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Cold weather always has me turning to low carb slow cooker recipes. One of my favorites is this crack chicken recipe, because it’s so comforting and needs minimal hands-on time. Best of all, it uses ingredients many of us have on hand all the time. That was the perfect excuse to make this Crock Pot crack chicken again this week — and to share it with you!
This naturally keto crack chicken is one of those meals that will please almost anyone, even if they aren’t low carb, so it’s perfect to make for the family. I’ll bet you’ll be making it again and again, like I do.
What Is Crack Chicken?
Crack chicken is an addicting, creamy shredded chicken made with cream cheese, ranch, bacon, and cheddar. This easy crack chicken recipe is similar to crack dip, but we add chicken and use ranch seasoning instead of ranch dressing. This creates a stronger ranch flavor without making the chicken too soupy.
Many crack chicken recipes use ranch seasoning mix packets, but they are filled with all kinds of weird ingredients, starch, preservatives, and sometimes even sugar. There’s no reason to do this, because you can easily make your own crack chicken seasoning! It’s very similar to the seasonings I use for homemade ranch dressing.
If you prefer whole chicken breasts instead of the shredded style in this recipe, make my baked bacon ranch chicken instead.
Why You’ll Love This Crack Chicken Recipe
- The title can describe how good this tastes!
- Creamy, cheesy, and tender chicken
- Takes just 5 minutes to prep
- Mostly hands-off cooking time
- Naturally low carb and gluten-free
- So many ways to enjoy it (ideas below!)
Crack Chicken Ingredients
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for keto crack chicken, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Chicken Breast – I prefer to use organic chicken (get it shipped right to your door here), but any boneless skinless chicken breast will work. You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Spices – Dried parsley, dried dill, dried chives, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. If you like, you can make my homemade ranch seasoning and just use about 1/3 cup of that, but I recommend omitting the salt when you make it since this recipe is already salty from the cheeses and bacon.
- Cream Cheese – Full-fat cream cheese will be the most flavorful and creamy, but any plain kind is fine to use.
- Cheddar Cheese – Shred it yourself or use pre-shredded. Other cheeses, such as pepper jack, are also great.
- Bacon Bits – Buy cooked bacon bits if you prefer, but for best flavor, crumble your own from oven baked bacon, air fryer bacon, or microwave bacon.
- Green Onions – Stir in the white part of the green onion and garnish this easy crack chicken with sliced green onions.
How To Make Crack Chicken
This section shows how to make Crock Pot crack chicken, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Prep. Place chicken breasts into the slow cooker in a single layer. Sprinkle with herbs and spices. Top with cream cheese pieces.
- Cook. Slow cook chicken until it’s easy to shred. Shred chicken with two forks, then stir to mix into the cream cheese.
- Finish. Stir the shredded cheddar, bacon bits, and green onions into the crack chicken recipe.
TIP: Reserve some bacon, green onions, or even cheese for topping.
If you want melted cheese on top, you can keep the Crock Pot on the Keep Warm setting, sprinkle on some extra cheese, and close the lid for a few minutes to melt.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Once you’ve made this crack chicken Crock Pot recipe, you can store any leftovers in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Reheat: The easiest way to reheat the chicken is in the microwave, but you can also do it in the slow cooker (using the Warm or Low setting) or in a saucepan on the stove. If you’re concerned about the chicken drying out, you can add a bit of fat (such as butter) or chicken broth when reheating.
- Freeze: Freeze chicken in a plastic bag or airtight container for 2-3 months.
What To Serve With Crack Chicken
This low carb crack chicken recipe comes out soft and creamy, almost like a dip. So, you can use it in a multitude of ways:
- Crack chicken sandwiches – Pile it onto your favorite buns! You can serve regular buns for any family members on a regular diet, and low carb buns for a keto diet. The buns pictured above are from my (first) Easy Keto Cookbook, but my (second) Easy Keto Carboholics’ Cookbook has even better buns that are soft and airy, like real ones.
- Crack chicken dip – Serve it with low carb veggies that are good for scooping, like celery or bell peppers. Tortilla chips are a good option for those who aren’t low carb.
- Crack chicken wraps – Stuff into lettuce for lettuce wraps, or any other kind of wrap you like.
And what goes with crack chicken on the side? Here are some ideas, which go with many other slow cooker chicken recipes, too:
- Coleslaw – Keto coleslaw is pictured above!
- Potatoes – Roasted potatoes are a popular option for a regular meal. Try mashed cauliflower or roasted rutabaga for a low carb option.
- Pasta – My favorite is keto egg noodles, but zucchini noodles, shirataki noodles, or spaghetti squash also work great.
- Rice or Cauliflower Rice
- Salad – Choose your favorite healthy salad recipe; they suitable for everyone in the family.
Find more ideas for low carb side dishes here and more healthy side dishes here.
