This is my original slow cooker crack chicken! Creamy shredded chicken loaded with bacon, cheese, and ranch is as delicious and addictive as it sounds. I created this slow cooker recipe with busy families in mind, and it took the internet by storm!
Why I Love This Slow Cooker Crack Chicken
Crock pots and comfort food are made for one another. From my slow cooker chicken and dumplings to just about any of my favorite easy crockpot chicken recipes, rarely is there a winter weeknight when my crock pot isn’t at work. I came up with this easy slow cooker crack chicken with my family’s crazy schedule in mind, and it’s a hit! Here’s why it has me hooked:
- Addictive flavors. This crack chicken is fully loaded with tender chicken, savory ranch, melty cheese, and smoky crumbled bacon. Just 4 simple ingredients transform into the most flavorful and creamy shredded chicken ever.
- 5 minutes of prep. Crack chicken couldn’t be easier to make in the crock pot or slow cooker. Just combine everything, and hit go. It’s perfect for weeknights, potlucks, last-minute dinners, and parties.
- Super versatile. Crack chicken is a delicious dinner served over rice, or you can serve it in a sandwich, tortilla, or lettuce wrap. I’ll even serve it hot from the slow cooker, like my crock pot chicken nacho dip, with bread or crackers for dunking.
This crack chicken recipe inspired countless spin-offs, from soft pretzels filled with cheese, ranch, and bacon to my favorite cheesy ranch potatoes. If you love creamy chicken dinners like angel chicken and my cheesy chicken and artichoke bake, just wait until you try it!
What Exactly Is Crack Chicken?
A while ago, the internet came up with the name “crack” for the addictive combination of cheese, bacon, and ranch. I created this crack chicken as a way to fit all of those delicious, cheesy, smoky flavors in one easy slow cooker recipe. It became so popular that I made an Instant Pot version, too!
Ingredients You’ll Need
The real beauty of this slow cooker crack chicken is the simple ingredients. My original recipe needs only 4 of them! You can easily customize it by adding freshly grated cheddar, fresh herbs, or add-ins like veggies based on what your family likes. More on this later on.
For now, here are some quick notes on what you’ll need. Scroll down to the recipe card for a printable ingredients list with the full details.
- Chicken – Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. Chicken thighs might take a little more time to cook.
- Cream Cheese – My favorite is Philadelphia cream cheese. The first time I made this recipe, I went all out and used their bacon cream cheese. They also make a jalapeno flavor if you’re after a spicy kick (also check out this creamy fiesta chicken). I recommend swapping only one of the blocks for flavored cream cheese so you don’t overdo it.
- Ranch Seasoning – Choose your favorite packets of store-bought ranch seasoning mix. Or, if you have a homemade mix that you love, go ahead and use it.
- Bacon – Cooked using your preferred method until it’s nice and crispy. Afterward, crumble or chop the bacon into smaller pieces.
How to Make Crack Chicken
Making slow cooker crack chicken is as easy as dumping your ingredients into the crock pot, and walking away until it’s done cooking. Here’s a quick overview, and you’ll find the printable instructions in the recipe card below the post.
- Combine the ingredients. Add the chicken, cream cheese, and ranch seasoning to the slow cooker.
- Cook. Set the crack chicken to cook on Low for 6-8 hours, or on High for 4 hours.
- Shred and serve. Once the chicken cooks through, stir it with a fork to shred it. Finally, stir in the crispy bacon and dig in!
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Use blocks of cream cheese. This recipe works best with full blocks of cream cheese, and not the bagel spread that comes in tubs.
- Don’t overcook the chicken. Overcooked chicken will be dry. Use your slow cooker’s Low setting if you plan on leaving this crack chicken to cook for the day unattended.
- Test the chicken for doneness. The easiest way to do this is with an instant-read thermometer. Chicken is done when the internal temperature reads 165ºF. Fully cooked chicken should be easy to shred with a fork.
- Time-saving hack: If you’re short on time, shred a rotisserie chicken from the store. Then, melt the cheese, add the ranch, and stir everything together.
- Less sodium. If you’re watching your sodium levels, feel free to use one packet of ranch seasoning mix instead of two.
- Herbs and seasonings. This recipe is deliciously simple, so there’s room to adapt it with your favorite seasonings. Stir in thyme, oregano, or Italian seasoning. Chopped parsley, green onions, or chives are a great way to add some green. You can give this crack chicken some kick with a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes, too.
- Add cheddar cheese. For more melty, cheesy flavor, add freshly shredded sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, or even Pepper Jack cheese.
- Add vegetables. Good options to add to crack chicken are fresh diced carrots, broccoli, sliced green beans, and mushrooms. You could also use a frozen vegetable medley.
Serving Suggestions
This slow cooker crack chicken is one of those go-to recipes that you can use in TONS of ways. I think I’ve tried them all, but my favorite way to serve pulled chicken and crack chicken is between toasted hamburger buns. Top the chicken with shredded cheddar and extra bacon, pop it under the broiler quickly, and… *chef’s kiss*. A sprinkle of chives adds a nice pop of green.
