Instant Pot Crack Chicken
Indulge in the irresistible flavors of Instant Pot Crack Chicken—a mouthwatering blend of tender shredded chicken, savory bacon, zesty ranch seasonings, and creamy cheeses. This delectable dish brings together all your favorite tastes in one addictive meal. And here’s the best part—it’s not just delicious, it’s also a Keto-Friendly Recipe! What more could you possibly ask for?
This Instant Pot recipe has become a beloved favorite on my blog, and it’s easy to see why. Creamy, and cheesy, with the perfect touch of salty bacon and zesty ranch, all combined with tender chicken in one irresistible dish!
Our obsession with crack chicken has led us to experiment with different variations. If you’re eager to explore more delicious recipes, here are some of our tried and true favorites. If you adore this chicken recipe, you’re sure to fall for these too:
Why is it called “Crack Chicken”
The term “Crack Chicken” originates from the addictive and irresistible nature of the dish. It’s called “Crack Chicken” because once you taste it, you may find it so delicious and addictive that you can’t resist going back for more, much like the highly addictive nature of the drug crack cocaine. The combination of creamy cheese, savory bacon, zesty ranch seasoning, and tender chicken creates a flavor profile that is so incredibly satisfying and indulgent that it’s hard to stop eating. As a result, the dish has earned its playful and slightly tongue-in-cheek name, “Crack Chicken.”
What you’ll love about this recipe:
Ingredients for Instant Pot Crack Chicken
- 6-8 slices cooked bacon
- 2 pounds of boneless chicken breast
- 1 packet ranch seasoning Or Homemade Ranch Seasonings
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
Crack Chicken Recipe
Instant Pot:
- Place chicken and cubed cream cheese in the Instant Pot.
- Sprinkle the packet of ranch seasoning over the top of the chicken breast and add half a cup of water.
- Pressure Cook Chicken on manual high pressure for 15 minutes and do a quick release.
- Remove Chicken and shred with two forks or with a mixer.
- Keep your Instant Pot on sauté.
- Add chicken back to the pressure cooker and stir.
- Add bacon for a flavorful touch to the Crack Chicken. This is a very important step!
- Finally, add cheddar cheese and stir until melted and well combined.
Tips & Tricks
- Frozen or Thawed Chicken: You can use either frozen or thawed chicken for this recipe. If using frozen chicken, you can eliminate the water added to the Instant Pot as the chicken will release moisture as it cooks.
- Use a Standard Mixer: Shredding chicken can be time-consuming, but using a standard mixer can make the process much faster and easier. Simply place the cooked chicken in a mixing bowl and use the mixer on low speed until the chicken is shredded to your desired consistency.
- Adjust Seasonings to Taste: Feel free to adjust the amount of ranch seasoning used in the recipe to suit your taste preferences. You can add more or less seasoning depending on how flavorful you like your Crack Chicken.
- Add Bacon at the End: Adding cooked bacon at the end of the cooking process ensures that it stays crispy and adds a delicious crunch to the dish. Simply crumble the bacon and stir it into the shredded chicken mixture before serving.
- Melt Cheese Gradually: When adding cheddar cheese to the Crack Chicken, add it gradually and stir continuously until melted and well combined. This helps prevent clumping and ensures a smooth and creamy texture.
- Customize Your Crack Chicken: Feel free to customize your instant pot chicken recipe by adding additional ingredients like diced green onions, chopped jalapeños, or diced tomatoes for extra flavor and texture.
- Serve in Various Ways: Crack Chicken can be served in a variety of ways, including as a filling for sandwiches, wraps, or tacos, or served over rice, pasta, or salad greens for a complete meal. Get creative and enjoy it however you like best!
FAQs about crack chicken
Instant Pot Crack Chicken
Instant Pot Crack Chicken needs a warning label So I finally did it! I tried the Crack Chicken Recipe for the Instant Pot. I am not a big meat eater but I could not stop eating this dish, it truly is addicting.
Ingredients
- 6-8 slices cooked bacon
- 2 pounds boneless chicken breast
- 1 packet ranch seasoning
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Place chicken and cubed cream cheese in the Instant Pot.
- Sprinkle the packet of ranch seasoning over the top of the chicken breast and add half a cup of water.
- Pressure Cook Chicken on manual high pressure for 15 minutes and do a quick release.
- Remove Chicken and shred with two forks or with a mixer.
- Keep your Instant Pot on sauté.
- Add chicken back to the pressure cooker and stir. This is a very important step!
- Add bacon for a flavorful touch to the Crack Chicken.
- Finally, add cheddar cheese and stir until melted and well combined.
Notes
This recipe can also be done in the slow cooker
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 165Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 298mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 18g
From what I know about the Instant Pot (pressure cooker), you would have to add water for the pit to pressurize and cook. If you added water, you would then need to add corn starch and cheese to thicken the sauce so it wasn’t too watery. In a slow cooker, you might not need to add water because the chicken will release some liquid and the food will cook with or without there being “enough” liquid. If you don’t need the water, you wouldn’t need the corn starch or extra cheese, either (although I doubt you could go wrong with extra cheese)!
It’s actually kinda dry when made in the crockpot. I ended up adding milk. So I think adding some chicken broth to the instant pot would work.