Recommended Tools
- Slow Cooker – The only thing you really need for slow cooker crack chicken is… a slow cooker! 😉 This one has flexible time settings and Keep Warm feature.
Crack Chicken Recipe (Crock Pot / Slow Cooker)
Crack Chicken Recipe (Crock Pot, 5 Min Prep!)
This slow cooker Crock Pot crack chicken recipe is EASY, creamy, and so addicting for the whole family! Prep takes just 5 minutes.
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn Safari reader mode OFF to view ingredients.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Place the chicken breasts into the slow cooker in a single layer.
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Sprinkle the chicken with all the herbs and spices.
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Arrange the pieces of cream cheese evenly over the chicken.
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Cook the chicken for 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low, until the chicken is easy to shred.
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Shred the chicken and stir to mix with the cream cheese.
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Stir in the shredded cheddar, bacon bits, and green onions.
Last Step: Leave A Rating!
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Readers Who Liked This Easy Recipe Also Made:
Recipe Notes
Serving size: ~5 1/2 ounces, or 1/10 of entire recipe
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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237 Comments
Jenn
0Can you add ranch seasoning?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Jenn, Yes, just be sure to pick a clean seasoning that doesn’t contain and non-keto ingredients or thickeners.
Denise
0Sounds good but do you think I could add some chicken or vegetable broth and then actually add vegetables like celery carrots green beans etc. and have it still work? I want a little creaminess but it doesn’t have to hold together to put on a bun. I will serve as a casserole. Thanks!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Denise, Yes that will work. Enjoy!
Jeanne Ortiz
0I so wanted to love this recipe – it had all my favorites … bacon, scallion, cream & cheddar cheeses … but it was quite bland and the texture was very off-putting. I had to quadruple the seasoning just to get a hint of flavor. The end product was thick with a weird gooey texture that stuck to my mouth like a gluey paste, yet it was also kind of grainy due to the chicken disintegrating when cooking time has been reached. I cooked on low, six of the 6-8 hrs recommended, but I think 3-4 hours on low would have worked better. Kind of bummed … it is a waste of all these ingredients I bought, and no one in my family will eat it. But, at least I tried it …. and I think I’ll just steer clear of ALL “crack chicken” recipes as they just may not be “my thing.”
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Jeanne, I am sorry this recipe didn’t turn out as expected. The chicken cooks for a longer period of time so that it has a more shredded texture. If you prefer to try it with chunks or whole chicken breasts, that will work well too!
Brandie Jones
0I love the recipe however I don’t see mention of the bread, what kind of bread is being used?
Thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Brandie, The buns pictured are from my Easy Keto Cookbook. You can also browse my keto bread recipe index here for other ideas. The most popular one is the white keto bread recipe.
Sarah
0Great recipe! This tastes delicious! I didn’t have time to slow cook, so I pan fried my chicken breasts then cut them in half and arranged them in a casserole dish. Added all the recipe seasonings plus extra cream cheese, some sour cream, and crumbled mozzarella cheese. Layered the casserole pan with some broccoli and then the cheese mixture and covered with mozzarella cheese. Baked in the oven at 400 deg. until bubbly! Delicious!
Sandy Fairchild
016 ounces of cream cheese? Really? I just want to make sure.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Sandy, Yes 16 ounces is correct.
Erica Cowles
0Made this tonight and it was wonderful. I added some fresh garlic, ginger, dill and lemongrass and Boy! It was wonderful. I had some as a lettuce wrap and my husband added sriracha and had it as a dip. Wonderful!!
Mary
0Unfortunately this is really bland. It does come out creamy, but it’s not enough flavor. And maybe some broth would be good, not a lot. To make it more of dip. Definitely will make again, I’ll just add some stuff I know will flavor it up!
A.Phillips
0Can I throw frozen chicken in or should chicken be thawed/fresh?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi A. Phillips, This is best made with thawed chicken.
peggy
0hi. I have this in the crockpot right now but I mistook my parsley for…I have no idea lol I think basil. I hope I didn’t ruin it. I’ll post after it’s done. Hopefully I’ll figure out which spice I added. Ugh
Dana
0Sounds delicious ! Can’t wait to try!
Nessa
0I am a full time student and a full time mom, recipes like these have helped me tremendously. Thank you. And of course, the meal was delicious and simple to follow with or without the video. Also, I am on a weight loss journey and your recipes have helped me in a very positive way, 20 pounds lost, 20 more to go. Again, Thank you.
Kristen
0This is very good! I did not add any extra broth and there was plenty of liquid from the chicken 🙂
Tricia
0Do you use any kind of broth? I imagine that the chicken would burn in the slow cooker without any liquid….
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Tricia, No broth is necessary, as the chicken gives off a lot of its own moisture in the crock pot.
