Slow Cooker Crack Chicken (Cheesy Ranch Chicken)
Primal Edge Health participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs and therefore, may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. This comes at no additional cost to you, and all the prices and availability are accurate at the time of publishing.
This slow cooker crack chicken recipe is sure to make everyone happy. Also called cheesy ranch chicken, this recipe comes together with 5 ingredients. The dish is easily made into a dip or dinner depending on how you serve it. The ultra-creamy combo of chicken, cheese, and bacon is a total crowd-pleaser for a potluck!
Cooking this in the slow cooker takes all the work out of it, making it an easy-to-make yet hearty meal for busy days. It’s naturally low-carb too, so if you’re on a keto diet, this crack chicken is bound to be the ultimate weeknight meal. It’s a fun one-pot recipe for any day of the week.
Table of Contents (click to view)
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
There’s a good reason this meal is called “crack” chicken. It’s so delicious, it’s hard not to get addicted! Whatever name you decide on, this recipe is one of my favorite low-carb and gluten-free slow cooker recipes you can make again and again. Here’s why:
- Simple ingredients: The recipe calls for just a handful of fresh ingredients.
- Short prep time: It takes just 5 minutes of active prep time. Throw all the ingredients into your slow cooker, set it, and forget it! You’ll have a wonderful meal waiting for you at the end of the day.
- Amazing flavors: Crockpot crack chicken is a combo of rich, creamy flavors and the savory blend of ranch seasoning, bacon, and sharp cheddar cheese make this chicken dish an irresistible comfort food.
- Family-friendly and kid-approved: The high-protein, high-fat combo is great for anyone. I highly recommend this meal if you have picky eaters or little ones around.
- Basic kitchen equipment: All the magic happens in the crockpot – it can’t get simpler than that!
- Easy-to-follow directions: Follow a simple 5-step method that mostly involves hands-off slow cooking.
- Minimal cleanup: Dishing up portions straight from the crockpot saves dishes and makes this an easy one-pot meal with minimal cleanup.
How to Make Slow Cooker Crack Chicken
This slow cooker crack chicken recipe is so easy that you’ll wonder why you haven’t tried it sooner. A single recipe yields 8 servings, so you know it’s an ideal choice for meal prep. Each serving is very filling due to all the fat and protein, so a little goes a long way.
Gather five ingredients and you can prep a creamy crock pot chicken in just five minutes. The amazing mixture of ranch-seasoned chicken cooked in a creamy cheese sauce, then topped with bacon is a mouth-watering delight!
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a printable recipe card with a full list of ingredients, measurements, and step-by-step instructions to make this creamy and cheesy keto crack chicken.
Ingredients You Need
You really can’t go wrong with this flavor-packed slow cooker chicken dinner. Crock pot crack chicken is so deliciously cheesy, your whole family will go crazy over it.
- Chicken: The main source of protein in this dish. Choose bone-in or bone-out, skin on or off, thighs or breast.
- Cream cheese: This is essential for the creamy rich sauce.
- Cheddar cheese: Not only does the orange cheese look beautiful once it’s melted on top, but it also brings an enjoyable tangy flavor and helps make the sauce ooey-gooey.
- Bacon: Cooked to a crisp and then crumbled, the bacon adds a delightful crunch that gives a pleasant texture contrast to an otherwise soft food.
Starting a subscription with a meat delivery service like ButcherBox is a great way to get organic and pastured pork bacon. Plus, having high-quality meat delivered to your door is so convenient! Ranch seasoning packets: The big source of flavor. You can use pre-made packages or follow the DIY recipe listed in the recipe card below.
Step-By-Step Instructions
It’s difficult to mess this recipe up, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned home cook. As long as you follow these step-by-step directions, you’ll make this slow cooker dinner perfectly the first time you try it!
- Season and garnish. Spray the bottom of the slow cooker with cooking spray. Add chicken to the slow cooker and cover with seasoning. Top with cream cheese.
- Cook. Cover the slow cooker with a lid. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours.
- Shred and combine with sauce. Once cooking time finishes, shred the chicken by using two forks and pulling the meat apart. Remove bones if needed. Stir well and thoroughly coat the chicken with sauce.