In the Instant Pot when I made mine, it originally was watery (immediately after doing the quick release and removing the lid). However, once I removed the chicken and shredded it… keeping the Instant Pot on low like the directions said, stirred the chicken back in, added the bacon and the cheddar cheese, it thickened right up. What I found was the cream cheese had not fully incorporated into the water until I added everything else in and stirred… once it did, it thickened quite nicely.
While I was shredding the chicken my wife used a whisk to make sure the cream cheese had completely mixed and melted. Once I added the chicken back and let rest for about 5 minutes it did thicken right up. I also added some garlic and black pepper to taste to the process.
Loved it!! Definitely will be a rotational item. Will try adding broccoli in the future.
@Kari, a little water is added, but no corn starch is needed to thicken it. The recipe above is perfect as it is.
@TeenaSnyder, I agree with you about the dryness. Last time I made it. I used thighs when I used the crockpot. It made it more moist.
Has anyone ever attempted to add pasta to this? I’m trying to find a chicken pasta dish to make for co workers next week… Maybe only cook 15 minutes, release, add chicken broth and pasta, and then do another7-8 minutes?
I did it with rice and broccoli I am sure You can cut the chicken in small pieces and add pasta cook for 10 minutes high pressure. Good Luck let me know how it goes
Did you do this in the instant pot? If so when did you put the rice and broccoli in
I’m new to instant pot cooking.
Yes this one is in the instant pot 🙂 also join my group for more help with recipes https://www.facebook.com/groups/InstantPotandpressurecookerRecipes/?ref=bookmarks
Not for this recipe but I have seen one with spaghetti sauce, chicken and pasta
Annie, you are so fine!!!
I want to try this as a pasta dish tomorrow. Did you make this yet? How much chicken broth did/will you use?
Of course I tried it 🙂 this is my recipe.
Someone said they were trying it with pasta and might add chicken broth to IP when adding pasta. Was just wondering if they tried it with pasta and how much chicken broth they added.
I cooked noodles separately strained and then added to IP with chicken mixture and mixed it all together it was pretty good
@Annie, I always pour Crack Chicken over pasta or rice.
She has a recipe similar to this, but with pasta.
I would make the pasta separately and put the crack chicken on top. Maybe add a 1/2 cup of whole cream into the crack chicken before adding to the pasta. That sounds delicious 😄
Has anyone made this with low fat or fat free cream cheese?
I’ve made it with low fat and it turned out the same as with the regular!
What if you are using frozen chicken breast? How much more time would you add?
same time 🙂
I’m making this right now and it’s not going well. Used frozen chicken breasts and followed directions, but chicken is very undercooked and there is tons of water still in the IP–way too much to thicken with the cornstarch. I put it on again for 20 more minutes… we’ll see…
I experienced the same thing! Because I was using frozen, I also did not initially add water (per directions) and got the “burn” message within a minute or 2 of reaching pressure. I released pressure and added a half cup of water. After 15 minutes, the chicken was still pink in the middle so I added another 12 minutes. That seemed to do the trick.
I used frozen chicken and doubled the cooking time to 30 min and it came out fully cooked. Anytime a recipe’s cooking time is for thawed chicken I just double the time for frozen and it works for each recipe.
I used 4 frozen (on the thinner side) chicken breasts and increased the water to 3/4 cup. This was the 1st time I cooked with frozen chicken and was worried if they would be done enough. Cooked on High for 30 min and did quick release. Took them out and shredded – they were perfect. I didn’t have any bacon, but had some of the Hormel real bacon bits and sprinkled some in at the end. Cooked some egg noodles and mixed all together. Really yummy recipe. Thanks!
Just checking, you really don’t add water to this if the chicken is frozen?
I just made it with frozen chicken breast tenders. I added 10 minutes and it came out perfectly cooked.
I was wondering if you have tried to freeze this and how it was once it was reheated.
I made this and I was the only one who would eat it so I froze it in small portions and it was fine reheated. I also added a head of steamed broccoli because it tasted really rich and it made me feel it was healthier and it still tasted great!
I tried this recipe last night. I had some chicken that needed using up so I thought I’d try something different. I thought the recipe looked ok but I really wasn’t sure how much we’d really like it, especially given that we’re not big ‘ranch’ fans.
Well I’ll be… it was the best chicken I’ve ever had 🙂 If I could figure out how to remove all the calories from the cream cheese, we’d be eating this every day! Thank goodness there were some leftovers for lunch today!
Well done! 🙂
Did you use frozen chicken breasts or thawed?
Cream cheese is low in carbs, so not bad calories.
I eat low carb/ keto. Yes, this is low in carbs, but high fat. High fat=high calories. Carbs have 4 calories per gram, fat has 9.
Could I double the amount, would I have to put 2 times the amount in of everything??…
Hi Sarah, did you ever get an answer about doubling the recipe? I’m making it right now, doubling everything but I’m not sure about the water? I’m pretty new to pressure cooking but I think the water is mostly to let it build pressure so 2 cups might be too much? I don’t know what to do now lol
Maybe I’ll just add a little more than a cup.
I am so sorry I did not see your message 🙁 doubling is ok no extra liquid
So no extra time or water to double?
So what’s the verdict on this? Just double the food amounts, but not the water or time?
Do you have any suggestions for Low Carb or LCHF side dishes or what to serve this with, without bread or rice? Thanks.
I bet it’d be good with cauliflower rice. 🙂
I just tried this with frozen chicken breasts and one piece is still raw inside. Possibly because two of the chicken breasts were stuck together.