My crack chicken is low-carb and keto-friendly on its own, or you can tuck it into a lettuce wrap or serve it with a green salad on the side. This chicken also makes a tasty topping for rice, enchiladas, or tacos, or I’ll serve it as a creamy dip with bread, crackers, or crunchy tortilla chips for dipping.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Crack chicken is great for meal prep. Store any leftovers in airtight containers in the fridge to reheat for easy lunches and dinners within 3 days.
- Reheat. Warm the chicken on the stove or in the microwave. If the cream cheese has thickened a little in the fridge, stir in a splash of water or broth while reheating.
More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
Slow Cooker Crack Chicken
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: serves 8
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Dinner
Description
My original slow cooker crack chicken is creamy, cheesy pulled chicken with bacon and ranch. This easy slow cooker recipe is an internet smash, created with busy families in mind!
Ingredients
- 3 lbs boneless chicken breasts
- 2 (8 oz) blocks cream cheese
- 2 (1 oz) packets dry Ranch seasoning
- 8 oz bacon, cooked crisply and crumbled
Instructions
- In a slow cooker combine the chicken, cream cheese, and Ranch seasoning.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours, until chicken shreds easily.
- Once chicken shreds stir with a large fork or spoon, so the chicken shreds and all the ingredients combine.
- Add in crumbled bacon and stir to incorporate.
- Serve warm.
Notes
Store airtight in the refrigerator for up to 3 days
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 554
- Sugar: 2.1 g
- Sodium: 1266.4 mg
- Fat: 33.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 7.6 g
- Protein: 51.2 g
- Cholesterol: 209.2 mg
ok i am going to have to make this! crack chicken sounds amazing!
Crack Chicken: I can’t wait to try it. I had all the ingredients so they went straight into the crockpot. It’s 9:30 pm now so appears I’ll have a tasty low carb lunch tomorrow!
Ohhhh this looks SO good! Making it right now, had to make some ranch seasoning myself, it tastes pretty good so we’ll see.. But everything smells delicious, can’t wait for it to be done!!
For easy shredding put it in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Turn on low for a few seconds. 🙂
Regardless of its unfortunate name..I would down it in like 2.78 seconds
So, are we to assume that this post is sponsored by Target? (Target chicken shown and the flashing ad from Target). You really should disclose that information. Honestly, Your posts are all too often are “sponsored”. It seems that your blog has turned into one giant corp. ad. It seems you will take money from anyone and plug an ad anywhere. You even have an ad from Campbell’s in your recipe! Too many ads for me….too little honestly. I’m unsubscribing.
This post isn’t an ad for Target at all! I actually VERY rarely do sponsored posts. The ads that are displayed are quite often out of my control, as I use an ad network who fills my ad space. I featured the Target chicken because that is what I used and I do shop frequently at Target. This post is completely authentic to my life.
It looks sinful and delicious! Unless you are a regular shopper at Target how would one possibly know your chicken is from Target? Some people can see the negative in anything…
Not sure who piddled on her Post Toasties but WOW. See that, I snuck an ad in.;) Not sure why it even matters if it’s sponsored but that lady clearly doesn’t know how ads work.
Now, to my question: have you tried this with reduced fat or fat free cream cheese?
Thank you!!
Low fat = added sugar. Fat burns fat buy the whole milk everything
Could not agree more, Donnette. Just found this out in cancer treatment. Go full fat. With protein, full fat repairs your cells, needs it; and you actually eat less because full fat is so satisfying taste-wise. But the cancer doctors had to really break down the latest dietary research for me because I was a loyal, fanatic, anti-fat person. I’ve lost 55 pounds.
Then I found out the doctor that started the anti-fat movement in 1970 did it with purposefully missing data, and faulty trials. This came out in 2014, and quickly buried because so many famous doctors have made a career out of the anti-fat/reduced fat/fat-free movement.. Doctor’s papers have been removed from scientific medical journals. He is banned from publishing, and I think medical institutions took away his medical credentials.
You’re absolutely correct! Sugar and carbs actually feed cancer cells, as well as increase seizure activity in people who have seizures. Without sugar, cancer cells can’t feed. Cells need fat to grow and reproduce healthy cells.
I shop at Walmart, so all my ads are from Walmart. Obviously, you do a lot of shopping at Target yourself!
I understand about Target, Wal Mart ……………. showing up as ads. Mine advertises Avon. I am positive none of the ingredients can be bought from AVON.
This looks delish. just need to substitute the cream cheese & Ranch Dressing so my D-I-L can enjoy it as well.
I had know idea the chicken was from Target, maybe that’s where she shops.
**no
It’s NOT!! TARGET is showing because YOU searched Target for somethimg!
Geez, Patty, take a pill. You sound as if you need some professional help.dealing with your anger issues. Sniping at, and calling other posters derogatory names – people you DON’T EVEN KNOW! – is indicative of something else going on.
I see my shrink once a week, how about you?
You should probably go every day or even possibly consider just checking yourself in for an extended stay- be sure to request extra padding for your room.
Your an idiot
*You’re (You might want to be careful of calling another person an idiot when your unnecessary and unwarranted mean comment includes a grammatical error.)
LOL!
