Easy Crockpot Crack Chicken Recipe

Crockpot crack chicken is great made into sandwiches or little appetizer sliders! Tender cream cheese with frozen chicken or fresh will become shredded to perfection in your slow cooker. 

Crack chicken ingredients are pretty basic no matter how you make it. We’ve made Ninja Foodi crack chicken and that was a huge hit, and quick to make. This takes longer but is fantastic for a low and slow cook all day kinda’ meal you throw in in the morning.

Crack Chicken Crockpot Recipe

• We used our slow cooker this time but I’ll share how you can make this in your pressure cooker and/or with noodles too!

Choose either chicken breasts or thighs. I love thighs when I have them on hand. They’re cheap and super tender. If you tend to veer away from dark meat, don’t. Once I gave them a real try I never looked back. The amount of flavor they offer is way more than white meat. I suggest you try both and decide for yourself.

If you find either on sale I’d stock up. You can freeze them inside freezer bags and they’ll last for months which means fewer trips to the store which is great. Then when you are ready you just separate them so they cook evenly and you can use them as is without defrosting if need be.

Thawed meat is always better in the end but I have definitely had days where that was not possible. Thus, Crockpot frozen chicken was used and the timing literally did not change. I know, that is a mind blower but totally true.

Crockpot crack chicken with frozen chicken breasts

You could use fresh or frozen but the latter would need to be separated to cook properly. Use medium sizes vs. unusually large too. If you have never had a bite full of this addictive dinner let’s talk about it for a hot second here. You may have a few questions before you move on and get started so let’s tackle those first:

How long do you boil chicken?

There is NO need to boil beforehand with this method. BUT if you want to make it quicker on the stovetop you can do so. You’ll make boiled chicken according to our directions, drain, and add other ingredients.

How do you shred chicken breast?

When you slow cook it like this, or make Ninja Foodi crack chicken it will literally fall apart. Use two forks gently and it will shred with no effort at all.

Ready for the ultimate easy cheap crockpot meal that costs under $20 too?? This is one of the best crockpot chicken recipes.

Crack chicken recipe

Cream cheese chicken

This is what many people call this especially if they are around kids. The other can be skewed into something it is not so either one works. I mean anything with this creamy dairy product comes out mouth watering. Period.

• Our Instant Pot crack chicken casserole has been our most popular
• Crack chicken dip is great as an appetizer or snack with sliced bread or chips.

Slow cooker crack chicken recipe

1. Chicken breasts or chicken thighs will work for this – I typically use what is on sale
   1. boneless, skinless
2. Cream cheese
3. Cooked bacon or real bacon bits
4. 1 ranch seasoning packet
   1. use 1.5 tbsp. of homemade ranch dip mix below if you can’t find packets in store
5. Cheese
6. Garlic powder
7. Green onions diced are optional

I buy this stuff in bulk because I use it so often. I have had people who live in countries outside of the U.S. say they have never heard of it though. So I have help for y’all below. You can in fact make it yourself if it isn’t available or want to make it way cheaper in bulk.

Homemade ranch seasoning

If you cannot find it in the store where you are I have a quick how to make it here:

1. 1/2 c buttermilk powder
2. Just 1 tsp sea salt
3. 1 tbsp onion powder and garlic powder
4. 2 tsp dill
5. 1/2 tsp pepper
6. 1 tbsp parsley

You could dice some chives and add some into the mix as well as some on the top when served. These just add a bit of texture and color mostly.

I will say this isn’t the prettiest dish as is. It is all white with no variance and kinda’ mushy in appearance so if you want to pretty it up this will work nicely. Personally I really don’t care but you might.

You can use this mixture to make chicken crack soup too. Use ALL dry ingredients instead of the packaged type. Mix and use 1.5 – 2 tbsp for this recipe. If you live in a rural area you may not be able to find dry ranch mix so this can come in handy.

Crockpot chicken recipe

It is not totally necessary but for easier cleanup I suggest spraying the inside of your pot with non stick spray. Some use crockpot liners but I am not a fan of cooking with plastic of any kind. Totally up to you though.

• Lay your boneless skinless chicken breasts (or you could use thighs if you prefer) on the bottom. Cut your room temp cream cheese into 4 equal pieces and place on top of your meat.
• Sprinkle ranch dressing packet seasoning on top of that. Then shredded cheeses go on top of everything else.
• If you’d like to add a bit of garlic powder and/or pepper now would be the time to do so.
• Close lid and set to 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours cooking time. I always opt for low and slow when it comes to meat.

Shred the chicken and stir in bacon and/or green onions at this time. Serve on slider buns, with chips as a dip, or low carb dinner.

I kid you not the ranch flavor is not overpowering but provides a TON of flavor that takes this chicken slow cooker recipe over the top.

Here are a few more questions you might ask. You don’t have to buy fancy fork shredding devices to make this happen, 2 forks work just fine.

How do you fork shred chicken?

• Use one hand or a fork to hold the chicken steady.
• With the other hand use another fork to scrape and tear the meat into small shredded pieces.
• Then mix with other ingredients if it is not plain shredded chicken

This is a great recipe to serve when you have people over, or to bring to a potluck. Why?? Because you can double this if need be and cook a bit longer for larger crowds.

It is also a pretty cheap crockpot recipe because there are very few ingredients and you can find store brands for almost everything.

How do you serve crack chicken?

It is totally up to you of course but I have a few suggestions if you’re looking for a few new ideas:

1. Inside lettuce wraps
2. In small rolls for sliders
3. Heaped on to hamburger buns for sandwiches
4. Served over white rice

You can serve it alone with a side of steamed vegetables for a healthier choice too. That is probably my youngest daughters favorite way to go.

Crack Chicken Sliders

If you’re looking for a keto friendly version you can use lettuce wraps instead of making Hawaiian rolls as you would with sliders. Chicken broth or water are not needed to make this because when the meat cooks it will create the liquid it will need to cook properly and become creamy.

• Looking for comfort food?? This is it!!

If you’re looking for a healthy crack chicken recipe why bother??? This is all about creamy chicken PACKED with flavor, a guilty pleasure of sorts. We all need a cheater meal and this one is so worth it.

Looking for other easy crockpot chicken recipes?

We love our crockpot chicken cacciatore. That one is on the healthier side of things.

• Chicken soup in the crockpot isn’t for just those days when you’re feeling under the weather.
• This crockpot orange chicken recipe has no breading and only needs a few ingredients too.
• Slow cooker chicken thighs are always an easy one too.
• And crockpot cheesy chicken and rice rocks.

Slow cooker crack chicken recipe

Print recipe below and enjoy.