Slow Cooker Crack Chicken (Bacon Cheddar Ranch) is an addicting mixture of chicken, cheese, and bacon, perfectly seasoned with ranch dressing. Cooking this in the slow cooker takes all the work out of it and makes it a super simple hearty dinner on busy days.
My friends, you are in for a treat. Slow Cooker Crack Chicken is a super-simple slow cooker recipe that you can throw together in minutes. The chicken gets cooked low and slow for a perfect tender, juicy, and savory result.
I’m telling you – this Crockpot Crack Chicken is one of my favorite go-to recipes. It’s easy to make, and the chicken is moist and flavorful.
If you know me, then you know that I’m all about easy dinner recipes. I love a good dump & go dinner because the days are already too full for a whole lot of meal prep – especially when you consider the clean-up afterward too.
We all go nuts for this chicken dinner because not only is it delicious – but it’s quick on the prep and keeps the mess to just the slow cooker insert – so clean-up is super fast too. Check out how easy this is – I know you’ll love it.
crockpot crack chicken
Here are some commonly asked questions
What is crack chicken?
Crack Chicken is like a flavor explosion of chicken, bacon, & ranch seasoning mixed in a creamy cream cheese sauce. This chicken recipe is a super simple and easy, family-friendly meal that is great for busy weeknights, tailgating & big summer holiday parties. I love that it’s easy as dump and go.
How many can this serve?
This will depend greatly on portion sizes & the appetites of your crowd. But in general, this recipe is enough for 6-8 people to have a sandwich-sized portion.
chicken crack recipe
Can you freeze crack chicken?
Yes, absolutely Allow it to cool to room temperature, then place it in an airtight container, label with the date & place it in the freezer. When you would like to enjoy it again, just transfer it to the refrigerator the night before so that it can thaw. Then just reheat in the microwave for several minutes, or until it reaches your desired temperature.
Can this recipe be doubled?
Absolutely, as long as you are using a full-size slow cooker you should have plenty of room to double this recipe. This is perfect if you are hosting a party or doing a big tailgating event.
crack crock pot chicken
Ingredients for Crack Chicken
- boneless skinless chicken breasts
- chicken broth regular or low sodium
- dry ranch seasoning or homemade
- cream cheese
- bacon cooked and crumbled
- cheddar cheese shredded
Serving
- Buns
- Green onions
Can I use bacon bits instead?
YES – that would be fine if you are tight on time. I like to make bacon 1-2 times a week & just keep it in the fridge for those times when I just want to toss it into recipes like this one. This saves me a ton of prep time when it comes to making dinner.
cracked chicken
How to make Slow Cooker Crack Chicken
- Trim the chicken, if necessary and lay it in single layer in the slow cooker.
- Pour the chicken broth over the chicken.
- Sprinkle the ranch seasoning over the top of the chicken.
- Cut the cream cheese into chunks and lay it on top of the chicken.
- Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
- Remove the cooked chicken from the slow cooker and shred it using two forks or a hand mixer.
- Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir in the bacon.
- Sprinkle the cheese evenly on top and cover until cheese is melted.
- Serve with buns, or rice and garnish with green onions if desired.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Tips for Making Crockpot Crack Chicken
- You can make this with boneless skinless chicken breasts, tenders or thighs. If you are using smaller cuts of chicken you can reduce the cooking time a bit.
- Make it less creamy by reducing the broth by 1/4 – 1/2 of a cup.
- Make the thicker version and then enjoy it as a dip.
- Try using freshly shredded cheese instead of the pre-shredded as it doesn’t have the added coating on it that keeps it from sticking together. Freshly shredded tends to melt better for this reason.
- Change up the cheese varieties – try pepper jack, colby or swiss.
- Stir in some of your favorite hot sauce.
crack chicken recipe
What to serve with crack chicken?
What I love about crack chicken is how versatile it is. You can take this recipe & serve it on a bun. That makes it quick & easy. But you could also add this to taco shells with all the taco or burrito fixings.
We also like to add a little extra moisture & serve it over a bed of rice. If you are trying to keep this on the KETO plan, then wrap it in some lettuce instead of a tortilla & you have a delicious meal. Here are a couple of side dish recipes we serve along with it.
- chef salad
- Instant Pot baked beans
- veggie dip
- fruit salad
- strawberry jello salad
- perfectly cooked bacon – for mixing in
chicken bacon ranch crockpot
Can I make this recipe with frozen chicken?
There is some debate about making frozen chicken in a slow cooker. While I know many people that do just toss the frozen chicken in there – the issue is that because it is frozen the chicken spends too much time either not being cold enough or hot enough to prevent bacteria growth when it is cooking from a frozen state.
It just takes too long for it to completely thaw and then reach proper temperature – which can lead to unsafe consumption. If you have forgotten to get dinner going and have frozen chicken – I highly recommend trying my Instant Pot Crack Chicken recipe – which gets it done in just 30 minutes.
What slow cooker do you use?
We actually have several slow cookers that we have acquired over the years from doing this job. I have a smaller one that is great for half recipes.
But the one I use the most is this standard, no-frills slow cooker that is perfect for this particular recipe.
crack chicken in crockpot
Products I love when making slow cooker crack chicken…
This Crockpot Crack Chicken recipe is so INCREDIBLY simple and delicious – and if you’re like me, then you probably already have many of these items on hand! OR maybe you have never made a dump & go dinner in your slow cooker before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love how easy this dinner is to make. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this super popular dinner.
- ranch seasoning
- cutting board
- chicken broth
- whisk
- bacon bits
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- slow cooker
If you love this Easy Slow Cooker Crack Chicken recipe, you’re going to love these other slow cooker recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
More Great Slow-Cooker Chicken Recipes
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip
Crockpot Chicken Parmesan Soup
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Slow Cooker Crack Chicken (Bacon Cheddar Ranch)
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ½ cup chicken broth regular or low sodium
- 2 packets dry ranch seasoning or homemade 1 oz each
- 16 oz cream cheese
- 1 cup bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese shredded
Serving
- Buns
- Green onions
Instructions
- Trim the chicken, if necessary and lay it in single layer in the slow cooker.
- Pour the chicken broth over the chicken.
- Sprinkle the ranch seasoning over the top of the chicken.
- Cut the cream cheese into chunks and lay it on top of the chicken.
- Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
- Remove the cooked chicken from the slow cooker and shred it using two forks or a hand mixer.
- Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir in the bacon.
- Sprinkle the cheese evenly on top and cover until cheese is melted.
- Serve with buns, or rice and garnish with green onions if desired.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate. Please double-check with your own dietary calculator for the best accuracy. We at Yummi Haus cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
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