I followed cooking instructions and 2 pieces were still pink in spots. Key thing is to not stack chicken. I had 5 breasts and two were under the cream cheese and were still pink. I’ve put them back on for 10 minutes and hopefully works and the family doesn’t get sick. I’m paranoid with chicken.
trying this one tonight. used thin cut chicken. hope it turns out as good as I have heard from others.
I made this with pancetta instead of regular bacon. It was good, but almost too much. We have a lot leftover, so I’m thinking I’ll mix it with rice and broccoli and more cheese to do a casserole.
Giving this recipe a shot!!
Can you cook the bacon with the chicken in the pot at once?
I wouldn’t recommend it. I personally think the bacon needs to be crispy in this dish which it won’t be if pressure cooked.
But you could cook the bacon on saute in the pot, and then deglaze it with the water… extra flavor, fewer pots!
I just tried this recipe and it tasted amazing! I used the recipe exactly and served on Hawaiian rolls. It tasted great but a little soupy, consistency of an awesome dip. What can I add to thicken it up a bit more without changing much? I wanted more of a chicken salad consistancy without adding a ridiculous amount of cheese. I didn’t know if should cut the water or add something extra. Thanks!
I had plain cooked chicken breasts on hand and added too more. Problem solved!
@Michael, try putting it on top of pasta or rice. It’s really good and it helps that it isn’t as thick as it normally is.
LOL girl I made this recipe because it showed up in my “low carb” search on Pinterest – dumb me didn’t even CHECK the nutrition facts first!
Here I am, fat and happy sitting here putting my meals into MyFitnessPal after dinner and holy crap I screwed my low carb diet with crack chicken ??? I can’t be too mad but I hope that “keto flu” doesn’t hit me too hard tomorrow!
Use xanthan gum as the thickener instead of corn starch and make your own ranch mix. This could easily fit a low carb diet!
If I am hoping to make this recipe in a crock pot, in less than 6hrs – more like 4hrs or less, could I cook it on a higher setting? Please advise.
Also, do not add water or corn starch, when using a crock pot?
Thanks in advance!
I loved this recipe, as did the whole family. I ate by itself and some had as a sandwich. Loved all the flavors blended together. Definitely a keeper!
Just made your chicken. YUM!! A few “things” to work around. 1-didn’t have quite enough chicken. It worked out, maybe a little two cheesy…brings be to 2-didn’t have my glasses on and thought it was 40 oz of chicken(also reading on my phone that was plugged in so I was going back and forth). I put 7oz. Too much so I’m going to make crescent roll bundles and bake!!
Hi there, new to IP cooking. When you say keep IP on low, to you mean low pressure or keep warm?
I use the Saute button and set it to “Less” to melt the cheese and for the cornstarch to thicken everything up.
There is no cornstarch in this recipe list.
Just wondering about that
is there a regular crock pot version
Lord someone out there now to help my disaster?!! 🙁 I cooked it in a slow cooker and used chicken thighs skin less and boneless tho..and well..the chicken is perfect but the cream cheese and water is all curdled and gross ..I added the cornstarch and whisked like mad abd it seems creamier but def lumps still…PLEASE help I’m so bummed after l these ingredients and good reviews
@Maddy, soften your cream cheese (I use the microwave on defrost setting) and mix it up well with the water and ranch before you pour it over the chicken. Works perfectly
Do you not use the corn starch, water, or cheese if using a crock pot? Is there a more direct crock pot recipe?
This is good, but I used a little under 1.75 lbs and there’s too much sauce for my liking. I did 25 minutes which seemed to be a good amount of time.
Is 4 ounces of cheese 1/2 cup or weight of 4 ounces
This was excellent! Thumbs up from my whole crew!
Just made it according to recipe and it was perfect and delicious. When I first took the chicken out to shred, I used my immersion blender in the pot to get the cream cheese blended into the sauce. I’ve added cream cheese and cheddar cheese to my grocery list in case the addiction strikes! I tried to give it 5 stars, but it wouldn’t let me 🙁
How many will this serve?
How many servings is this?
I am new to using an ip, but I was eager to try this recipe. It seemed to be working great until I got to the part where you add the cornstarch. I’ve used cornstarch to thicken liquid on the stovetop with no issues, but when I added it to the ip and started whisking it started to froth up. I only added a little to start with, but I thought it was going to bubble over the side. I threw I the cheese hoping it would decrease the froth and it did a little. My husband will eat anything I fix even if he isn’t crazy about it. This he took a couple bites and said he couldn’t do it. None of us could eat it. I ended up running to Burger King so we could eat. Does anyone know what happened? TIA
Baking soda and baking powder froth up when added to liquid… I don’t mean to sound rude, but could it be possible you grabbed the wrong container? I’ve used cornstarch in IP with no problems before.
@Cyndi, I’ve never made this with cornstarch. I didn’t even know it was in the recipe.
@Cyndi, Actually. I checked the recipe again, I still see no cornstarch. Did you make the crockpot version?
Pretty close to perfect. Thanks
Any ideas on doing a half recipe? How much time would you cook it?
Can you give directions on how to make it with frozen chicken breasts?
i added mushrooms and it was amazing
Did you add them raw?
This was delicious! I made It tonight for New YearS Eve dinner
Second recipe I’ve made in my new instant pot. Absolutely delicious. Thank you!!
I am glad you liked it 🙂
Has anybody ever made this in a dairy free version? A friend is very lactose intolerant.
Do the dairy free products work for this recipe?
