Crock Pot Crack Chicken Recipe is an easy ‘dump and go’ slow cooker recipe that is so good you’ll be addicted to it! Ten minutes of prep with ingredients you probably already have and it has endless meal possibilities.
Hey, hey, it’s also a keto-friendly recipe!
For more scrumptious recipes, fun projects, and exciting news subscribe to Call Me PMc
Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest
Crock Pot Crack Chicken Recipe
First things first…What is ‘CRACK CHICKEN’?
Crack Chicken is the name of the combination of chicken, cream cheese, ranch seasoning, and bacon. These ingredients combined are so good ‘It’s addictive, you can’t stop eating it!’ (For those of you that want to slam me for naming it ‘crack’, when I titled this recipe, I didn’t even think about the drug. I only thought about the combination of ingredients that is known far and wide as ‘Crack Chicken’. I did not intentionally mean to offend anyone!)
There are variations of the recipe but the basic ingredients are the four noted above. Some people add cheddar cheese, garlic powder, onions, mayonnaise, etc.
I for one think chicken, cream cheese, ranch, and bacon has a really good flavor. However, to kick it up and make it even tastier I like to add a cheddar/Colby mix and mayonnaise. Now we’re talking!
Why is this so dang good?
There are a few reasons why Crock Pot Crack Chicken Recipe is so good
- Primarily, this is a ‘dump and go’ slow cooker recipe. I say primarily because you do not want to cook the bacon in a slow cooker. Hence, you will either need to cook the bacon, crumble it, then add it to the Crock-Pot at the end of the cooking process. Or, you can use store-bought bacon bits. While real bacon, cooked and crumbled is much better and cost a lot less per ounce, store-bought bacon bits save a lot of time.
- It’s Keto friendly.
- Get my favorite slow cooker here.
- As well, Crock Pot Crack Chicken Recipe is perfect by itself, it’s also great on a sandwich, in a tortilla, over nachos, as a dip, in quiche, on pizza, over pasta, rice, or potatoes, or on a lettuce wrap for another low carb option!
HOW DO YOU MAKE CRACK CHICKEN IN THE SLOW COOKER?
- Use skinless, boneless chicken breasts so you don’t have a lot of extra fat in the recipe. You can use skinless, boneless thighs.
- I use two packets of seasoning. Otherwise, to me, it was a bit bland.
- Add the mayonnaise and Colby cheddar cheese at the end and stir until melted. (I recommend this mayonnaise.)
Can I cook this recipe on the stove?
Simply brown the chicken in a skillet. Next, add the remaining ingredients and cook them all in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes. When the chicken is cooked through, shred it then follow the instructions in the original recipe.
You can eat this by itself, on a bun, or in a tortilla wrap.
I like to serve it with
- Mexican Kale Slaw
- Tex Mex Cole Slaw
- Vinegar Slaw
- Deconstructed Green Bean Bundles
- Orange Salad,
- Wedge Salad
Can I freeze this?
This chicken recipe freezes well. Freeze it in an airtight container (<my favorite freezer containers) and let it thaw fully before reheating, you can definitely make this cooked chicken days ahead of time and store it in your freezer.
Tips
Stock up on boneless, skinless chicken breasts when they are on sale. There are plentiful chicken recipes on my site for boneless, skinless chicken.
- Crock Pot Honey Garlic Chicken
- Crockpot Green Chile Chicken
- Slow Cooker Creamy Buffalo Chicken
- Slow Cooker Zesty Italian Chicken
- Stove Top Cajun Butter Chicken Bites
- Copycat Cajun Cafe Bourbon Chicken Bites
While you’re here, check out these delicious slow cooker recipes!
