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Get It NowThis crack chicken is one of my family’s all-time favorite slow cooker recipes. It’s incredibly creamy and cheesy, I always have the ingredients around, and it requires almost no hands-on time. I’ve been making it since 2019, but realized that some of my improvements over the years never made it to the blog. When I made this Crock Pot crack chicken recipe again recently, my daughter tried it on a gluten-free bun with a piece of butter lettuce and literally rolled her eyes back in delight. And so did I. If you’ve tried this recipe before, I hope you’ll make it with me again — it’s even better now!
Why You Need My Crack Chicken Recipe
- Creamy, herby, cheesy shredded chicken with bacon – All these comfort food ingredients make this crack chicken so addictive, hence the name! (For what it’s worth, I didn’t name it, but I can see why someone called it that.) And with my new cook time, the chicken is a lot more tender.
- Virtually no prep – This is truly the ultimate dump-it-all-in-the-Crock-Pot recipe. There are no separate bowls, no separate cooking, nothing. It takes me 5 minutes to get it going.
- Clean ingredients – Many crack chicken recipes use ranch seasoning mix packets, which are filled with artificial preservatives, starch, and sometimes even sugar. Mine simply combines common herbs and spices, similar to the ones in my homemade ranch dressing. So, it’s low carb, gluten-free, and just simple.
- So many ways to enjoy it – See my serving ideas below!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my crack chicken recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Chicken Breast – I mainly use this because I always have it, but have used boneless chicken thighs and they are even more juicy. You pick!
- Herbs & Spices – Dried parsley, dried dill, dried chives, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. A few notes on these:
- Don’t add salt! The cheeses and bacon are already salty enough. You can always salt at the end, but I never need to.
- Yes, the seasoning amounts seem like a lot. I actually increased them from my older version. Trust me, this is how much you want!
- To substitute fresh herbs, triple the amounts. Yes, really.
- You can substitute 1/3 cup of my homemade ranch seasoning, but omit the salt when you make it — see above. I don’t recommend pre-made packets, which usually have salt (and artificial ingredients.
- I wouldn’t use ranch dressing here — the flavor isn’t strong enough, and because cooking crack chicken in the Crock Pot releases extra moisture and the result will be too watery.
- Cheeses – Cream cheese and cheddar cheese. Feel free to swap the cheddar with other types that melt well, such as pepper jack.
- Bacon – I usually cook bacon in the oven in advance for the week, but if you don’t have any cooked, you can air fry bacon or microwave bacon for this recipe quickly. I used to use bacon bits as a shortcut and you definitely can, but the flavor and texture is much better if you cook it yourself.
- Green Onions – I use just the green parts. Feel free to toss in the white parts, too.
How To Make Crack Chicken In The Crock Pot
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Season the chicken. Place chicken breasts into the slow cooker in a single layer. Sprinkle with all the herbs and spices. Top with pieces of cream cheese.
- Slow cook until easy to shred. Shred the chicken with two forks, then stir with the cream cheese mixture at the bottom.
- Stir in the shredded cheddar, bacon, and green onions. I like to top this slow cooker crack chicken with a little extra for serving!
My Recipe Tips
- This crack chicken recipe is not spicy at all, but you can adjust the heat. Feel free to double or even triple the black pepper, or add a little cayenne pepper for a kick.
- When you add the cream cheese to the slow cooker, try to place it on top of the chicken and not on the bottom of the vessel. It melts more gently that way.
- While you can cook this recipe on high, low is better. In my testing, the chicken was noticeably more tender and less dry on the low setting.
- The chicken should shred effortlessly. If it’s tough, that’s a sign it’s either over or undercooked. I used to cook this Crock Pot crack chicken recipe for 6-8 hours on low, but have since learned that’s too long! It’s much better with the shorter times I have listed below.
- When you first start stirring, the cream cheese might not be fully smooth. This is normal! Keep stirring and it will become creamy – and even more so after you add the shredded cheese.
- If you want some chunks of chicken, stir every gently or use a folding motion. Otherwise this crack chicken typically leaves you with small shredded bits in a thick, creamy sauce – which I think is delicious.
- If needed, add salt to your taste at the end. I didn’t include it in the recipe because surprisingly, the cream cheese was salty enough for me.
- Reserve extra cheese, bacon and green onions for topping if you like. I did just bacon and green onions in my pictures here, but sometimes I melt more cheddar on top as well. If the cheese doesn’t melt on the warm setting, you can turn the Crock Pot to low again for 5-10 minutes.
- Want these flavors on whole chicken breasts instead? My bacon ranch chicken recipe is just that.
Serving Ideas
This crack chicken recipe comes out soft and creamy, almost like a dip. So, I’ve used it in a multitude of ways:
- Sandwiches & Wraps – Pile it onto your favorite hamburger buns, or wrap it in lettuce wraps for a lighter option. The buns pictured above are from my (first) Easy Keto Cookbook. My (second) Easy Keto Carboholics’ Cookbook has even better buns that are soft and airy, like real ones. I use regular ones for my kids. I served a simple green salad on the side this time, but my sugar-free coleslaw also pairs well.