- Prep bacon. Fry bacon in a pan over medium heat on the stove. Remove and chop or crumble into small pieces. Cover the chicken with bacon and shredded cheese. Put the lid back on and continue cooking on HIGH for 15 minutes until the cheese melts.
- Combine with chicken mixture. Remove from heat. Mix bacon and cheese into the shredded chicken or serve as is with them resting on top. Garnish with a tablespoon or two of fresh parsley if desired.
If you’re looking for more of that crack blend of ranch seasoning, cheddar cheese, and bacon, you’re in luck! Check out recipes like keto crack biscuits, easy crack dip, and chicken bacon ranch casserole to satisfy your craving for this irresistible flavor combo.
Variations and Substitutions
My favorite variation is serving this as an appetizer for a crowd instead of a family dinner. You don’t have to change a thing about the recipe; the ingredients and directions are all the same. Just serve with crackers, bread, or veggie sticks before the main course!
I’ve also gotten creative with different add-ins and alternative ingredients. Here are the winning options I’ve found:
- Carnivore: The recipe is almost perfect for those on the carnivore diet. Just skip the ranch seasoning and you’ll have an entirely plant-free dish.
- Herbs: I do like to bring it up a notch with extra fresh herbs like parsley, rosemary, and thyme. I have a small kitchen garden and can’t resist adding fresh herbs when I can.
- Vegetables: Add low-carb veggies like cauliflower or broccoli florets, mushrooms, or green bell peppers in the last 20 minutes of the cooking time.
- Cheese: Replacing cheddar cheese with mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or pepper jack doesn’t change the texture at all but will give a different flavor.
Expert Tips
- Taste and adjust. Taste the sauce during cooking and before serving, then adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Time-saving hack. When I’m pressed for time, using a rotisserie chicken is a time-saving shortcut I like to employ. Using precooked meat cuts the total cooking time down by at least half. It’s much quicker since you don’t need to cook anything.
- Low and slow. Plan ahead accordingly to allow for the full cooking time. I typically start the slow cooker before lunch and have it finished by 6 o’clock dinner time.
How to Store This Recipe
My slow cooker crack chicken recipe can easily be doubled. And if you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, they can be frozen and are just as tasty for quick dinners or lunches.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. For longer storage, place it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Once ready to eat, allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and then reheat on the stovetop over medium heat.
Crack Chicken Recipe Cooking Tips and FAQ
You might be asking these common queries if you’re new to low-carb meal prep or don’t have much experience with slow cooking. Let me help!
This recipe is naturally low-carb. Per serving, there are 3g total carb, 2g net carb, 39g fat, and 37g protein. You can see it’s a very keto-friendly choice! You can check individual ingredient facts from FoodData.gov or reference this specific recipe’s nutrition per serving in the recipe card below.
Crack chicken is absolutely keto! It’s very versatile and great for the whole family. Plus, all ingredients are easy to find and budget-friendly.
The name comes from the original crack dip recipe and also hearkens to the dish being extraordinarily delicious and addicting.
As the ingredient list details above, this recipe only has 5 ingredients. You’ll need chicken thigh or breast, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, bacon, and Ranch seasoning. I give directions for a DIY seasoning mix in the recipe card so you can choose between a homemade or store-bought option.
The ingredient list almost precisely mirrors the original crack dip recipe ingredients but adds chicken. With additional protein, the recipe becomes a more satiating and complete meal.
What to Serve with Slow Cooker Crack Chicken
Cheesy ranch chicken is delicious as a dip or a complete dinner meal! There are a variety of ways to serve it depending on your preference.
To serve as a dip, just scoop the mixture from the slow cooker and put it in a pretty bowl. Sliced bell pepper, cucumber rounds, celery sticks, tortilla chips, and flax crackers are great for dipping.
Make a complete dinner by pairing the cheesy ranch chicken with steamed vegetables like broccoli, green beans, or cauliflower. It’s also nice on top of cooked pasta or zoodles, or over a bed of lettuce, cauli-mash, or cauliflower rice. Simple but satisfying!