I am a very novice cook and I put this together for tonight’s dinner and let me tell you it was fantastic!!! I looked like an absolute hero to my wife and 2 year old son. The cook times were right on, the chicken was moist and delicious while we shredded it, we could’ve ate it just like that… lol thank you thank you thank you.
What is the serving size and nutritional facts for this amazing recipe?
The nutrition facts are listed above, but I’m curious what the serving size is as well for the nutrition listed. Thank you!
New to IP, and I have all of the ingredients – except the cornstarch. Is this a musthave?? We’re stuck in the snowstorm, so definitely not heading out 🙂 Thank you!
Arrowroot or flou can be substituted for corn starvb
do you have the nutritional facts for this recipe? It was awesome btw!
3 tablespoons of cornstarch for thickening seems like a lot. Will the mixture be really thick? Is it suggested to use less cornstarch and how much less?
3 Tbsp of cornstarch is too much for anything.
I’m going to make this but add carmelized onions and extra cheese. Probably boil some pasta to put it over.
So many people are talking about this recipe and I so want to try it. Problem is I really hate the taste of Ranch anything. Is there a good substitute?
Try Italian season packet
25 minutes seems very long for fresh not frozen chicken breasts is it because that is where it shredded? I normally just do 10 minutes for my chicken in the instant pot. Thanks for any feedback I think we are having this for dinner tonight.
I have been seeing this all over the internet and decided to try it. I must say I am underwhelmed with the recipe as is, but it has potential. It is lacking in flavor big time. I cut my chicken up in strips and also cut the cream cheese into 4 pieces and placed spread out over the chicken, cooked for 21 minutes and it was perfectly cooked. I am still trying to figure out what this needs and so far have added hot sauce, cumin, garlic and onion powder. Those have helped somewhat, but it just needs something. Not sure that I would make it again unless I could give it a huge flavor punch.
Somewhat by accident, we figured out that was it needed was some acidity to break through the thick creaminess. We put BBQ sauce on our buns when serving and it made all the difference. I’m thinking about adding a little fresh lemon (after cooking) to see if that helps.
Thank you for the comment about adding acidity. I’m planning to make as an appetizer and serve with Franks Buffalo Sauce and celery sticks, and now I can move ahead with confidence!
I completely agree, seemed rather bland. Relieved too see your comment as I was wondering if there was something wrong with my taste buds as so many others were thrilled. I followed the recipe exactly. I will try BBQ sauce on the bun idea. Perhaps vinaigrette coleslaw, french’s fried onions or jalapeños for toppings? Other comments were spot on. After removing the cooked chicken from the IP, the water cream cheese mixture is very watery and separated. After adding the shredded chicken back to the IP, along with cheddar cheese-a few quick stirs and it combines beautifully. The reference to shredding chicken with a Kitchen Aid was rather subtle. Shredding any type of meat by hand is such a CHORE, I did a quick Google search. OMG…how did I NOT know this trick?!?! Using a Kitchen Aid mixer with the flat paddle attachment, Stir at low speed (I used setting #2 and the chicken must be still warm for this to work). Chicken completely shredded in about a minute! Many u-tube videos demonstrating this. 5 STARS for this idea! thanks.
Said you used your kitchen aid. What kind of appliance is this?
blender
I had the same question. Thank you for asking!
A mixer
Really enjoyed this. Followed your recipe exactly besides adding some salt and pepper and a little extra cheese. I might cut the water back some next time just so it’s a little thicker. But this is definitely going in our rotation! Chicken came out perfectly cooked, easy to shred and juicy.
It doesn’t say anything about shredding the cheddar cheese, but I assume that should be part of it. It would be strange to just drop a chunk of cheese in there. LOL
Could you try this with another meat? Made it & am obsessed! So good! But just wondering if it’s been tried with other meat.
Do you have the nutritional valve?
How many servings and WW points?
HOw many servings does this make?
I’m on the fence with this one. While it is super easy to make, it’s also really cheesy. My husband isn’t a huge cheese fan but he ate it anyway. I like cheese and still found it cheesy. He wants me to make it with mayonnaise instead of cream cheese. Maybe. It is a very tasty dish, nonetheless!
When you say leave your ip on low what setting is that? Poultry, etc im new
So I have the instant pot lux 60 and it has an adjust button but I can not get them to adjust to a low cook…I got all the way to putting all the ingredients back in and cooking for another 15 on low…and couldn’t get it to cook on low, so just put back in on high for 5 minutes. New user to this ip still and even trying to read the manual, and watching you tube videos, I was frustrated and hope I dont over cook the chicken using it the way I had to. Wish me luck! It looks amazing!
I made this the other day, used the recipe to the T! Came out yummy but it was VERY salty. Not sure why. I didn’t add any extra salt.
@Dottie, agree! Wondering if cutting the ranch dressing packet to 1/2 would be better?
Yummmm! Made this today in my 3qt mini instant pot. Used 3 good sized boneless chicken breasts. All the other ingredients per the recipe. Less bacon than what it called for. Browned the bacon on sauté before starting the rest. Removed it to a paper towel then used chicken broth instead of water to remove browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Served it on Hawaiian style buns. This one is a keeper:)
I made this for dinner tonight. It was a big hit. I followed the recipe and made no tweaks. Thanks for the recipe.