-
- Slow Cooker Zesty Italian Chicken
-
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Slider
-
- Slow Cooker Creamy Buffalo Chicken
-
- Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Roast and Pepper Hoagie Sandwiches
-
- Healthy Slow Cooker Tex Mex Chicken Soup
-
- Hash Brown Slow Cooker Potato Soup
-
- Crock Pot Honey Garlic Chicken
UPDATE 11-12-19: I read your comments and a lot of you thought the recipe as written is too salty. Therefore, I created a Homemade Ranch Seasoning Mix Recipe so that you can control the salt in this recipe. You can substitute this homemade ranch seasoning for the packs listed below in the recipe. (3 tablespoons of this mix = 1 packet of store-bought seasoning mix) CLICK HERE FOR HOMEMADE RANCH SEASONING RECIPE
REMEMBER TO SUBSCRIBE TO Call Me Pmc Newsletter FOR FREE AND RECEIVE FRESH RECIPE NOTIFICATIONS DELIVERED INTO YOUR INBOX! You may also want to join my Facebook Group, Call Me Pmc- Easy Recipes.
Some of my most popular recipes are my pound cakes! In fact, I have a series where I have reviewed over 50 pound cake recipes! You can get all the recipes here.
-
- Old School Southern Butter Pound Cake
-
- Five Flavor Pound Cake
-
- Sour Cream Dark Chocolate Pound Cake
-
- Hummingbird Cake Pound Cake
-
- Woodford Reserve Pound Cake
-
- Fig Preserve Pound Cake
-
- Citrus Pound Cake
-
- Pineapple Upside Down Pound Cake
-
- Orange Creamsicle Pound Cake
-
- Coconut Cream Cheese Pound Cake
-
- Homemade Melted Vanilla Ice Cream Pound Cake
-
- Fresh Strawberry Pound Cake
Crock Pot Crack Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- 2 {1-ounce packages} Ranch dressing mix *SEE HOMEMADE RANCH DRESSING RECIPE ABOVE IF YOU WANT TO MAKE YOUR SEASONING AND CONTROL THE SALT.
- 8 ounces cream cheese cut into cubes
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 pound bacon cook and crumbled
- 2 cups Colby cheddar cheese shredded
- 2 to 3 tablespoons green onions sliced (optional ingredient)
- 2 tablespoons jalapenos diced (optional ingredient)
Instructions
- Please read the post above as well as the comments if you have a question. I have covered a lot of the questions in the comments as well as the narrative above. Thanks so much!
- Place chicken breasts in the slow cooker. Sprinkle ranch dressing mix and cream cheese over chicken.
- Cook on high 3 hours or low 5 to 6 hours.
- With 2 forks, shred chicken and stir. Stir in mayonnaise. Sprinkle cheese, bacon, green onions, and jalapenos over chicken. Serve on buns, lettuce leaves, or soft or crunchy tortilla shells
Notes
Nutrition
You can also find great recipes at Recipe Index or and Meal Plan Monday
This post contains affiliate links. If you click the link and make a purchase I will receive a small commission at no cost to you. Visit all my recommended products at Paula’s Picks on Amazon. Read my entire Privacy Policy here.
Ashlee says
I’m so excited to be making this for my family of 4 tonight. For my kids sake I will be serving over rice but next time want to try pasta and wraps. Thanks for sharing .
Francine Jacobson says
You can not beat this recipe!!!!
Rachel says
Thank you for this yummy, SIMPLE, and straight forward recipe. I’m newly married and have never been good at cooking but this was clear cut and straight forward. (Not to mention great taste). For those other commenters that seem upset about sodium content, and ingredients which are clearly marked with amounts etc… it sounds much more like a literacy problem or inability to follow directions. People need to stick to productive feedback, instead of inaccurate criticisms. I appreciate the new addition to my recipe portfolio so thank you Paula! Also I added corn and served over baked potatoes, it was delightful 👍🏼👍🏼
Paula says
Ohhhhhh that sounds really good! Thanks for commenting!
Francine Jacobson says
First of all I did not made a connection with” crack ” so don’t worry at all if some reacted , it is foolish…
Number two, your recipe is delightful, actually It became one of my favorite dish many years ago at a locla restaurant in North Carolina , the only difference is they would put pasta in it , and loved it.
Paula says
My favorite is to serve it over pasta (I love pasta) but I’ve never actually cooked the pasta in it. I’m trying that! Thanks
Thanks as well for your comment about the name!! 💝
Christina says
Do I just add the pasta when I add the chicken and everything and it will cook
Johnny Brimm says
Christina, I would prepare this as directed and then just add cooked and drained pasta, at the end.