- Serve as a dip – Sturdy veggies, like celery, carrots, or bell peppers, are perfect for scooping up crack chicken. You can also do this with baked tortilla chips, or spread it onto crackers.
- Casserole – When I have time, I roast broccoli or cauliflower while I have the crack chicken in the slow cooker. Fold them together in a baking dish, top with more cheese, and bake for something totally new. (This also works great with leftovers!)
- Noodles – This creamy sauce is so delicious mixed in with zucchini noodles, shirataki noodles, or spaghetti squash. Feel free to use your favorite pasta.
- Bowls – Pile the chicken over a base, like rice, cauliflower rice, or even roasted sweet potatoes.
Crack Chicken (Crock Pot Recipe)
Make my easy crack chicken recipe in the Crock Pot with just 5 minutes of prep! It's creamy, cheesy, and so addicting for the whole family.
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Place the chicken breasts into a slow cooker in a single layer. Sprinkle dried herbs and spices on top.
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Arrange the pieces of cream cheese evenly over the chicken.
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Cook the chicken for 2-3 hours on high or 4-5 hours on low, until the chicken is easy to shred.
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Shred the chicken with two forks, and stir to mix with the cream cheese.
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Stir in the shredded cheddar, bacon, and green onions.
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If you like, sprinkle more shredded cheese on top, close the lid, and keep on warm for 5-10 minutes to melt. (This is optional.)
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers (this also helps me continue to provide free recipes on my site), or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: ~5 1/2 ounces, or 1/10 of the entire recipe
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the perfect creamy, tender texture (without dryness), how to know when it’s done, suggestions if you like it spicy, and more.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. They reheat well, so you can serve them in the same ways I have listed above, but I’ve also turned them into soup by simply adding chicken broth and heating.
- Reheat: You can use the microwave, the stovetop, or even your slow cooker again. Add an extra splash of broth if it seems dry.
- Freeze: You can keep crack chicken in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just thaw in the refrigerator overnight and give it a stir after reheating. I like to portion it into these cubes.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Keto Ebook Bundle!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Crack Chicken (Crock Pot Recipe)
369 Comments
Jasmine
4This looks like a great recipe but can we stop referring to things we think are really good as crack? There was nothing good about crack or the crack epidemic. It destroyed many communities, families and lives.
Ray
2“crack” is actually a term used for a certain combination of ingredients: cheese, Ranch seasoning and bacon
Brandon
1Can we stop finding any reason to complain about everything, call it something else if you want but stop with the Im offended over everything attitude.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jasmine, I agree with you. I did not come up with this name for this recipe, unfortunately whoever first came up with it decided to name it this way.
Tim
1This is an excellent recipe! Delicious and easy to prep and cook. I added broccoli to mine, but it’s a keeper either way!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Tim! Broccoli sounds like a great addition. In case anyone else is considering adding some, if it were me I would add it in the last 30 minutes or so, if you don’t want it super mushy.
Terri
1This is delicious! My husband loved it and normally he doesn’t comment on meals. Definitely a keeper for us!
Lynda
1Let me tell you what…this recipe was amazing! The spices were spot on too. I just made it this morning and it was quick, simple and was done in three hours. I followed the recipe to the letter. It’s a bit different from any other chicken recipes I’ve tried and I was a bit hesitant about all that cream cheese but it didn’t overpower and was the perfect amount. Thank you for this great recipe. I saved it to my Pinterest page so I can make it again!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Lynda! I’m so glad you liked it.
Cindy D
1I was concerned when I didn’t see “salt” in the recipe. But this was oh-so-yummy without added salt. I really enjoyed this recipe! Thanks ever so much.
Kristin S
0Thanks for mentioning the salt, I literally came to the comments to make sure I didn’t need to add any.
Brittany
1I understand the idea behind calling this “crack” chicken is that it’s so delicious, but is there a better word you could use to describe this dish? Just something to think about.
Denny
2If you don’t like the name then don’t fix it.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
1Hi Brittany, I completely understand and sympathize. I’m actually not the one that came up with the name. Like virtually any other dish, I simply call it by its most common name, so that people can find it easily.
Margo Lowry
0Hi! I love your recipes! I already have shredded chicken from your instant pot shredded chicken recipe. How many cups of shredded chicken would you recommend using instead of the chicken breasts?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Margo! I think slow cooking shredded chicken again for so long would make it pretty dry, but you could mix it with all these other ingredients and slow cook for just 30-60 minutes to warm up, or even bake it. I’d estimate it would be about 5-6 cups of shredded chicken to be equivalent. Let me know how it goes!
Bryce
0Can I use this as a base for sandwiches?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Bryce, Yes, absolutely. It’s perfect for a sandwich.