You are an idiot Amanda!
Patty, You really need to be booted from this conversation because you have brought absolutely nothing positive to it. Move along already!
Maybe “Carrie” should get her recipes from a cookbook, although she would have to go to a store..(you know the kind that sponsors ads on blogs) to buy it. Actually she should probably just stay off the internet if she does not know how blogs or the web in general work.
No lie! Some people are dumber than a post!
Bye Felicia…
The ads are posted by an external advertising service. They have an automated “bot” that scans any page that is using their advertising code. The bot scans the text to determine what the article is about then serves up an ad that is most relevant to the content on the page. So if the bot “thinks” that the article is about children’s clothing, the advertising server will place ads on the page that are relevant to the topic on the page, so you might see ads for children’s clothing, children’s bedding, toys, etc. The blogger has no control over which ads appear on the page. The purpose of this strategy is to serve up ads that readers are the most likely to be interested in since the advertisers know that if you’re here to read an article about car engines you probably won’t be interested in something not relevant to that topic, such as diapers or home decor. 🙂
When I look at it, I have advertisments from Walmart. Does this mean it’s Walmart sponsored? No, it means whatever you were looking up prior to seeing this recipe was at that store. So, you were the one looking up things at Target!
Your computer settings need to be changed, or you have a virus. I don’t have any advertisements on mine. You must have been looking at Target, that’s why it copied the link.
Um, the ad that you see will be based on the cookies on your own computer. Basically, it’ll relate to websites YOU have visited. There are no Target ads among the ones I see, but there are ads from websites I’ve been to. There’s no need to be so hostile when you don’t even know what you’re talking about.
this sounds good, until I read cream cheese! Would there be anything to use in place of the cream cheese?
You could certainly use 2 cans of Cream of Chicken Soup in it’s place..the texture might be different, but it would still be good!
So cream of chicken soup is better for you than cream cheese? It’s worse, read the labels.
Would that be undiluted or with the water/milk?
My favorite hot chicken sandwich recipe uses cream of chicken soup and handfuls of crushed potato chips. Just mix it and add more chips until you have the right consistency. I usually use canned chicken breast, 2 big cans to one can of soup. You can also use low salt chips and healthier cream of chicken soup. Making the chicken bacon ranch today! It may become my new favorite.
Yes, this is how I remember hot chicken sandwiches! I like the idea of adding a little cream cheese in it, so I think I’ll mix the two recipes next time! Gotta have the potato chips, though. lol
Yes! No cream cheese. Replace chicken with tofu; cream cheese replaced by puree of lima bean. 2 Tbls. fish sauce instead of ranch dessing. Cook quickly in micro wave.
YUM!
Lmao
I think everyone needs to be kinder. I don’t think rock throwing is what cooking and good food is all about. Shame on you. We are all just trying to stay alive and love one another..
Neufectal cheese
Okay, I think you are some kind of food blog genius. You understand food. Period.
All this from a slow cooker? Love it…..although it does have an unfortunate name!
I agree. I’m tired of seeing recipes with that derogatory term.
Maybe you should stay off the internet! Crack isn’t always referring to a drug. Sometimes it’s used as crackpot, which is what you are!
I think I’ll just call it Cream Cheese Ranch Chicken.
Oh, so the song “gimme crack corn, and I don’t care” was about crack in the 1840s? No, it was about slavery. Don’t put a negative meaning on everything!
Jimmy crack corn, Patty
I think slavery was pretty negative too.
Actually it is “Jimmy crack corn”
Patty Field you really have a thing for quoting things incorrectly, don’t you? Acting ugly and posting clearly incorrect information in the process just makes you look extremely stupid, rather than the person you are attempting to insult with your unnecessary, rude and derogatory comments that actually show and confirm your clear lack of knowledge, tact and maturity. There is no excuse for your negative, rude and extremely immature behavior. I’m sorry, I just came across this awesome recipe and was reading through the comments for any additional helpful information and I was extremely put off and offended by the despicable and unnecessary comments posted by this ugly person. I don’t normally comment on anything unless I have a very helpful idea or suggestion to add for people to try if they’d like, but I just couldn’t hold back the disgust I felt in response to this person’s ugly comments and attitude. Thank you to all of the people who posted positive and helpful comments on this thread.
I realize I am a little late to Patty’s party. I just found this recipe. In the 5 years since all her inappropriate, useless & unsolicited comments were made, I sincerely hope she’s found a better hobby than ridiculing, arguing & antagonizing other commenters. Why the F*^% anyone would argue about internet advertising & SLAVERY on a RECIPE blog is beyond me. Can you imagine what a delight this broad is in person.
PS- I rarely ever comment like this, but I literally could not help myself.
Hi Shelly – I just happened to be on this site today – MissHomemade.com – looking for a recipe for Enchilada Seasoning. This gal has everything homemade – so we don’t have to be eating all that bad stuff – to have these delicious meals. Just checked for homemade Ranch Dressing – and it’s right there. Best Homemade Ranch Dressing from Scratch – MissHomemade.com.
PS – LUV all your posts. Gain weight just reading them!! 🙂 Keep up the good (and absolutely-delicious) work!!