Crockpot Crack Chicken 🥓
When my kids were in elementary, middle, and high school they used to eat me out of house and home every spring break and summer. Fun fact they still do but here’s a delicious Crockpot Crack Chicken to keep your kids off your back for a couple hours. Ya’ll know I love my crockpot recipes I even released my Top 10 Crockpot Recipes. So let’s hop on into this and make some magic in the kitchen.
Here it is, my Hamilton Beach 6-Quart Slow Cooker for my recipes. The perfect crockpot for any dish and by far my most useful gadget in my kitchen.
QUICK SIDE NOTE! This Hidden Valley Ranch is a literal haymaker of flavor, it actually just puts this dish to sky level.
Tips Before Cooking
Use room-temperature cream cheese
One thing people struggle with when making crockpot crack chicken is lumpy cream cheese. If the cream cheese goes in straight from the fridge, it takes much longer to melt and blend into the chicken.
Let it sit on the counter for about 15–20 minutes before cooking so it melts smoothly into that creamy ranch sauce everyone loves.
Don’t add extra liquid
A lot of slow cooker recipes call for broth or water, but you actually don’t need it here. The chicken releases plenty of moisture while it cooks, and that liquid mixes with the cream cheese and ranch seasoning to create the perfect creamy sauce.
Adding extra liquid can actually make the mixture soupy instead of rich and thick.
Use freshly shredded cheese if possible
Pre-shredded cheese is convenient, but it contains anti-caking powders that can prevent it from melting smoothly.
If you want the creamiest crack chicken, shred your cheese from a block. It melts better and gives the sauce that silky texture everyone loves.
🤔 Common Questions
Yes! Chicken thighs work great in crockpot crack chicken and actually stay a little juicier than chicken breasts. Just cook them the same way and shred them once they’re tender.
Chicken naturally releases liquid while it cooks in the slow cooker. Once you shred the chicken and stir everything together, the cream cheese and shredded cheese usually thicken the mixture right up. If it still seems loose, just leave the lid off for a few minutes and let it sit — it will thicken as it cools.
Crockpot Crack Chicken
Ingredients
- 12 oz cream cheese
- 1.5 lbs chicken breasts 2 fat chicken breasts
- 1 ½ tbsp hidden valley ranch seasoning if you want more of a ranch flavor add the whole packet
- 1 jalapeno seeded & chopped (optional)
- 9 slices of bacon
- ⅓ cup green onions sliced
- 4 oz freshly shredded colby jack cheese
- Artisan rolls use as many as you want
Instructions
- To your crockpot add in the cream cheese, chicken breasts, hidden valley ranch seasoning, and the jalapeno. Then, just pop the lid on the crockpot, set it to high, and let that cook on high for 3 hours.
- When that has almost reached 3 hours, get out a baking sheet and line it with some aluminum foil. Then, place a baking rack on top of the baking sheet with the aluminum foil and add the slices of bacon on top of the baking rack. Bake that in the oven at 400°F for about 20 minutes or until the bacon is crispy. Set it aside.
- Once it has been 3 hours, take the lid of the crockpot and shred up the chicken. Once the chicken is all shredded, add in the sliced green onions (save some for garnish. Then, take about 7 slices of that crispy bacon (save 2 pieces for the garnish), crush it up into bacon bits, and sprinkle them over the green onions. Lastly, sprinkle the freshly shredded colby jack cheese over the top (save some for garnish). Pop the lid back on the crockpot, and let that cook on high for about 20 minutes, so the cheese can get melty.
- Once that’s done it’s time to assemble our open face sandwiches! Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a baking rack on top of it. Open your rolls and place them on the baking rack. Now, take that crack chicken mixture and add a heaping amount on top of each roll. Then, top them with the leftover shredded cheese, bacon bits, and sliced green onions. Place them in the oven at 400°F for just 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasty. Serve & enjoy!
Video
Notes
- If you are using 2 lbs or more of chicken breasts, use 2 blocks of cream (16 oz) instead of 1 ½ blocks (12 oz)
- If you want more of a ranch flavor, use the whole packet of hidden valley ranch seasoning.
- If you don’t want to serve this on a bread roll you can also serve this over mashed potatoes or rice!
Nutrition
👝 How to Store Leftovers
Store in an air-tight container for 3-5 days in the refrigerator.
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