Maryann Shyken
0You need to add some chicken broth, 1/2 cup or more. I made it as listed and it was really dry. Most other crack recipes include some liquid. I thought it was odd.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Maryann, Thanks for the tip! My chicken actually released liquid during cooking, but feel free to add broth if you like.
Amy
0I just made it and it’s very moist not an ounce of dryness anywhere it turned very creamy!
Christa Rosales
0Do you know how you could make this in an instant pot?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Christa, Yes you can make this in your Instant Pot using the slow cooker function. If you wanted to pressure cook the chicken you can do that with these instructions and then proceed with the recipe as written. Once the chicken is cooked, the rest of the ingredients just need to be warmed through, so you can set the instant pot to slow cook on high until warm.
Tonya
0Looks delicious…can’t wait to try it.
Tasha Delaine
0Looks amazing, can’t wait to try this recipe.
Alice
0Can the leftovers of Crock-Pot Crack Chicken be frozen?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Alice, Yes you can freeze these leftovers. It keeps best in an airtight zip-top freezer bag.
Rebecca
0can you use fresh chives instead of dried chives?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Rebecca, Yes, that will work great!
Rey
0I’m really lazy. Would canned chicken work well in this recipe?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Rey, Yes you can use canned chicken. It won’t need to slow cook for long, just heat through.
Brook
0Buy chicken, rinse, and trim if you want. Don’t if you don’t want its not that much work…. yak to canned chicken.
Erin
0I’d like to make this into a soup. Do you think I could just add chicken broth after shredding the chicken? I’d like it to be a creamy/cheesy soup though, not a brothy one. Any suggestions?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Erin, To make a creamy soup, you’ll remove all the chicken to shred it and set aside, then add broth and cheese to the crockpot. Use a stick blender or whisk to incorporate the broth and cheese into a soup base. If it’s too watery for your taste, you can add a pinch of xanthan gum to thicken it. Once your soup has come together you can add your shredded chicken back in.
Bri
0Making for a party tomorrow where I have Keto and gluten free guests. This looks GF but can you please confirm? Thanks!!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Bri, Yes this recipe is gluten-free.
Kristi
0This recipe looks so good and creamy. Something the whole family would like. I’m terrible at using a crockpot but this recipe looks like something even I could make. Excited to give this recipe a try.
Madaline
0When it comes to try recipes I always head straight to the comments first to see if anyone actually made it. A lot of 5 star comments are typically from other bloggers saying “that looks delicious”. Luckily, this one had several real comments about the taste & execution (yay!), but not many on doubling, so there was some experimenting on my part.
I cook for 4 adults, 3 kids, & 3/4 of those adults need leftovers. I went with 4 pounds of chicken breasts, a packet & a half of ranch seasoning (I was short on time & had it on hand, next time I’ll measure out the ingredients here), & 16 oz of cream cheese. I also decided to throw in 1 cup of bone broth because I did not trust my crock pot to not burn the chicken. It cooked in 5 hours on low heat. I added the other half packet of seasoning when I added the shredded cheddar. Served over broccoli & was a huge hit with both the adults & kids.
Thank you!
Janie
0Any idea how this would turn out using lite cream cheese?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Janie, I think it would work fine with lite cream cheese.
Brandon
0Awesome recipe! I did some adjusting with this and found the perfect adjustments with this. When I put the chicken in the crock pot and add the chicken broth, I put in enough broth to submerge all of the chicken. This make it some of the most tender chicken you’ll ever eat! Cook for 4 hours on high in the crockpot and you’ll be amazed at how juicy the chicken is. I do make mine with the Ranch seasoning packet which i cannot conclude on whether or not it’s keto friendly. The packet is 1 gram carb per serving however it shows there’s 16 servings in the packet?? Little confused on this.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Brandon, The ranch packet is fine if that’s what you have, but there are a lot of unnecessary “extras” in the packet. Anti-caking agents, preservatives, maltodextrin, etc.
BigBearyFairy
0I expected a lot more flavor. Disappointing.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Big Bear Fairy, I’m sorry this did not turn out as you had hoped. You can adjust the spices, salt, and pepper to suit your taste.
meg
0Great recipe! It was easy to do and had loads of wonderful flavour. I served it with rice and a salad.
Sheila Lawrence
0Do you think I can use a Nesco roaster on low to make a large amount of this for a reception?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Sheila, Yes, I believe that would work as long as you don’t use the fan attachment. It would dry the dish out too much. Enjoy!
Kirsten Kaiser
0This dish was delicious! Finally, a keto dish that I will make again and again!
Rita
0Do you think leftover turkey can be used for this? I think I may experiment tomorrow!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Rita, Yes, turkey should be fantastic in this recipe!
Rita
0It was delicious with turkey! Since my turkey was cooked, I made it on the stovetop. Worked perfectly. Made lettuce boats!
