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Crack Chicken {Crockpot}
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Crack Chicken is a delicious combination of shredded chicken, cream cheese, Ranch seasoning, cheese and bacon! It’s slow cooked in your crock pot and is the perfect quick and easy sandwich filling for busy weeknight meals or quick lunches.
If you love easy slow cooker chicken recipes I think you’re going to love this Crack Chicken! Chicken simmered in a cheesy sauce flavored with bacon and ranch is always a favorite dinner at our house. I can pop the ingredients in the crock pot in the morning, let it simmer all day, and then we scoop it onto hamburger buns for a super easy dinner.
In case you’re wondering, it’s called Crack Chicken because the combination of bacon, ranch, and cheese is such an irresistible combination of flavors. Have you tried my Crack Potatoes? It’s the same idea except instead of cooking it in the oven the chicken is cooked in the crock pot. Same delicious bacon, cheese, and ranch seasoning flavors but served up as a main dish!
All you need for this easy slow cooker chicken are five simple ingredients and 10 minutes to get it prepped for the crock pot. We love it on hamburger buns, but you can also serve Crack Chicken over rice or pasta. It’s up to you!
If you have a pressure cooker, you might want to check out my Instant Pot Crack Chicken, too!
WHAT DO I NEED TO IT?
If you’d rather skip my (very helpful, I think) tips and tricks, essential cooking info, and similar recipe ideas – and get straight to this delicious recipe – simply scroll to the bottom of the page where you can find the printable recipe card.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Ranch seasoning mix
- Cream cheese
- Bacon bits
- Cheddar cheese
How do I make Crack Chicken?
- Mix Ingredients – Place the chicken in the crock pot and top it with the ranch seasoning and cubed cream cheese.
- Cook – Turn the crock pot on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
- Finishing touches – Shred the chicken and add the bacon bits and cheddar cheese. Cover the crock pot and cook the chicken for 10 minutes more. Serve on hamburger buns.
How long is it good for in the fridge?
Store the Crack Chicken in an airtight container and it will keep for three to four days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it! Just transfer it to a freezer-safe airtight container and it will keep for up to three months.
How do you shred chicken breast?
The easiest way to shred chicken is with a stand mixer! That’s right, throw your whole chicken breasts in there and turn it on low. Let it magically shred that chicken.
If you don’t have a stand mixer simply use two forks. Use one fork to hold the chicken in place and the other to shred the chicken into pieces. Once you’ve shredded the chicken you can add the bacon bits and cheddar cheese.
How do I boil chicken?
- Boiling chicken is very easy and a great way to cook it! Place boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a large pot. Cover them with water (you can also use chicken stock or broth) add seasonings like salt, pepper and dried herbs and bring the pot to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to maintain a simmer and cover the pot with a lid.
- Depending on how many chicken breasts you are boiling, the cooking time will vary. For two to three chicken breasts it will take approximately 8 to 15 minutes depending on how thick they are. The best way to tell if your chicken is done is with a meat thermometer. The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165 degrees F.
What should I serve with Crack Chicken?
Crack Chicken is great served on hamburger buns with potato chips or French fries on the side. Or, add a vegetable side dish like Broccoli Salad, Roasted Cauliflower or 7 Layer Salad. If you don’t want to serve it on hamburger buns, you can also serve it with pasta or rice. Or, roll it up in tortillas for easy wrap sandwiches.
More delicious Crock Pot Dinners!
I know your family is going to love this Crack Chicken – it’s one of our favorite slow cooker chicken recipes! Looking for more slow cooker dinner ideas? Be sure to check out some of my other favorite recipes.
- Crock Pot BBQ Chicken – Tender, juicy and delicious flavored with liquid smoke and smothered in barbecue sauce.
- Crock Pot Hot Ham & Cheese Sandwiches – Layers of tender ham, a cheese all cooked in your Crock Pot!
- French Dip Sandwiches – The roast beef is slow cooked all day in your crock pot so it’s falling apart tender when you pile it high in your toasted hoagie roll with melted provolone cheese.
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Crack Chicken
Quick and easy crack chicken recipe is made in the Crockpot! Tender, chicken with cream cheese, bacon, cheese and Ranch seasoning!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 oz packet ranch seasoning mix
- 2 packages cream cheese 8 oz each, cubed
- 2.8 oz bacon bits
- 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Spray crock pot with non stick spray. Place the chicken breasts on the bottom of the crock pot. Top with ranch seasoning and cubed cream cheese.