Lucinda Bell says
Love this recipe!! Thank you so much. It was easy to make and delicious. I added cooked frozen peas and served it over riced cauliflower. My family ate the whole pot.
Paula says
Happy you enjoyed it!
Brooke says
Made with 4 chicken breasts and 4 TBS of hidden valley ranch dressing mix (we buy it in bulk). Very tasty! Served on buns with sweet potato fries on the side. Easily something I would serve a crowd. Thanks!
Paula says
Yay! So happy you enjoyed it! I love your buying in bulk tip!
Savannah says
Can’t wait to try this recipe! If using bacon bits instead, how much do I use?
Paula says
1/2 to 3/4 cup bacon bits
Nicola Naibert says
Fabulous recipe, I loved it over a garden salad, and over caui rice as well. I even have taken out a few servings from the freezer for adding to a salad. It’s great even after being frozen.
Paula says
Love your freezer tip!! Thank you! So happy you liked it!
Kelly says
Tell “Karen” that if she doesn’t like the recipe name she can close her browser! I’m so sick of pansy ass panty waists whining about everything.
Oh, and great recipe, I really enjoyed it!
Loretta Champagne says
LOL You tell em’ Kelly! I agree. If you cant say something nice, shut up and move on.
Brian McKenzie says
The recipe was good. A little oily and leaving something missing. It can however be made gluten and dairy free, which is a bonus.
Dawn says
I was super excited about making this for our family with all the delicious ingredients but it turned out to be too heavy and hearty for us. Hubby and I had on romaine leaves and the kiddos in a soft tortilla. It has potential, it’s just not a good fit for our family dinner. We all agreed it would have been better as a warm dip with tortilla chips.
Natalie says
I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs (6)., my husbands favorite. It had quite a bit of liquid, so I tilted the crockpot lid and let the liquid cook down a little. Then I rough chopped the chicken and added the mayonnaise & shredded cheddar cheese stirred together let the cheese melt. It was very creamy! I see know why they call it crack! Very rich!
Nancy says
Can you use frozen chicken breasts and if so how do you adjust the cooking time?
Paula says
I don’t recommend using frozen.
Cal says
I’ve used frozen chicken just to try it out and do course forgetting to thaw out the chicken the day before…. it still turns fine. After about 4 hours keep an eye as to it drying out. I turned my temp down to not over cook the chicken. Or add a little broth to the mixture.
P.s. I’ve also tried it with the spicy ranch seasoning….. soooooo good. Adds just a little kick if you want to take it up a notch! Mmmmm
Thanks again for the recipe!!!!
Christina Adams says
Hi, I was wondering if you have to stir this recipe? if so, how often? I am new to cooking with a crock pot and this will be one of my first few recipes.
Paula says
I didn’t stir it until the end.
Christina Adams says
Do you have to stir this recipe? If so, how often? This will be my first couple crock pot recipes on my own, any advice will be helpful.
Thank you!!
teresa Bartz says
Hi Paula, I haven’t tried it yet so I can’t rate it, but anything with bacon has my attention!! LOL
But I did want to comment on the issue some have with it being too thick or thin.
Some chicken breasts, ESPECIALLY ones bought in boxes, come pre-seasoned. Which will make a huge difference when they are being cooked.so if thats the case for some, they should soak the chicken breasts in cold water for a few hours or even overnight to draw out all the seasons.
Just a suggestion/thought. That also applies for ones who say it’s too salty 😉
Paula says
Thank you so much for this info!
Tammy says
How much longer would you have to cook the chicken if you double the recipe? And would you do it on high or low?
Have you ever made it in a pressure cooker?
Paula says
I have not made it in a pressure cooker. The setting would just depend on how much time I had. I don’t think it matters as far as how it’ll taste. For low, I’d check after 2 additional hours. For High, I’d check at 1 hour and adjust according to how it looks then.
Ava says
I made mine in the instant pot. I just tapped the meat button and I didn’t add the cream cheese until the end.and I used 1 cup of chicken broth in the beginning with 1/2 stick butter or just a few tablespoons,the dry dressing mix and then added cream cheese,a heaping tablespoon of Mayo and when that melted I sprinkled the cheddar and bacon and covered it just until the cheese melted
Jessica says
I added some heavy whipping cream..sooooo gooood!
