Crack Chicken Recipe Slow Cooker Instant Pot Keto Friendly

This recipe only requires a handful of ingredients. And if you let that crockpot or even insta pot work for you, life couldn’t be easier. While it’s cooking on its own, you can just relax or do whatever else you want. When it’s ready, open the lid and just pause and drool for a minute! 🙂 Only one hitch… Do NOT count calories for this one… Just enjoy… 🙂 This might be one of the laziest recipes on GypsyPlate. It’s a “throw 5 ingredients in the crockpot” lazy recipe. When I’m ready to serve, I like to add a few extra garnishing for flavor. And let me tell you, there are so many ways to serve this dish! No wonder it quickly gained popularity among moms and bachelors alike. And if you look at the ingredients, you’ll see why it’s beloved by low carbers and keto followers.

What is Crack Chicken?

Any recipe or food with “crack” at the beginning of the name simply suggests it’s very addictive. Some super cheesy, creamy lusciousness. For example, crack dip (by the way, crack chicken has its origin in this dip). I have seen it all the time at potluck parties and get togethers. That dip made from cream cheese, ranch seasoning, bacon bits, cheddar and maybe mayo or sour cream. Something to keep on dipping your crackers in indefinitely. Well, some genius must have thought to add chicken into the mix. And just like that, crack chicken was born. Easy. No culinary expertise needed here.

Ingredients Needed

The first four are key ingredients to any crack chicken. After that you can take it wherever you fancy. For exact measurements, see the recipe card.

Cheese – When I whip up this dish, I always grab two kinds of cheese: cream cheese and cheddar. They give it that creamy, cheesy goodness that everyone loves. Ranch seasoning – It gets that popular flavor from this seasoning. No other will do. 🙂 Bacon – Albeit it goes as a garnishing in the end. But it elevates the flavor in every single bite. You can use store bought bacon bits, but we don’t recommend them. It’s worth every bite to cook that bacon in a pan and crumble for garnishing. This would only take 10 extra minutes. Chicken – Of course.

Additional ingredients we are using today:

Chicken broth – This helps to make your crack chicken creamy rather than pasty. Green onion – Thinly sliced, as garnishing.

What Cut of Chicken to Use

When I make crack chicken, I like to use boneless skinless chicken thighs. They’re my top choice because they’re so flavorful and tender. Saying that you can use chicken breast, if that’s what you like. Whichever way you prefer, boneless skinless cuts are the way to go for this recipe, as you don’t want bones or slimy skin in your crack chicken.

How to Make Crockpot Crack Chicken

I begin by placing the chicken in the crockpot and pouring in chicken broth. Next, I evenly sprinkle ranch seasoning over the chicken and add in diced cream cheese. Then, I cover the lid and let it cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6-7 hours.… Yup, easy slow cooker recipe!! While it’s cooking, you can browse through our collections of favorite Crockpot Recipes and Keto Recipes. Some time during the day, I cook the bacon and crumble to sprinkle over the finished crack chicken later. Once cooked, I shred chicken with 2 forks right in the crock, no need to take it out to a plate to shred. That’s one less dish to wash later. Then I swirl it around with all the sauce. Time to add in shredded cheddar cheese and bacon bits. Then I cover again with the lid and cook until the cheese melts into cheddary goodness. Sprinkle on the green onions and it’s ready to dig in.

Instant Pot Crack Chicken

First, I add chopped bacon to the Instant Pot and set it to SAUTE mode. I cook it until it’s crisp and brown, then remove the bacon and any extra fat. Next, I pour in chicken broth, add the chicken, and sprinkle ranch seasoning over everything. I secure the pressure cooker lid, select MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK, and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. After that, I let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before opening the lid and shredding the chicken with two forks. Then, I switch back to SAUTE mode and stir in the cream cheese until it melts and blends well. After that, I add the shredded cheddar cheese and bacon bits, cooking until the cheddar cheese melts a bit. Finally, I garnish with green onions and serve.

Some Variations

How to Serve Crack Chicken

Try them all, and let me know your favorite way to enjoy!

Alpana’s Tips

Bacon Bits: For this recipe, I go for thick-cut bacon. It gives that hearty crunch that’s so good here. Cream Cheese Softening: I always let the cream cheese soften at room temperature before adding it in. It makes it easier to melt and blend into the sauce smoothly. Don’t Rush the Cooking Time: The magic happens over time. Whether you’re using a crock pot or Instant Pot, resist the urge to rush the cooking process. The slower the chicken cooks, the more tender and flavorful it becomes. Garnish Generously: Don’t underestimate the power of garnish. Those diced scallions add a fresh crunch and a pop of color that makes the dish not only taste incredible but also look restaurant-worthy.

Give this online sensation a try this week. Who doesn’t want an easy and lazy meal that is crackingly addictive? This crack chicken… make it for your family on busy weeknights and dig in whichever way you want! Are you my subscriber yet? If not it’s easy enough to fix it. 🙂 Fill in the form to get new delicious recipes coming your way. See ya again soon…