Heather
0🙌✨ Thanks so much for the FAB recipe! 😍🍽️
This was absolutely divine! 😋💛 I added broccoli 🥦 and cauliflower 🌼 — YUM!! 🤤🔥
Definitely making it again next week! 🙏🥰🍴
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Heather! I love to hear that it’s already going on next week’s menu! 🙂
Theresa Hill
0This was delicious (how could it not be?) But way too thick! I have leftovers and am going to stir in some chicken broth. If I make it again I’m going to use less cream cheese. I also put in some cayenne pepper because we like spicy.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m glad you liked the taste, Theresa! Yes, it does dry out with leftovers so I recommend adding some broth when reheating. Otherwise, when fresh, I thought it was a good consistency to put on a sandwich without getting my bread watery, but if you prefer it thinner, you can definitely add some broth or use less cream cheese next time.
YK
0I made it like 50 times already. It’s such a good recipe I don’t feel any need to try another one.
You absolutely DO need salt. It tastes weird and incomplete without it. I did it both ways many times and each time the one with salt turns out way better. Saltless ones taste weird as hell. Bacon and other salty garnishments don’t “balance it out”, it still tastes weird.
The herbs proportions really don’t matter, I just eyeball it at this point. The taste doesn’t change much if you add one or two Tbsp of parsley or accidentally drop a whole cup. It’s not a precision recipe, in fact it’s very crude caveman recipe (thank goodness!!!) it will always taste about the same no matter how much of everything you put in within reasonable variation. You can’t screw it up.
I don’t bother cutting up the creamcheese and just drop the whole bricks in there and stir everything up when it’s done. I tried it many ways, and it literally makes no difference (again, crude recipe) to justify any additional steps.
I add red pepper flakes instead of black pepper. I prefer it to have a bit of a kick.
Great idiot-proof recipe. You just can’t mess it up. Always tastes good. Will probably be making this forever.
Wholesome Yum D
0This made me laugh… “great idiot-proof recipe” is a great compliment! I love that you’ve made it 50 times and it still turns out great every time. So glad it’s become a go-to recipe for you!
Clare
0Hi! This looks a great! I’m wondering if this can be made in an instant pot?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Clare, Yes, you can do that using the timing from my Instant Pot chicken breast and the ingredients here.
Cheryl R
0This is my favorite go to chicken recipe. So easy to make. I would not change a thing.
Wholesome Yum D
0So glad it’s a go-to for you, Cheryl! Love hearing that it’s easy and perfect just the way it is… that means a lot!
Kellie
0This got me through my first week on keto. Who can complain about not eating bread when you’re replacing it with cream cheese and bacon??
Wholesome Yum D
0So glad it helped you ease into week one, Kellie! Love that this one made keto feel fun for you. 🙂
Robin
0So, I’ve had to make a last-second emergency substitution of the cream cheese, thanks to my roommate, so I’ve substituted with a combination of what I could scavenge from the fridge: mostly Greek Yogurt, a splash of coconut milk and some Blue Cheese. I’ll make a follow up post after I get to try it.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Let me know if that worked, Robin! I’d be hesitant with yogurt in the slow cooker but hope it turned out okay for you.
Todd
0Came out as expected very good. I did add some crushed red pepper and used a liner for easy clean up. Tried to add a picture but could not.
Wholesome Yum D
0Appreciate your comment, Todd! Glad it turned out well, crushed red pepper sounds like a great touch. And using a liner is always a smart move for cleanup!
Veronika
0This is a great snacking appetizer filled with protein. And not much work need to make this, crockpot for the win.
Wholesome Yum D
0So glad you liked it, Veronika! I love that it’s easy, satisfying, and protein-packed, the crockpot really does make it a breeze. Perfect for snacking or a casual appetizer!
Lori
0What can I use to substitute for cream cheese?
Kim
0I’ve substituted with sour cream before. Still very tasty!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lori, It’s a main ingredient so doesn’t have a substitute in this recipe, sorry. If you need a dairy-free option, just grab a dairy-free cream cheese.
Jill
0I have been single for years, I have always worked too much, and I’m not just good around the kitchen… at all. I have someone to cook for now, and this was my first crockpot try. And… oh my goodness, it’s DELICIOUS! So easy to make! I accidentally doubled the dill and I panicked… no problem! I used pepper jack and Mexican fiesta shredded cheese because we love spicy.. And after reading the comments, I’m about to throw some red pepper flakes to the leftovers. I hope every recipe comes out this great! Instructions and video were super clear, you made me feel super confident in my cooking ability. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Wholesome Yum D
0So happy to hear that, Jill! It sounds like you nailed it, even with the extra dill! I love that you made it your own with the spicy cheese and red pepper flakes. I’m thrilled the video and instructions helped you feel confident in the kitchen, you’ve got this!
Lise
0This was a delicious recipe! It didn’t take much time which is unusual with a slow cooker. Everyone loved it.
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m so glad it was a hit, Lise! It’s always a win when something tastes amazing and doesn’t take forever to prep, especially in the slow cooker.