This recipe was a huge hit at my house with a few major changes. I used 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, not frozen. I ran the pot for the first 15 minutes, and chix was barely cooked. Ran it for an additional 10 mins and the thighs were perfect. The brick of cream cheese did not want to incorporate into the liquid well, so I whisked and whisked just to get it to break down. And there was a ton of liquid. I decided to mix this into pasta, so I precooked al dente rigitoni, and after pulling out the chix to shred and whisking the liquid, I added the pasta to finish cooking in the extra liquid on saute function. I then added the cheese, chix, and bacon back to the pot until it was heated through and placed on warm to serve. This is a very delicious dish, but needs tweaking to achieve serving the chix on its own.
What would be some good sides to eat with this dish?
Made this tonight- everyone loved it (including my 17 month old!). I wonder how it would taste with the addition of jalapeños, or maybe artichoke hearts? Also, has anyone tried it with low fat cream cheese?
Thanks for the great recipe!
yes you can do low fat and you can add anything you like to it that is what makes it so great 🙂
I served it with a light Greek salad- shredded romaine lettuce, celery chopped thin, chives, sliced green olives and a Greek vinaigrette that had some feta in it. It felt nice and light next to this heavy but delicious dish.
Yum! Was very creamy, so some liked, some didnt. I loved it! Sauce looked watery when i first opened up, but after adding back shredded chicken and cheese, it creamed up nicely. I used half frozen chicken breasts.
Do you think could sub turkey bacon? Don’t eat pork.
I don’t eat pork either, but I made it without bacon and it still tastes really good. I usu use chicken broth in place of water too.
Made this last night! Oh my goodness, so yummy. Going to make it for my work crew. Thanks for the recipe
Maybe should have trusted my instincts? I read not to put dairy in an IP, to add it t in after. Was going to leave the cream cheese until after – put it in anyway. Now I’m getting a “burn” display?
Every time I make this I add the cream cheese in while cooking.
This looks and sounds decadent. I think the carb count is a bit off considering the ranch packet alone is at least 16g. But even if it’s 6 or so grams each, it’s definitely something I’ll have to try… thanks for the recipe!!!
What do you serve it with?
You can put it on bread, rolls, or eat it like a dip. Some put it over pasta also
What if your using the instant pot multi cooker, what setting could you put it on and it turn out good?
How many servings is this recipes?
My kids LOVE this so much! How much water would you use to double this recipe?
no additional water needed and same time 🙂
I made this tonight using Italian dressing mix and it was delicious! Thanks for a great, easy recipe!
My daughter said that the cream cheese curdle in hers. Can you add the cream cheese last and let it melt into everything else at the end?
yes you can but I really did not have that problem
Would it be possible to leave out the water? Mine turned out very soupy in my instant pot.
I do not have an IP but will be making this in my crock pot. Do I NOT add the water and corn starch when using a crock pot? This recipe has everything in it that I love and I can’t wait to try it!! Thanks!!
Oh. My. Sweet. Lord. This recipe is amazing!! I served ours over Jasmine rice. Thanks for sharing!!
Made this for dinner last night. My table has never been so quiet!! My family LOVED it!! I cooked some bowtie pasta (about half a box) on the stove and added it when the chicken was done. Next time I may leave out the pasta and try it on Hawaiian rolls, like a chicken salad. Cant wait to try more of you recipes!!
How much is a serving? 1/2 cup? Doesn’t say. Doing keto and was wonderinng
I was wondering the same thing
I made this in an 8qt and it gave a burn notice as soon as it reached pressure. Then I released, scraped the bottom and tried on low pressure and it did the same thing. Wondering if I needed more water due to the bigger pot?
Hummm not sure what happened I used an 8qt also with that 1/2 cup water.
I wanted to throw something out there for you.
I seen this an immediately wanted to try it, however, my family only eats cream cheese when it is in my chicken Alfredo that they love! So, in an attempt to do around the same thing I used this recipe with Italian seasoning (Not the dressing packet, but a general mix of Italian seasonings) instead of ranch, added pepper and added grated Parmesan cheese, then replaced the water with one box of chicken broth. To die for! I had trouble finding a way to make my Alfredo in the IP without burning it, but this helped so much! Thank you!
Looks amazing but some of my family dislikes ranch. What could I sub in its place?
Good Seasons Italian dressing or Onion soup mix.
I put all the ingredients into my carb manager app and it says there are 8 carbs in each serving ? how are you getting 2 carbs? I must’ve done something wrong..
I got the same thing! No idea how they came up with 2g carbs. Also wish they would post how much a serving is.
I put the entire pot as 4 servings which is a huge serving
I have 4lbs of chicken, should I double the other ingredients??
Uh-mazing results. Used frozen chicken thighs and a bit more shredded cheese, let it sit on “warm” in the Instant Pot for 5 minutes – definitely not watery at all. It had significantly thickened up, well past the consistency of chicken salad and well into “frickin delicious chicken paste” realm. Used some Kings Hawaiian rolls and they were awesome, filling, sliders.
Husband looked at me quite concerned and said “I’m afraid…the name of the chicken you made was accurate. *scratches chest, twitches* Got any more of that crack chicken?” lol It is now in the #WillMakeAgain rotation. Thank you!
I used frozen chicken and it doesn’t take the same amount of time like the recipe suggest. I originally put it on for 17 mins and it wasn’t done, so I cooked it an additional 5 or 6 mins. I ate it over pasta and with broccoli and it was good. I definitely wouldn’t call it “crack chicken”.
What’s the actual serving size??