I have to be honest and say it’s pretty amazing over white rice or baked potatoes. My kids love it in wraps or stuffed between sandwich rolls. Think about a creamy sloppy Joe and you’ll get a good idea of what the experience is like. Put it in a tortilla, lettuce wrap or hamburger buns, too – yum!
More Keto Slow Cooker Recipes to Try
- Keto Shepherd’s Pie
- Easy Slow Cooker Beef Stew
- Slow Cooker Keto Pot Roast
- Slow Cooker Keto Beef and Broccoli
- Slow Cooker Keto Ground Beef Stroganoff
Make keto Alice Springs chicken if you love cheesy chicken comfort food. It’s another crowd-pleasing dinner that never fails.
If you make this slow cooker crack chicken recipe, please leave a review. I really appreciate each and every 5-star rating and comment!
Slow Cooker Crack Chicken (Cheesy Ranch Chicken)
Equipment
- 1 Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken thigh or breast
- 12 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 8 ounces bacon cooked and crumbled
- 2 1-ounce Ranch seasoning packets or follow the DIY option below
Ranch Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons parsley dried
- 2 teaspoons dill dried
- 2 teaspoons chives dried
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add chicken to slow cooker and cover with seasoning. Top with cream cheese. Use the back of a spoon to smear the cream cheese over the meat.
- Cover the slow cooker with a lid. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH 3-4 hours.
- Once cooking time finishes, shred the chicken by using two forks and pulling the meat apart. Remove bones if needed. Stir well and thoroughly coat the chicken with sauce.
- Fry bacon in a pan over medium heat on the stove. Remove and chop or crumble into small pieces. Cover the chicken with bacon and shredded cheese. Put the lid back on and continue cooking on HIGH for 15 minutes until cheese melts.
- Remove from heat. Mix bacon and cheese into the chicken or serve as is with them resting on top. Garnish with a tablespoon or two of fresh parsley if desired!
Notes
Nutrition & Macros
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, please calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients and amounts used, using your preferred nutrition calculator. Under no circumstances shall the this website and the author be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on the given nutritional information.
Hi. When is the ranch seasoning used?
Hello, Kay! The ranch seasoning is added over the top of the chicken, after you put it in the slow cooker. I hope that helps. Happy cooking.
So if I buy the rotisserie chicken do I debone the chicken, shred and then make as directed and also how long to cook in crockpot?
Hi Karen, Using a rotisserie chicken will save a lot of time. You’re correct to debone and shred it. Then all you need to do is add the ingredients to the crockpot and cook it on high for about 1.5 hours until warm and saucy. Top with bacon and shredded cheese then, cook for another 15 minutes as the recipe directs. Enjoy!
Can this be made in an oven?
Hi Dave, I haven’t tried this recipe in an oven, but I’m sure it can be done. Start by following the recipe using an oven-safe dish instead of a crock pot. Then monitor the cooking time, generally, you half the time of slow cooker recipes when adapting to the oven. But it’s important to be aware of the food as it cooks and keep an eye on it. I suggest using a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken so you know it’s cooked through before shredding. Hope these tips help! Good luck!
My kids loved this!! I called it cheesy ranch chicken for them and now it is known as CRC in our house.
I usually serve it with rice (we aren’t keto) and the kids get so excited when it says CRC and rice on the menu planner 🙂
So easy to make and so much flavor. THANK YOU!
CRC! I love it! Thanks for the review Claire.
This recipe has all the magic words: chicken, cheddar, cream cheese and let’s not forget the best of all bacon.
We all love it so much that it has ben requested again, and soon.
Thank you.
Yes, ma’am. How can you go wrong when you see a recipe that this? So glad you’re family is loving it!
Brought this slow cooker crack chicken for a potluck and it was a crowd favorite! It was bursting with flavors and incredibly delicious. Such a keeper! Everyone was impressed!
Nice choice to bring this to a potluck! That’s a great idea. Thanks for sharing, Sharina.
My family devoured this dish. Even the picky eaters loved it.
Right?! How can you say no to cheesy chicken with bacon? Thanks for the review, Lisa.
My family flipped for this delicious chicken! What an easy meal. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Thanks for giving it a try and leaving a review. I’m so glad your family likes the recipe!