, and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring as needed. Add a tablespoon of butter or broth to prevent drying.
- Slow Cooker: Add leftovers to the slow cooker with a tablespoon of butter or broth. Heat on low for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Other Delicious Chicken Recipes
- Easy Creamy Chicken Marsala Recipe
- Juicy Air Fryer Naked Chicken Tenders
- One-Skillet Creamy Tuscan Chicken
- Cream Cheese Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast
Easy Crack Chicken Recipe
Description
Ingredients
- 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts about 2 pounds
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 8 slices bacon
Ranch Seasoning Ingredients:
- 2 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried dill
- 1 tsp dried chives
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
Instant Pot Crack Chicken Instructions
- Chop the bacon into small pieces. Set the instant pot to the saute mode. Add the bacon and cook until it starts to brown. Transfer the bacon to a plate, drain the fat and scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Press "Cancel" to stop the Saute Mode.
- Add the chicken breast, cream cheese, chicken broth, and all the ranch seasoning ingredients into the pot. Close the lid and pressure cook at High Pressure for 15 minutes, then 10 minutes Natural Release. Turn off the heat and release the remaining pressure. Open the lid.
- Transfer the chicken to a large bowl. Use two forks to shred the chicken. Return the chicken to the pot.
- Stir in the cheddar cheese and a third of the bacon pieces. Combine until the cheese is melted.
- Serve with keto buns, topped with extra bacon bits, cheese, and green onions.
How do we calculate the nutrition info?
These nutrition facts listed are determined using nutrition information from the USDA Food Database. Our nutrition facts are accurate, but if you are using different products, please make your calculations. Net carb count is calculated by subtracting both fiber and sugar alcohols because they don’t raise blood sugar.
So do you use the trevet (sp?) to put the chicken breast on or just dump it all in?
Hi there. No trevet is needed. You just have to add in all the ingredients.
how LONG DOES THIS TAKE in a slow cooker. thank you
8 hours on low
Do you use frozen chicken or thawed?
For this one, I used fresh chicken breast.
Made this for my family and it was amazing. Thank you!
WOW That’s fantastic, Sage!!
How long will this keep in the fridge?
You can keep it in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Very good, but I’m going to use less dill. But very good, Im using it as a dip.
Would you just add time for frozen chicken?
high pressure for 25 minutes then natural release for 5 minutes.
Is it suppose to come out liquidy
If yours came out too liquidy, simmer for a few minutes.
Mine was a little runny on a double batch so I just added another cup of cheese. It’s absolutely delicious.
So good! If I was to double the recipe, how long would I cook it in the instant pot?
This was delicious but too salty. Suggestions to tame that?
I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed the dish, but sorry to hear that it turned out too salty. Your chicken broth was probably to salty. Remember, it’s always easier to add salt than to remove it, so be careful when seasoning your dishes in the future.
I used Hidden Valley Ranch dip mix, and it was salty, but delicious! I understand why it’s called Crack Chicken, can’t stop eating it! I’ll be making this again.