Could you clarify the Crack chicken recipe if made in a crock pot and not the Instant Pot….the end of the recipe says to add bacon, bacon. Do I add the 1/2 c. water? Did you mean add bacon and cheddar cheese?
This will not work in my Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker mode) as it has too little liquid. I tried a similar recipe and the IP gave the BURN message, then will no longer go into Pressure Cooker mode once you get the BURN message. Not that happy with my Instant Pot. Seems like Pressure Cooker Mode requires too much liquid, then the final product is very, very soupy and bland. I can only cook these type of recipes in the slow cook mode. But I think everyone’s IP is different. How can you pressurize with only 1/2 cup liquid?
I made this but used chicken already cooked that I needed to use. I decreased the time because of this, and shredded the chicken in the pot. Once I stirred the cheese into the mixture, it didn’t need anything to thicken it. I think it needs the water to pressurize.
Hi! I just tried this! YUMMY!! I made it with Honeysuckle turkey cutlets! I served it with cauliflower rice. Very Keto friendly!
Can this be done without an instant pot and if so what would the receipe and instructions be?
I don’t have that pot but have crock pot! How long would I cook in crock pot??
How much is in a svg? Cup? OZ’s?
Thank you!
Delicious. Will definitely be making this again!
Hi. I am new to Instant pot cooking. I thought it was required to have a minimum of 1.5 cups of water to use it? I have the 8 quart model. What size is this recipe meant for? What will happen if I only use a half cup as indicated? Thanks, in advance.
This was very good! I used 1 cup of water, light cream cheese, and 5 pieces of bacon. I ate it with rice and steamed broccoli. This recipe is a keeper! Thanks for sharing!
what does crack mean? Crack chicken or crack brownies, or crack pie or crack beef recipes. What the heck is the meaning of the word crack in this context? I’m goimg bonkers trying to figure it out.
That it’s addicting LOL
It’s addictive
I love this recipe so much. THANK YOU! My family now thinks I’m an amazing cook haha
Just made this recipe- left out the water, and OMG it’s deliciuos! Now I have enough to put with broccoli, or on a salad, over quinoa, or with Parmesan crisps!! I separated some and added franks red hot sauce too!! Amazing!!
How long to cook if doubling the recipe?
Same time
This was very good. However, is there a way to reduce the salt?
I dont have a IP and I want to make it in my crock pot… I’ve noticed questions regarding this that haven’t been answered… so, I thought I’d try my luck in asking… any advice on doing this in a crock pot?
Yes 4 hours on high no water
Having a party, can this recipe be doubled in IP or crockpot and just double all ingredients?
Yes same time
I just made this recipe for the second time and doubled the ingredients.
For anyone asking, we kept the water amount the same (we used broth) and requires no additional cooking time. We used a 6qt Instant Pot, and it was fine.
I don’t know what the cup servings would be, but we found that a serving is about 300 grams.
Also, we love the recipe!
WARNING: this is not Weight Watchers friendly. I’m on Weight Watchers and this popped up as being ‘Weight Watchers friendly’ but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Lol. But I still made it and tried to cut out as much cheese as I could without compromising taste. I added a little at a time so I have no idea how much I ended up adding, but it wasn’t as much as the recipe called for. I’m a sucker for cream cheese (part of the reason I ended up on Weight Watchers…haha), so of course I thought it was good. If you’re on any type of diet, check out the nutrition facts first. Delicious even if it isn’t Weight Watchers friendly!
Two questions…. what is the serving size? and what are the Weight Watchers points?
I put the nutrition info in my calculator and it came up as 17 points for a serving, which isn’t really WW friendly…
Thanks! Can’t wait to try it!!
This was ahhhhhhhmazing!!!!! Family favorite! Can’t wait to make it again!
This doesn’t make rubber chicken? I’ve had no luck with breasts in the IP.
nope 🙂
Hi! I’m hoping to make this for a group of thirty. What is the max amount to make per instant pot? I have 3. Please help!!
I noticed on the nutritional facts you didn’t list the serving size for those totals, only that it serves 4. Would be very helpful info before making. Thanks for sharing, can’t wait to try it
I’m just wondering if over half the commenters even read the recipe….Step #6 clearly states crockpot instructions, which don’t include water. And the top of the recipe clearly states 4 servings.
I never tried but I bet it would be good
How much is considered a serving for the 2 carbs?
I’ve made this twice now in my IP. Both times it was very good, but my wife and I felt the whole packet of ranch seasoning made it much too salty. Hidden Valley seems to have cornered the marker on ranch seasoning, so I couldn’t find a low sodium alternative. The second time I just used about a half a packet and it was much more sodium tolerable. Both times we had to cook the chicken an extra 5 mins as it was a tad pink in the middle. I think 1/2 cup of water is a little too much, but adding a little more cheddar cheese thickens it up. I also added a little grated parmesan as well. Also, cut up some green onions and add it to your bowl for a great topping. Thanks for a great recipe!
Can you add the bacon in raw the chicken breasts so you don’t have to cook them separately? I’m new to this.
I used vegan cream cheese and cheese. I also used uncurled turkey bacon with no sugar. I used my mixer to shred. Teenage boys loved it! Thanks
I’m interested in adding broccoli to this, and it would be frozen. Should I adjust anything? Just got my IP yesterday so I’m a brand newbie! Thanks in advance!
