This crockpot crack chicken is a creamy, comforting and addicting version of everyone’s favorite bacon cheddar ranch dip. Bacon, ranch and cheese will remind you of crack dip and chicken makes it a meal!
If you love this combination of ingredients, you will want to try chicken bacon ranch pizza and loaded baked potato casserole, too!
Table of Contents
Creamy Crockpot Chicken Crack
This crockpot chicken crack is one of our favorite chicken breast recipes smothered in cream cheese and ranch. It’s cooked low and slow until tender and then extras like sharp cheddar and salty bacon are mixed in.
Serve your crockpot crack chicken on top of a bun to make a sandwich for lunch or over rice for dinner. You can have so much fun with a casual meal like this, and it’s one you’ll always come back to, it’s one of our favorite easy slow cooker recipes!
Why This Recipe Works
- Everyone loves it. Crockpot crack chicken is classic comfort food that not only fills your tummy but your soul. It’s that good!
- Simple. There’s nothing fussy about this cheddar ranch chicken recipe and it’s not meant to look pretty. One bite and it speaks for itself.
- Can feed a crowd. Easily double the recipe if needed to feed a larger family or a party. As written this recipe makes enough to feed six people.
Crack Chicken Recipe Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Chicken: We’re using raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts. They will be fully cooked and shredded easily by the end.
- Ranch dressing: I make a homemade ranch dressing in 5 minutes, which I like to use for this recipe. It’s got far less sodium than any store-bought dressing.
- Cream cheese: It’s helpful to make sure to use softened cream cheese so that it doesn’t take too long to melt. Cut it into cubes to make it a bit easier to spread around the pot.
- Green chiles: A can of these flavorful chiles adds a spicy kick that cuts through the heavy cream cheese.
- Cooked bacon: This gets stirred in at the end, so while you have the slow cooker going, cook the bacon in the oven so it’s ready when you need it.
- Cheddar cheese: Freshly grated sharp cheddar is what I use for the best flavor and easy melting.
- Green onions: These add a bit of pungency that gives it just another layer of flavor.
- Salt & pepper: To season to taste! There is plenty of salt in the bacon, cheddar, and even the canned chiles, so be mindful of how much you are adding in.
Substitutions and Variations
- Instead of ranch dressing, you can opt to use a powdered ranch seasoning mix or ranch dressing mix like I use in my Mississippi chicken recipe.
- Swap chicken breasts for chicken thighs if preferred. You can also swap the cheese for something like Colby, pepper jack, Monterey jack, or even a combination.
- Serve on top of homemade hamburger buns.
- Use flavored cream cheese like herb and garlic, jalapeno, or chive.
- If you’re not a fan of any sort of spice you can omit the green chiles. However, if it’s more spice you’re after, use jalapenos instead.
How to Make Crockpot Crack Chicken
- Add chicken and cream cheese. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels, then place them in the bottom of the slow cooker in a single layer. Sprinkle the ranch dressing overtop and then evenly distribute the cubes of cream cheese.
- Cook until it shreds easily. Cover with the lid and cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Once it is done cooking, shred the chicken right in the pot, pulling away at the meat using 2 forks. Then, add the green chiles, bacon, cheddar cheese, and green onions.
- Stir everything together until combined. Sometimes I like to add a little extra cheese and bacon on top and then place the lid back until that top layer of cheese has melted.
- Serve crockpot crack chicken. I love kaiser or hamburger buns, in a tortilla, over rice, or with a side salad. It’s up to you how you want to devour this crack chicken crockpot recipe!
Expert Tips
- Be sure to use a block of cream cheese rather than the spreadable kind in a tub. It contains more water than the block which will affect the consistency of the crockpot crack chicken.
- Avoid low-fat cream cheese. It won’t melt as easily as regular full-fat cream cheese.
- While we’re at it, use real bacon too! It’s that smoky, salty, bacony flavor you want, not imitation bacon bits.
- Do not overcook the meat. Chicken breast is the worst when overcooked! I recommend low and slow for this one to avoid any rubbery results.
- Pro tip. Use electric beaters (a hand mixer) to shred the chicken right into the pot. It’s quick, easy, and kind of fun!
Recipe FAQs
Skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs are what I recommend. The cooking will release fat from the meat as is, so you don’t want to give it any more than that. I enjoy the breasts because they’re leaner and easier to shred, however, the dark meat will have more flavor.
You might be able to if they are real crumbled bacon bits not the fake soy kind. This crack chicken recipe really does taste best though when you cook your bacon fresh plus it’s so easy to make and hands off that you could make the bacon while it’s cooking in the crockpot!
In the end, your crockpot crack chicken shouldn’t be. Once you open the lid you may notice some extra liquid, but once you stir everything together and let it sit for a few moments it shouldn’t be.
Just be sure not to use meat with too much extra fat, and avoid low-fat cream cheese or spreadable cream cheese as well.
For a little extra something before serving, top with diced tomatoes, extra green chiles, french fried onions, red onions, sauteed mushrooms, or sliced cheese.
Serving Suggestions
There are plenty of easy ways to make this crockpot crack chicken work for your family, whether as an appetizer, a snack, or an entire meal.
- Keep it keto-friendly by using it as a dip for fresh veggies like carrot and celery sticks, raw broccoli, juicy tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.
- You could make a lettuce wrap with it as a filling, or enjoy a tossed salad on the side.
- Most often, my kids love it served on a toasted bun or a croissant for a casual dinner or brunch.
- Turn it into a filling for a loaded baked potato or a topping on a plate of nachos. Sometimes we’ll have it over rice or mashed potatoes.
Storing
If you’re serving a crowd that’s not quite ready to eat yet, you can keep crockpot crack chicken warm in the slow cooker for a little while.
After that, transfer any leftovers into an airtight container, and once completely cooled, store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze it for up to a month.
The easiest way to reheat it is in the microwave. If you are reheating a larger portion, you can toss it back in the slow cooker if you’d like.
Here are more crockpot chicken recipes you’ll love! Creamy crockpot Italian chicken, slow cooker honey garlic chicken, and slow cooker chicken taco bowls.
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Creamy Crockpot Crack Chicken
Video
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 Tablespoon ranch dressing
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese , cut into cubes
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
- 4-6 slices bacon , cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ⅓ cup sliced green onions
- Kosher salt , to taste
- Ground black pepper , to taste
Optional for serving: Buns, Tortillas
Instructions
- In the bottom of a crockpot, place the chicken. Sprinkle the ranch dressing over the top. Add the cream cheese cubes. Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours.
- Shred chicken. Stir in green chiles, bacon, cheddar cheese, and green onions until combined. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve on buns or tortillas.
Notes
- Swap chicken thighs for chicken breasts
- Use flavored cream cheese for even more flavor, like jalapeno, garlic, chive, or herb cream cheese
- Diced tomatoes
- Green chiles
- French fried onions
- Red onion
- Sauteed mushrooms
- Sliced cheese
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Crockpot, Dinner, Nut-Free, Super Bowl
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is also the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook. Here you will find easy family-friendly recipes for every occasion.
We super enjoy this Crockpot Crack Chicken. So tender and flavorful. Highly recommended!
This dish really is addicting! My family cannot get enough of it. Thanks for the recipe, I can’t wait to make this again!
I am obsessed with this dish! It’s creamy, delicious and so filling! It’s in our weekly rotation because everyone loves it!
Glad you enjoyed it! It’s a favorite of ours too!