- Cook on low 6-8 hours or on High for 4 hours.
- When cooking time is done shred the chicken with two forks. Then add the cheese and bacon. Stir to combine and cook on low for about 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Serve on buns or how ever you would like to enjoy it!
Nutrition
Calories: 499kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 38gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 176mgSodium: 933mgPotassium: 577mgSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1092IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 274mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
I am making for my daughters baby shower, can I make it the day before then put back in the crock pot the day of shower, any tips for me.
Yes, that should work just fine!
Could you use an already cooked rotisserie chicken as a short cut? Would you still do crock pot or melt it together another way with the chicken already being cooked? We have an extra rotisserie chicken from yesterday’s dinner.
I think you could still cook it in the crock pot but just until everything is warmed up together I’d guess low for 2-3 hours? I’m not positive!
I see the picture shows 3 breasts in the crockpot, but the recipe says 2 pounds. I weighed 2 large breasts and it came to 2 pounds. Will it matter to use closer to 3 pounds?
2 Large breasts will be just fine!
I made this for the 2nd time, the first time I had forgotten the bacon bits, it is divine, my whole family loves it!!
Glad to hear it! Thanks for sharing, Sheila!
This was awesome, very easy and everyone loved it. Will definitely make it again!
Great! Glad you enjoyed it!
I don’t have ranch packets, can I use a substitute or a mix of seasonings similar?
Any kind of ranch seasoning will do, you can also look up how to create your own ranch seasoning using ingredients in your pantry!
This dish is always a hit with my family of picky eaters! The only recommendation I’d make is to use chicken thighs, as it’s more flavorful. Thanks for a great recipe, Julie.
Yes! Chicken thighs would be delicious, glad you enjoy all it!
So easy to make and a family favorite! Just made it last week and the family already asked that I make it again! Perfect weeknight meal, and we always have leftovers (I think it’s even better the next day!) Its good even without a bun if you’re counting carbs or need to be GF. Thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad the family loved it!
I’m wanting to know what kind of cream cheese you used because my cream cheese sticks to everything my fingers to each other yours looks like it just falls right down no problem
Mine was softened. That helps with the sticking!
Do you recommend stirring the chicken, ranch seasoning, and cream cheese mix throughout the day?
Yes! Stirring can help prevent it burning to the edges.
I don’t know what I did wrong, but mine came out dried out with no sauce. It covered the shredded chicken, but it was just too thick for my taste. It tasted okay though, although I wouldn’t call it “crack”… may try again with more cream cheese, but not overly impressed.
I’m sorry to hear that, Kathy! Did you have more than 2 lbs of chicken?
Just add chicken broth, that’s what helped when I made it
Thanks for the tip!
If you prefer the crack chicken to be less “soupy”, would I only do about 8 or 12 oz of cream cheese?
Yes, you could cut back on the cream cheese for less sauce.
I tried this recipe to the T and mine was like burnt no moisture in it at all. So I had to throw it out 🙁
I’m so sorry to hear that! All crock pots can heat differently, did you stir it at all while it was cooking?
It taste so good, I made it and invite my sister and her family over to try it with me , they have been asking me to make it again.
It’s definitely one of our favorites, so glad you enjoyed it!
It was good, but very salty for us. I added milk and some lemon juice to cut the salt. Otherwise it was an easy recipe and did taste good
I’m glad you still enjoyed it. Ranch seasoning can be too salty for some, you could cut back on that next time!
This looks so simple and delicious! Im going to add some fresh chopped green onions to this. Also a little hack that is a life saver for me is if you take a powered hand mixer and slowly mix chicken, it does wonders in shredding it in no time! Thanks for the recipe! Cant wait to try! 😁
Thanks for the tip! Green onions will be a great addition, I hope you love it as much as we do!
Can this be made into a burrito or a wrap..
Yes! You could easily wrap this mixture into a burrito or wrap!
I accidentally bought spicy ranch dressing mix. Any idea how that would be?
I personally like spicy food so it sounds great to me!
Should taste great! Something a kin to pepper jack cheese or a taco.