Slow Cooker Crack Chicken is a mouthwatering dish made with juicy chicken that is smothered in a blend of cheese, bacon, and ranch seasoning. You’ll be addicted after just one bite!
Use your slow cooker to effortlessly whip up another tasty dump & go recipe by trying this Crockpot Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta or Slow Cooker Potato Soup!
This Crack Chicken is a set-it-and-forget-it recipe, making it as easy as it is delicious! If you’re a ranch lover like me, you’re going to absolutely love this chicken. This recipe is going to be in your weekly meal rotation after you try it!
The chicken is cooked to perfection and is tender and juicy with every bite. The secret ingredient that makes this dish so irresistible is the ranch seasoning blend, which gives the chicken a tangy and flavorful taste. It’s a perfect meal for a busy day when you don’t have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen!
All About Crack Chicken
Taste: This recipe is exploding with flavor in every bite! This chicken breast spends hours soaking up zesty ranch seasoning and melty cream cheese before getting topped with even more cheese and bacon! This dish uses my Homemade Ranch Seasoning to take it up a notch!
Texture: Tender, slow-cooked chicken has endless amounts of excellent texture! Once the chicken is cooked, it is shredded up and combined with cheese and bacon to ensure you get a perfect bite every time!
The Best Ways To Enjoy Slow Cooker Crack Chicken
Be prepared, this chicken is SO good that you can easily just eat it with a fork straight out of the crockpot! But in case your family doesn’t want to crowd around the crockpot I do have the best ideas on how to serve and enjoy it!
Serve it up on a bed of carbs! We love smothering white rice with this crack chicken but you can also top mashed potatoes or a baked potato with it as well.
Try wrapping the chicken up in tortillas or even lettuce wraps. It’s also great sandwiched between toasted buns!
Another carb-filled option is to mix the crack chicken in with some of your favorite cooked pasta!
Recipe Tips For Making Slow Cooker Crack Chicken
- Seasoning – This recipe stands out from the rest since it’s made with homemade ranch seasoning! This gives it extra flavoring that you won’t find in the store-bought version. However, you can grind the homemade seasoning in your food processor to give it a finer consistency that is similar to storebought!
- Spice – For a kick of spice to this crack chicken you can add cayenne pepper or dried chili to the homemade seasoning mix. Or you could mix some of your favorite hot sauce into the slow cooker!
- Vegetables – To get your veggies in you can add some into the slow cooker! Vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower would be great choices.
- Liquid – Depending on the quality of your chicken, it may leave a lot of liquid in the crock pot after cooking. Remove the majority of the liquid but don’t toss it just yet! Instead, first, stir in the cream cheese and check to see if it’s too dry. If you want it to be runnier then add a bit of the liquid back in until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Shredding – Shredding can be done in multiple ways! You can do it easily by just using two forks or by using a set of shredding claws. The cooked chicken can also be tossed into a large bowl to be shredded with your electric mixer.
Storage Instructions
Once the chicken has cooled transfer any leftovers into an airtight container and store them in the fridge. Enjoy the leftovers for up to 3 days.
Can I Use Bacon Bits In This Recipe Instead Of Frying Up Strips Of Bacon?
If you’re in a pinch, bacon bits can be used instead of frying up fresh bacon to use. Just keep in mind some brands, such as McCormick’s, aren’t actually made with real bacon.
Instead, they’re a soy product. However, brands such as Hormel are made with real bacon and would be a great substitution choice.
Is Slow Cooker Crack Chicken A Keto Friendly Recipe?
Yes, this crack chicken is keto friendly as well as low-carb! For keto-friendly serving put the crack chicken into a lettuce wrap or use it as a dip with vegetables.
Can I Use Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs Instead Of Chicken Breasts?
Yes, boneless skinless thighs can be used to make this crack chicken. Just make sure you have 2lbs of thighs as that’s what this recipe is tailored to.
INGREDIENTS
Chicken
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts about 2 lbs
- 16 ounces cream cheese
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese divided
- 10 slices bacon cooked and crumbled and divided
- 1½ tablespoons Ranch Seasoning Mix
- scallions for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
- Pat the chicken dry and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper, then place in a 4qt or larger slow cooker.
- Add all of the ingredients for the Ranch Seasoning into a small bowl and mix together. If you want it to have a finer consistency, grind it in your food processor.
- Sprinkle the Ranch Seasoning evenly over the chicken.
- Scatter the cream cheese in chunks over the chicken, close the lid, and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
- Once cooked, shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker with two forks.
- Fill in 1 cup of the cheddar and ¾ of the crumbled bacon and stir everything together
- Spread the remaining 1 cup of cheese on top and cook with the lid on for another 10 minutes on low to melt the cheese.
- Serve with remaining bacon and scallions on top over rice or side of your choice.
NOTES
- If you want to use the seasoning for other things that don’t involve dairy products – like salad dressing – add some buttermilk powder to the mix. For the amount in the recipe, add around ½ cup of buttermilk powder. If you omit the salt in the mix, you have more control over your recipes. If you want to spice the seasoning up a bit, add some cayenne pepper and/or dried chili.
- Depending on the quality of the chicken, there can be a lot of liquid in the slow cooker after cooking. Remove a bit, but don’t throw it away just yet. First, stir in the cream cheese and check if it’s too dry. If you want it runnier, add back a bit of the liquid.
- You can add some vegetables, like broccoli, to the slow cooker, or add some hot sauce to make it a bit spicier.
- You can make this recipe in advance, but I would recommend doing the last layer of cheese just before serving. You can warm it up in your oven or microwave and add the cheddar right before heating.
- The Crack Chicken will be good for up to 3 days covered in your fridge.
For a large batch, just double the ingredients and use a larger slow cooker.
