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The Ultimate Crack Chicken Recipe: Creamy, Cheesy, & Crowd-Pleasing

The Ultimate Crack Chicken Recipe: Creamy, Cheesy, & Crowd-Pleasing

Are you looking for something new for dinner? We have a creamy, cheesy, and downright delicious dish that is as versatile as yummy! Meet our Crack Chicken Recipe. This slow-cooker recipe can be served as a sandwich, dipping for chips, or even top baked potatoes. It is made with shredded chicken, crispy bacon, ranch seasoning, and melted gooey cheese. This chicken recipe is the perfect comfort food! You can serve it for dinner or at a holiday party.

A bowl of slow cooker crack chicken topped with crispy bacon and fresh parsley.

How to Make Crack Chicken

This is your shopping list for the ingredients you need to make this recipe. If you can’t find any ranch seasoning mix at the grocery store, here is our homemade recipe

Produce:

  • Chicken breasts or boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • Green onions

Pantry:

  • Ranch dressing seasoning mix

Dairy:

  • Cream cheese
  • Shredded cheddar cheese

Meat:

  • Bacon
Cheesy crack chicken dip served with crackers and veggie sticks.

Step By Step

Cook the chicken in the slow cooker. – Place the chicken in the bottom of a large slow cooker. Sprinkle the chicken with the ranch seasoning evenly. Then, lay the blocks of cream cheese on top. 

Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook the chicken on low for about 6 hours or until tender.  It needs to be so tender that you can easily shred it with a fork.

Crack chicken served as a sandwich filling on toasted buns.

Cook the bacon. – While the chicken is cooking, cook the bacon until it is crispy. We prefer cooking the bacon in an air fryer for this step. Allow the cooked bacon to cool and then break into small pieces.

Chop the green onion. – Chop the green onion and set it aside for a later step. 

Shred the chicken. – Once the chicken is fully cooked, use two forks to shred the chicken. I recommend doing this directly in the slow cooker. Don’t drain the liquid from the chicken. It is essential to the flavor and texture of the dish.

Stir the shredded chicken with the melted cream cheese and cooking liquid until fully combined.

A warm bowl of creamy crack chicken served with crusty bread.

Mix in the bacon and onion. – Pour the cut onion and bacon pieces over the top and stir to combine thoroughly.

Cheddar bacon chicken served in a casserole dish, ready to enjoy.

Melt the cheese. – Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top of the mixture. Replace the lid on the slow cooker and let it sit on low until the cheese has melted completely. This should take about 10 minutes.

Ranch and bacon crack chicken served in a white dish, topped with cheese.

Serve and Enjoy!

Tips and Tricks

About the chicken. – I prefer boneless chicken breasts for this recipe, but boneless, skinless chicken thighs are a tasty alternative. Chicken thighs are juicy and provide a depth of flavor to the dish. Whichever option you choose, I recommend boneless and skinless chicken. 

About the bacon. – You want the bacon to be crispy and not chewy. We recommend that you either cook it in the air fryer or the oven. But when cooking the bacon, be careful not to burn it. That burnt bacon flavor will add an odd aftertaste to your dish that none of us want. 

⭐️Don’t drain the liquid. – It is tempting to drain the slow cooker after the chicken is cooked, but resist that urge. The dish must stay creamy, and that liquid is crucial to the process. 

Customize the Heat. – Add diced jalapeños or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes if you’d like to introduce a bit of spice.

Plan for Leftovers – Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of milk if needed to restore the creamy consistency.

Bacon ranch crack chicken topped with fresh parsley.

Crack Chicken Recipe

Yield: 8 servings (approximately 1 cup per serving)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes

This creamy, cheesy Crack Chicken Recipe is the ultimate comfort food! Made in the slow cooker, it’s perfect for sandwiches, dips, or even over rice.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds chicken breasts (or boneless, skinless chicken thighs)
  • 1 packet ranch dressing seasoning mix (regular or spicy, based on preference)
  • 16 ounces (2 packages) cream cheese
  • 8 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled (oven-baked or skillet-cooked, or use pre-cooked bacon for convenience)
  • 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 2 green onions, chopped (reserve some for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Place the chicken in the bottom of a large (at least 4-quart) slow cooker and sprinkle with the ranch seasoning mix. Place the blocks of cream cheese on top of the chicken.
  2. Cover the slow cooker with the lid and set to low. Cook for 6 hours until the chicken is tender and easily shreds with a fork.
  3. Do not drain the cooking liquid. Shred the chicken with forks (can be done in the slow cooker or on a plate) and stir the cream cheese into the shredded chicken along with the cooking liquid.
  4. Add the cooked crumbled bacon and half of the chopped green onions and stir well.
  5. Top the shredded chicken mixture with the shredded cheddar cheese and place the lid back on the slow cooker. Set to low or warm and allow the cheese to melt.
  6. Once the cheese is melted, sprinkle the top with the reserved green onions for a pop of fresh flavor and vibrant color.
  7. Serve the Crack Chicken with sandwich buns, tortilla chips for dipping, or over rice for a complete meal.

Notes

This chicken is a great sandwich filling but also delicious served with tortilla chips for dipping.Do not drain the cooking liquid from the chicken. Once the chicken is shredded and the liquid and cream cheese mixed in, it will be the perfect consistency.This recipe is also delicious made with boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breast.

Did you make this recipe?

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