How much is a serving and how are there only 2 carbs? When I put it into my recipe maker there are 7.9g net carbs per serving for 6 servings.
How would I adjust if I used chicken thighs. This would be my first time using my IP
Thanks.
Co Brady
What does “IP” mean?
Instant pot
How would I do this in a crockpot, I don’t have an instant pot. Thank you.
All ingredients and on low for 6 hours
My husband made this while I was at work. The flavors were great, but I found the texture of the chicken to be a bit too chewy. Have you had that happen? Did we cook too long or not enough?
This is so good and super simple! My 5 year old made this last night in the IP! Only thing I did differently was a 10minute natural release to keep the chicken moist. It’s so good!
Made this tonight. Didn’t have ranch dressing so we used an Italian dip mix I bought at a craft fair. It was amazing and we served it over spaghetti squash. Will definitely be made again! Easy and flavorful, just what the doc ordered!
Could I use ranch dressing? I don’t have any ranch packets!
HI! I also noticed on the crock pot version you had 2 packets of ranch seasoning? Is there a reason you need more in the crock pot vs. the instapot? I’m afraid of cooking the cream cheese for 4-6 hours? Would it be okay to cook the chicken in broth, shred the day before then add the cream cheese and ranch the next day? Sorry, never made it before and planning on making it for a party on Sunday!
While the price of chicken has gone up a bit, it’s still a great value for people who like meat in their diet. The beauty of recipes like the Crack Chicken is that it shows how many different things you can do with chicken. It also shows how easy it is to whip up a delicious meal in the Instapot. Thanks for sharing the recipe AND the variations.
Anyone intetested in knowing how many WW points one serving is? The recipe is for 4 people.
I calculated 16 pts per serving
Looks delicious!
I think I’ll try it even though it is costly. 😊
I’ll have to rate it once I’ve tried it
I made this tonight as my second IP meal :^D it was delicious and my boyfriend raved about it for hours afterward!!!
I wondered at first if I should put the chicken on the trivet, but no…. just set it directly in there (as stated in the directions) and no burn notice or anything!
The batch did come out a bit juicy (liquidy?) but I added a tablespoon or so of flour and then set it on slow cook for 15 minutes (just to heat it all and the most likely 2 cups of cheese my boyfriend added — one more cup than the recipe calls for) and it was just about perfect 🙂
Definitely keeping this recipe for future meals.
Thank you!!
Ashley
This was delicious and my family loved it! I have a 9 and 11 year old. They both want me to add it to our dinner rotation. I used frozen thin cutlets. Since they were frozen, I did not add water but I got the burn signal. I opened the pot, scraped the bottom, and added 1/4 cup of water. I was worrried that the sauce would become soupy but it didn’t. I made the mistake of adding salt at the end. It did not need it and made the dish really salty. So please taste test before adding salt. This a a keeper. Thanks!!!!
The recipe sounds delicious, but I absolutely hate it when they call a recipe “crack”! They need to come up with something else!!
But will be making the dish!!
I have tried to find the recipe for Crack Chicken but all I get is other things and not the recipe. How do I find your recipes?
In the crack chicken recipe, Step 6, what do you mean by “keep your IP on low”?
I made this tonight following the recipe exactly. It was sooooo salty that it actually was inedible and I usually love salty foods. I had not added any salt separately. I asked my daughter to taste and she felt the same way, so I ended up throwing it out. I might try again with 1/2 the packet of ranch. I’ve also seen some other recipes that call for adding garlic and onion powder so that might help with the saltiness.
Hi Carla,
It looks yummy!
Thank u very much for sharing.
Will definitely try it
Made this yesterday. It was awesome. Instead of using half a cup of water I used one can diced tomatoes with green chiles. The liquid in the can was just the right amount. I cut my chicken horizontally in half so that it would be thinner and cook thoroughly. After the time is up and it sits for 5 to 10 minutes it thickened up nicely will definitely make again.
These look absolutely delicious! You have amazing food photography too :] As much as I know my girl’s will love these, I know I will too!
I love most of your recipes and have tried quite a few. But I just cannot get enthusiastic about this one. Neither could my husband. Since I do have a cold, I will be trying it again though after the cold is gone. I followed the directions exactly so am just not sure what my issue with it is. But I keep trying your recipes. I just love them! Thanks!
Thanks for making me look like and amazing cook with this simple recipe. I am making this next week, but I am sure my family will love it.
Do you have a video of this recipe??
Yes it’s in this post
I followed directions exactly and got the burn notice, I added another 1/2 cup water. Anyone else have this issue?
Oh my! This instant pot crack chicken was delicious and so easy to make! Will have to try this for my family. Thanks so much!
This recipe looks amazing and love using the instapot to help save time!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I’ve stopped even trying to cook chicken in my IP because I’m never happy with the results. Saving this post for sure!
This is one of the best Chicken Recipe, you have shared online. I will surely give it a try.
Can you double this recipe?? And do it all at once in instapot?
I had 4-5 sm brst pcs did as prescribed but had to use btl ranch dressing which just poured in (lol) did turkey bacon on hand (don’t use reg.) and going to add fresh broccoli! The flavor is awesome! Any veg mix appropriate would be good even + potatoes.! Thank You!!
Great receipe, been planning to make the Crack Chicken Recipe for a long time now. this post is really helpful
Thank you! This was awesome! I made it with tortellini, and it ‘s really good. Thank you for publishing w/ options.
