Slow Cooker Crack Chicken has everything that is good and addicting in it! Filled with bacon, cheese, cream cheese, and ranch dressing mix.
I finally got around to trying this Slow Cooker Crack Chicken recipe. My neighbor told me about this crack chicken, though she makes hers in her instant pot.
This recipe is a creation by Shelly from the website Cookies and Cups; you can see her recipe here. I am so glad I gave this recipe a try the flavors go so good together and go great over white rice which helps take away a bit of the saltiness.
How to make Crack Chicken:
I start with chicken thighs instead of breasts. I feel the thighs have more moisture, and the overall dish turns out great. I also only use one ranch packet to cut back on the sodium.
You will need these ingredients:
- Chicken thighs
- Ranch dressing seasoning mix
- Cream cheese
- Cheddar Cheese
- Cooked Bacon
- Green Onions
How to prepare:
Add the chicken to the slow cooker and top with the ranch packet and cream cheese. That’s all you need to add at this point. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours and do not open the lid during the cooking time.
After the cooking time is up, shred the chicken with 2 forks. I do this right in the slow cooker, no need to remove the chicken and dirty a plate.
Add the cooked bacon then top with the cheddar cheese. Place the lid back on to let the cheese melt. Sprinkle over green onions if desired.
What to serve this with
- Over white rice (my favorite option)
- Eat it as is if you are on a low carb or keto diet
- Over-toasted hamburger buns
- Mashed potatoes
- Inside of baked potatoes
- With crackers; serve as a dip
- Add a salad on the side with any of the above options
The ideas are endless on how to serve this crack chicken. You could make it a different way every week!
This dish is so rich and creamy! I am dreaming about making it again this week. Such a fun recipe to try for a Sunday dinner or even to entertain guests. Give this recipe a try and let me know how you like it. Have a great week.
Slow Cooker Crack Chicken
Equipment
- Slow Cooker – 4 quart or larger
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs (trim off excess fat if desired)
- 1 oz. packet ranch seasoning mix
- 16 oz. cream cheese
- 8 slices bacon (sliced, cooked and drained)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup sliced green onions
Instructions
- Add the chicken thighs to the slow cooker. Sprinkle over the ranch seasoning mix. Place the cream cheese on top of the chicken.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 7 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
- Shred the chicken, I do this right in the slow cooker with 2 forks. Stir the cream cheese into the shredded chicken and also stir in the bacon. Spread out into an even layer. Sprinkle over the cheese. Cover for 10 more minutes to allow the cheese to melt.
- Serve over rice and sprinkle over the green onions. Enjoy! Other great ways to serve is over a baked potato or on sandwich rolls.
Where does the bacon go?
When the chicken is shredded, right before topping with cheese. Thank you.
When you shred the chicken, stir it in. I added the info.
So I guess you crumble the bacon over the cheddar cheese? Just making sure.
I meant get be missing it, but when do you add the bacon, or is it just a garnish?
Easy way to shred cooked chicken in crockpot is to use electric beaters!
I did this for the first time and it worked great!
Not heard of ranch seasoning or
Green onions alternatives please
Hilary Collins U K
Green onions spring onions or
Another name scallions??.
You could add your favorite seasonings instead of the ranch dressing mix, and green onions are scallions here in the US.
Scallions are a small onion and gave the thin layer of brown skin on them. Green onions are the stalk onions the you cut the stalk which is hollow in the middle. There is a white bulb at the end of the stalk and you can cut that too but the little green circles from the stalk are more attractive. FYI
Ranch Dressing dry mix packets are available in the salad dressing area at the grocery store. Green Onions are also know as scallions. Long thin grass like stalks with small mini onion at the bottom. Use the green stalk cut accross which produces the little green circles metiioned above.
Where in the process does the bacon get added please? (apologies if it’s there and I’m missing it)
You didn’t miss it. I was wondering, too. I believe you cook the bacon separately and then you add it to the chicken mixture at the same you add the cheddar cheese.
Can I use white meat instead? would it still be good as the dark meat?
The original recipe calls for breasts, I think it will be fine.