Tammy Adkins says
How much did you add?
Kiersten R Huhn says
Was I suppose to ad some kind of liquid to this chicken? Also I cubes the chicken breasts and it burned. So now my dinner is ruined. Just a suggestion, next time give step by step instructions and include any liquids that need to be added. Ty
Paula says
There are step-by-step instructions in the recipe card. If you cubed the chicken that’s why it burned, recipe is for whole chicken breasts as indicated in the recipe which take longer to cook. Recipe is correct as written, no liquid. I have made this recipe probably 100+ times without problems as have about 200 other readers & commenters. I hate that it didn’t work for you.
Hank Ranus says
Stop being a Karen!
CherylAnn says
I want to make this recipe, but do not have dry dressing mix nor do I have the items to make it. Can I use regular ranch dressing in its place? If so how much?
Paula says
I haven’t tried it with premade dressing, but I think it would work. I think there are 1 or 2 comments of readers that tried it.
Denise says
Paula do you add mayonnaise and colby instead of ranch packets. Or do you use both, and how much mayonnaise ?
Paula says
It’s all in the recipe card, you may have overlooked it, but you scrolled past it to leave the comment. Use mayo, colby, and ranch
https://www.callmepmc.com/crock-pot-crack-chicken-recipe/
Gigi says
This is not your recipe. It has been around for a long time. So I don’t think you should feel guilt over the name. It’s been called that for years. Some people just need to complain.
Paula says
I never get offended by names but this one has hit a nerve with some! 😖😉 Thank you for commenting!
Jenny says
So I used 3 chicken breast, package of cream cheese, and 1.5 packets of ranch cooked on high and it was basically done in a little over 2 hours so I started shredding apart, added big generous scoop of sour cream, 2 cups cheese and bacon. Has great taste just is suppeeeer thick. Like too thick almost, any idea why? Maybe crock pot too powerful?
Paula says
You can thin with water or milk. Apparently chicken holds different amounts of water, I’ve had comments that it’s super thin as well.
Gina Levy says
I added a quarter cup of chx broth to mine. Perfect
Amanda says
Made this recipe with 4 boneless skinless chicken breast in the crock pot but it was extremely liquidy (I decided to stir at the end) and did not come out creamy with the cream cheese at all. Was I supposed to drain the chicken before I shredded and mixed it?
Paula says
Apparently chicken holds different amounts of water, I’ve had comments that it’s super thick as well and I haven’t had issues with either.
B says
Hey Paula, I had this same challenge…do you suppose I should drain some of the liquid? I just don’t want to lose flavor…appreciate the help!
Paula says
You could or add more cream cheese.
Cal says
This dish is a huge hit with the whole family. My favorite way to make this is to skip the mayonnaise and actually add HORSERADISH!!! It seems a little odd. But I tell you it tastes just as amazing!
Paula says
Oh wow!! I’ve got to try horseradish!
Donna says
The horse radish is amazing I bet!
Teresa Fulton says
Hi there-I love this idea but was worried about my non horseradish lovers. Was the flavor extremely noticeable?
Thanks!
Cal says
The best part of the horseradish is I didnt add it until I dished out for everyone. So that way each person can add as little or as much horseradish to the dish! So its completely personable! So non horseradish lovers can enjoy it at the same time!!! Hope this helps! Xoxo
Eileen says
This was super good and really easy to make. My son has issues with dairy so I used vegan cream cheese and vegan mayo. Left the cheese out of the pot and just put it on the table for those who wanted it. It came out great. I can’t believe how quick this was to put together and it was yummy. Because of comments about saltiness I went with one packet of Ranch but after tasting towards the end I added another half a packet. Added about half the recommended bacon instead which was plenty. We served over rice but I caught my teenagers putting it on Naan for a late night snack. They also added a dash of Crystal hot sauce & said that made it even better.
Ivy says
I made this twice now and by the time it turned out great it’s very fast and easy to prepare and I always do mine 3 hours so I cook it on high for 3 hours you can put it on buns you can eat it with crackers or you can put it over rice