Description
When you make crack chicken, this simple dish comes together with just five ingredients and delivers comfort that keeps you coming back for more. Your slow cooker does the heavy lifting, transforming seasoned chicken into something so satisfying that you and everyone at your table will be asking for seconds.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein Base:
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 0.5 cup cooked and crumbled bacon
Seasonings and Dairy:
- 1 packet ranch seasoning mix
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Arrange your 2 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts flat in the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Sprinkle the entire 1 packet of ranch seasoning mix evenly across all the chicken pieces.
- Cut your 8 oz of softened cream cheese into chunks and distribute them over the top.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 6 to 7 hours, letting the flavors meld together as the chicken becomes tender.
- Once the chicken shreds easily, use two forks to pull it apart directly in the cooker.
- Add your 1/2 cup of cooked and crumbled bacon and 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese to the mixture.
- Stir everything together until the cheeses coat all your shredded chicken.
- Serve your finished dish warm to those gathering around the table.
Notes
- Cut your cream cheese into small cubes before adding it to the slow cooker so it melts evenly throughout the chicken instead of clumping in one spot.
- Cook your bacon separately and crumble it just before stirring into the shredded chicken, which keeps it crispy rather than getting soggy from the moisture.
- If you’re watching sodium, use a low-sodium ranch seasoning mix or make your own blend with dried herbs like dill, parsley, and chives since the bacon and cheese already add plenty of salt.
- For a lighter version, swap the cream cheese for Greek yogurt or sour cream and stir it in after shredding the chicken instead of cooking it from the start, which gives you similar creaminess with less fat.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-7 hours (low) or 3-4 hours (high)
- Category: Slow Cooked Chicken
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 555 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 920 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 49 g
- Cholesterol: 145 mg