WOW! You have no idea how many times I’m reading comments for a recipe, and somebody asks, when do you add a certain ingredient. PEOPLE!, read the instructions, for Pete’s sake!!! For THIS specific recipe, it’s bacon. You add it (bacon) in #3 of the instructions! Great recipes Sarah! I can’t wait to check out your other blog!
It’s because I fixed it, it wasn’t there before. 🙂
Can I cook it on high for 3-4 hours instead of low on 7?
Yes, I think that will be fine.
I really want to make this and I love Cream Cheese, Worried 16 oz. will over power the chicken.
It is a lot of cream cheese, we loved it. You can do just one though.
Can this recipe be doubled or even tripled an use the same cooking time, or would I need to cook it longer? Sounds great for when the family gets together.
Yes! You could probably add a bit more chicken and not change the other ingredients.
Can I cook this in a Instant pot, if so how long and on High or Low
There’s lost of recipes out there for insta pot crack pot chicken. I’d imagine you could look at one of those recipes, using this recipe but their time and setting for it. This is a really good recipe!
Here in Denmark, we cant get ranch seasonning – whats in it? If I should try to remake it?
Ranch Seasoning Ingredients
1/2 cup buttermilk powder
2 tablespoons parsley
1 teaspoon dill
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons onion flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons chives
I used an 8oz pkg of green onion & chive cream cheese & an 8oz container of jalpeno cream cheese, gave it a little extra kick!
That actually sounds like a GREAT idea!!
Do you think I can make this & freeze some small containers for later use?
I’m unsure how the dairy in this would do in the freezer.
Clarification of step #3: Stir the cream cheese (THAT HAS BEEN COOKING) into the shredded chicken and also stir in the bacon. Spread out into an even layer. Sprinkle over the (SHREDDED CHEDDAR) cheese. Cover for 10 more minutes to allow the cheese to melt.
Correct? I panicked that I had put the cream cheese in too soon. Had to read several times to realize I was just stirring cream cheese that had already been in the crock pot, then adding cheddar cheese to melt.
I add a can of Rotel to mine for extra flavor.
Literally so good! I’m in college and on a budget and need fast, cheap, low carb recipes and this hits all the boxes and is DELISH!!!!! Will make again. I keep reheating the leftovers and each time reheat I’m not even upset that I’m eating it for the fourth day in a row
My mom recommended this recipe and I made it for a potluck at work… it was a HUGE hit! Making it again 2 days later for a friends housewarming party! It’s so cheap, easy and versatile! Thank you!!!
Can I do this with frozen thighs and, if so, how much longer would the cooking time be?
I think the same time will work great. They thaw pretty quick. Keep the lid on the entire time.
I put double the amount of chicken in the crockpot bottom and smashed it all in there. I put in 2 packets of the ranch seasoning in and dumped 3 8 ounce packs of cream cheese on top of it. Plus I seasoned the chicken with some salt and pepper before putting it in the crockpot. After the 7 hours – and it only took one fork to pull it all apart – I dumped 2, 12 ounce packs of pre-cooked bacon which I pulled apart by hand in small pieces. Then I dumped 2-1/2 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese on top, closed the lid as instructed and waited for it to melt. Absolutely delicious! This recipe is a keeper! Next time, we’re going to chop up 5 or 6 serrano peppers and add that to the mix as well as spicing it up with some cayenne pepper and see what a spicy version of this will taste like. Oh, and we dumped the concoction onto toast but then we pulled out the cheddar cheese potato chips and used it as a dip. Amazing!
Decided to start cooking this at night like I do my roast. After the 12 hrs can I leave it on war until the am then aff the rest of the ingredients?
I think 12+ hours is too much for chicken breast and this little of liquid. I wouldn’t do more than 8.
I made this the other day and WAY overcooked it. Cooked it for the 7 hrs. as recommended but since I was at work, told my husband to put it on warm…and then I forgot about it. I got home 3 hrs. later! Well, the cream cheese kind of curdled or something-it didn’t look so good but I figured we would eat it anyway and it really tasted good! Even with the overcooking! So, thank you, Sarah, for a still enjoyable meal despite my cooking error!