Brenda
0Very good! I only used one package of cream cheese due to my texture issues. I did add hot sauce for more flavor! Served on potato slider rolls. I’m not Keto.
Kris
0Hi.
I just made this and it seems a little tart due to the cream cheese..Is there something I can to it or do less of next time? Thank you!!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Kris, If the cream cheese is overpowering for your pallet, you can do half and half cream cheese and sour cream. The final dish will be a bit more mild tasting.
Brent Colliver
0We tried ur recipe but it was way toooo much cream cheese that’s all we could taste seems like it should have been half the 16oz.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Brent, This dish is typically heavy on the cream cheese but feel free to reduce it if that’s your preference. It will be more dry and less creamy, though.
Echidna
0I make this recipe about once a month, if not more. It’s a hit everywhere I go. A quick potluck type of recipe, lazy Sunday, get together, etc… Sometimes I add my own spin, or follow to a T. It’s always yummy, and so quick and easy. My type of recipe 😀
Sue
0I notice the calories per serving in description are less than the nutritional facts 214/346 . I am strict Keto . I am adding my cheese and bacon to each individual serving. Can you shed some light on what the full nutrition facts include?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Sue, Sorry about the discrepancy, this had a different serving size at one point that wasn’t very reasonable. 346 is the correct number of calories for the currently listed serving size, 5.5 ounces.
Randy
0Wow! Crack chicken is right! This stuff is irresistible. I served it over roasted broccoli with some roasted butternut squash and Brussels sprouts on the side. I did add a packet of Ranch seasoning mix. To bump up the “keto factor” I added some shredded cheddar just before serving.
Ashlee Knapik
0I love this recipe! My question is, do you know how it would taste if I add ranch seasoning to it? Thanks!
Wholesome Yum A
0That would probably be great! Sounds a lot like my warm ranch crack dip recipe!
Kathi
0I’m confused. At one point, you mention in your nutritional info that the total net carbs is 5. The you show that it is 3. Which is it please??
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Kathi. Each 5.5oz serving is 5 net carbs.
Lyn
0Could I omit the chives or replace with a different seasoning? Or will this alter the taste considerably?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Lyn, The flavor profile will be different without the chives, but it will still be good.
Chelsea Jurkowski
0This turned out amazing!
CA
0Where’s the ingredient list?
Wholesome Yum A
0Are you on an Apple device using Safari? You might have reader mode turned on, which makes ingredients in the recipe card disappear. You can find out how to fix the issue here.
Helene
0I’m making this for tomorrow Sunday dinner. 2 teenage boys 3 adults. My daughter recommended it. I’m excited to try it. Should be plenty with sides. Boys big rice eaters so they should have plenty. I have veggie sides for us. Will send comments Monday
Nate
0How small are your servings? We made this and it feed a family of 5. It awesome meal and we all loved it! Might try to throw in some avocado as a side item next time.
Wholesome Yum A
0Hi Nate, this recipe serves 10, and there’s about 5 1/2 ounces in each serving.
KP
0I made this recipe last night. My husband and I both loved it, thank you! The narrative shows a 5.5 oz. serving size has 214 calories. Nutrition Facts show 346 calories and refer reader to recipe notes for serving size. Can you clarify, please?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi KP, Great catch! It has been corrected. There are 346 calories in each 5.5 oz serving.
Breanna
0Looks amazing, I can’t wait to try this! But I have a question about the nutrition information. In your post you say each 5.5 oz serving has 214 calories, but in the recipe card it says each serving has 346 calories. Is that for a different serving size??
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Breanna, a 5.5 oz serving has 364 calories. Thanks for double-checking!
Salma
0I haven’t tried this yet but it looks amazing. Is it okay to use uncooked frozen chicken thighs in the Crockpot? The other option would be to thaw them first in the oven for a bit.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Salma! It’s not recommended to cook frozen chicken in the Crock Pot because it stays at a bacteria-friendly temperature for too long. Defrost it first – I haven’t tried doing so in the oven, I usually recommend in cold water or in the fridge overnight.
JP
0Tis looks absolutely amazing. Just bought an Instant Pot and was wonder how I could make this in it.
Nicole Bond
0I made this in my instapot tonight, cooked on high pressure for 40 mins with a natural pressure release. Perfect!
JD
0I didn’t take a picture but this was a WINNER!! The entire household enjoyed this meal and it’s so versatile – with celery, keto bread, large romaine lettuce leaf, a side veggie, etc. – I really LOVED this recipe.
Rochelle
0Hello, do you think it would drastically change the recipe if I put half the amount of cream cheese? My husband doesn’t like it too creamy. First time making! Thanks
Wholesome Yum
0I think that would still work, Rochelle. Let me know if you try it!
Anne
0Made using half the cream cheese and still came out creamy and delicious.