Crack Chicken {Crockpot}
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Shredded Chicken Bacon Ranch 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 Chicken Bacon Ranch 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.
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 it over rice or pasta. It’s up to you!
WHAT DO I NEED TO MAKE 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
Steps to Prepare
- 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 the chicken bacon ranch 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.
What should I serve with this?
It’s 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 easy shredded chicken with bacon, ranch and cheese – 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.
- Slow Cooker Bacon Chicken Ranch Pasta is an easy dinner that your family will love!
Try it and love it? Rate it, please!!!? Seriously though a five-star rating below will make my day! If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Crack Chicken
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!
Olivia says
Can I use ranch dressing if I don’t have the ranch seasoning?
Julie says
Yes you can, it will definitely add volume to the cream sauce mixture so keep that in mind. I would start with 1/4 cup and add from there depending on your taste preference.
Sandra says
I am making this tonight for dinner. In the crock pot smelling delious! Excited to try it.
Julie says
I hope you enjoyed it!
Jeanne King says
In case anyone is interested in using an instant pot…I just did and used the poultry setting and up’d it to 30 minutes…turned out amazing!!
Julie says
Thanks Jeanne! I have the i=Instant Pot version here too!
https://www.julieseatsandtreats.com/instant-pot-crack-chicken/
Cheryl says
Can you make with frozen chicken breasts?
Julie says
Yes that should work! You’ll have to cook them a bit longer and you might have a bit more liquid from the chicken thawing but the end result should be about the same!
Karmin Thomas says
I made this tonight and my son recommended putting pasta in the pot. I did just that and he loved it. What a new recipe for our family.
Julie says
An interesting twist! I’m so glad you all loved it!
Tiffany says
Tried it and yes the mixture of cheese, bacon, and cream cheese is delicious. However I’d recommend seasoning the chicken at least with a little salt and pepper first as I didnt feel the ranch dressing packet added that much flavor and adding a little bit of chicken broth to it. The cream cheese does not make enough liquid right off and my chicken breasts burned a little on the bottom even with me using non stick cooking spray. Went great on a bun though!
Carla says
Loved this recipe! Loved your comments! I added a few red pepper flakes and a gulp of stock to start the liquid.
Julie says
Sounds perfect! I’m glad you loved it!
Jane says
Was wondering if left over to next day what can be used to liquify? Mine is dry and didn’t know what could be added to moisten. Thank you
Lauren says
Chicken broth? I have a friend that makes this but she adds chicken broth, like a cup I believe. I’d start with half a cup while reheating on the stove and go from there.
Julie says
Thanks Lauren! Yes, chicken broth would work great!
Lauren says
I made this on saturday evening but the family switched gears last minute & we all went out to eat. Not only did my husband dip into it when he got home smelling the amazingness thanks to the crockpot but I reheated it the next evening with a touch of chicken broth & added the 1C cheese to it! It was a big hit! We ate it with nacho cheese Doritos (toddler), corn tortilla (me) & a bun (husband). We all loved it!
Alaina says
How long do you cook chicken if it’s been boiled
Julie says
If the chicken is already cooked, you could shred the chicken and add to the crock pot with the other ingredients. Then just heat on low for a couple hours to warm it all together.
Wheeler says
Do you cook the chicken first?
Julie says
No, the chicken breasts go into the crock pot raw. Then follow the steps to add the other ingredients.
Judy Matson says
Made this last night for my husband. He loved it and took it to work for lunch today. I’ll be making this for sure when our whole family gets together. It’s so easy and so delicious.
Julie says
Sounds like the perfect plan! I’m glad it was a hit!
Diana says
How to figure out what a serving size is.
Google recipe calculators. Use a free one unless you are seriously keeping track of everything your eating.
1. Write down all the ingredients that you are using. Keep any packaging so that you can reference the oz, brand, calories that your recipe calculator asks for.
2. Your recipe calculator will tell you how many calories in each serving but you will have to tell it how many servings you think you can get out of it.
3. Set pan without your ingredients in it and then hit reset or zero your scale. Write down the weight and divide by the number of servings you wanted..
Just remember your numbers will always be different because you are not her. You don’t have her ingredients. You don’t measure the same or have the same scale. The numbers are listed to give you a rough estimate.
Julie says
Thanks for this, Diana! You are so right, I can’t give exact nutritional information because it depends on so many different factors.
Vickie says
I know it says 8 servings what is the serving size
Julie says
I don’t have the exact serving size, it would just be 1/8 of the entire dish. Sorry!
Shelly C. says
I’m making this tomorrow. I’d sure love to know what a serving weighs approximately so I can simply weigh my portion on my kitchen scale and know my calorie intake. Could you help me with that? Pretty please?
Julie says
I am not sure of the weight of one serving for this, sorry!
Lila says
My son made this and it was not enough “liquidy” to cover the chicken. Is there water in this as well?
Julie says
No there isn’t, the cream cheese should create the creamy sauce for the chicken.
Connie Bent says
Excellent recipe and so easy to make. I served it on a bun. I’m wondering if anyone has tried it on a biscuit.
Julie says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Connie Bent says
I fixed this today and it was delicious on a bun. Plan to cook it again and would highly recommend people trying this recipe.
Julie says
Thanks Connie!