I want to try it now. It looks fat. I hope it’s delicious. Thank you for sharing
I made this tonight with 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs. I used a little less cream cheese(that’s what I had) and only 4 pieces of bacon. Hubby says it needs more bacon! I served it over leftover noodles with a green salad.
We used the Kitchen Aid with flat paddle to shred – so easy!
My family loved it! My husband is having a few digestive issues and this recipe incorporates many of the ingredients that aid positively in the digestion process. Thank you so much!
Thanks for the great recipe. Its cooking now. Going to try it over rice tonight. Its do easy!!
Great recipe.
Just made this and really like it. I put it over zoodles which go really well. Also a way to get veggies in. Next time I’m thinking of adding garlic and some pepper or even a touch of buffalo sauce! I also had very thick chicken breasts. They were just cooked. May lengthen time by 2 minutes for thicker chicken.
I used frozen chicken and did the 15 mins high pressure, and the chicken was still frozen and not cooked at all.
I’ve seen other IP recipes that say frozen can be used but the time must be increased. I’ve yet to try any from frozen state.
I made this in the IP. Used low-fat cream cheese and fresh 🐔. It came out great. My husband thinks 1cup of cheddar cheese is too much. I may cut it back 1/8 cup next time.
I made this with 5 fresh boneless skinless chicken breasts; 2 blocks (cut up) cream cheese; 1 pack ranch dressing; 1/2 cup chicken broth – cooked in slow cooker for 4 hrs on high, then removed and shredded chicken; whisked the liquid/cream cheese ( it will be a little lumpy because cream cheeses does melt completely unless you whisk it; returned chicken and stirred all together..perfect! Put the crock pot on warm until I served it about 4 hrs later. Served it with sides of crumbled bacon, green onions (sliced), shredded cheddar, and Hawaiian rolls. Will definitely try the cooked bacon next time.
Awesome! INSTANT POT CRACK CHICKEN is my favorite food. It’s great to be able to make it right at home, it’s really not as difficult as I thought, thanks for your detailed instruction.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
I made this the other night, and will absolutely be making it again! I did make a couple of small mods and it was near perfect.
-After shredding the chicken (I just did it carefully with 2 forks in the instant pot), I pressure cooked for 3 more minutes for the sauce to thicken a little more.
-I added black pepper and a little garlic salt
-I guessed on the ranch powder measurement since I have a bulk container and couldn’t find a reliable conversion chart. 1.5T was good, but I’ll do 2-2.5T next time
-I ended up making pasta salad out of this by adding frozen peas/carrot mixture and some rotini noodles!
YUM
What is a serving size?
During COVID I lost my day job and your recipe helped me to cope with stress this day. Thanks
I’m so happy it helps 😊 the burritos make me a lot of food for little money
Looks great! The recipe is quite simple and easy to prepare, added to the menu for this weekend. Hope to enjoy the chicken with my family. Thanks and have a nice day!
Am I reading it correctly that this makes TWENTY servings? That’s about 1 bite of chicken per serving?
It makes a ton trust me
Taught my g-daughter this recipe to teach her how to read a recipe and cook it. Came out delicious.
My husband is eating keto and really tired of the boiled chicken breast, this recipe will help a lot.
thank you for you sharing,
just wondering if I can reduce amount of cream cheese, cheddar cheese? (maybe 5 oz cream cheese and 1/2 cup cheddar cheese?)
Yes
Definitely a hit in our house. I used 1.5lb chicken. Shredded using hand blender. Used immersion blender for sauce. 23 minutes on high with quick release bc my chicken was a bit thick. Added 3 green onion with the bacon. Next time I’ll try mixing in some spinach as well and upping the green onion. Put the mix onto a sub bun and pressed in the panini maker.
Mmmmmmm! I followed this exactly as posted and the verdict? We’re adding it to our “favorites” rotation! I rarely cook the same thing twice in a timeframe of 4-5 months so this was a no brainer! We ate over egg noodles with roasted lemon pepper broccoli on the side. Also added jalapeño on top!
How many servings is this?
I plan on making this recipe tonight but plan on doubling it. How long should I cook it?
Same time
Made this last night. I doubled the recipe and added 10 minutes to the cooking time, turned out delicious! Even our picky eaters loved it!
This recipe worked perfectly for me, including making ranch powder from scratch (minus the buttermilk, which I omitted)! I added 2 cups uncooked while grain rice and 4 cups water (for the rice). It finished at the same time, making savory chicken and rice. Even my 17 month old loved it, since the chicken was tender and shredded.
Thanks for the recipe!
A note on my previous post: I used frozen chicken and for me, it did in fact only take 15 minutes (but an expected FOREVER to pressurize). I also gave it the 1/2 c water (plus rice and water for that). Worked great.
This was really good! Next time I will add cooked pasta or maybe broccolli, there is too much good sauce to waste. I also used the 1/3 less fat creme cheese with no noticable difference.
I would give this a 6 out of 10 at best. Nothing wrong wit the recipe and I think it turned out just as it should have but it’s just not my jam. Very rich and heavy. Kind of reminds me of a condensed cream soup right out of the can.
Ok, I’m slow about getting an Instant Pot. Don’t have one, yet. I was given a Tupperware Microwave Pressure Cooker. How would a person convert the Instant Pot directions to my pressure cooker? Thanks for any help. Greatly appreciated.
Another winner! Your recipes always work out for me, thanks again!
Thanks! I work hard 🙂 I’m happy you liked it.