I can’t wait to share my Crock Pot Creamy Ranch Chicken, a shockingly simple shredded-chicken recipe that becomes the easiest sandwich filling straight from the crockpot.
I never thought shredded chicken could be this addictive, but this crack chicken changed my mind. Slow, easy cooking turns cream cheese into a silky sauce and those little bits of bacon give it a crunchy surprise that keeps you reaching for more.
I usually make it when I want a lazy weeknight win or when I need a showy sandwich that’s actually simple. It feels like the elevated version of a family favorite, the kind of Crock Pot Creamy Ranch Chicken that gets requested on repeat.
Pile it on a roll, call it Crock Pot Ranch Chicken Sandwiches!, then hide the evidence.
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts: Lean protein that fills you up, low carb, versatile, but it can dry out.
- Cream cheese: Gives rich creamy texture and fat, high calories, almost no fibre, very indulgent though.
- Bacon: Smoky salty bits, adds protein and fat, provides crunch and big savory flavor oomph.
- Sharp cheddar: Sharp tang, melts into goo, gives calcium and protein plus a bold bite indeed.
- Ranch dressing mix: Herby salty seasoning, packs big flavor, it’s processed so not very healthy use sparingly.
- Chicken broth: Adds savory liquid to thin the dip, low calories, but has sodium sometimes though.
- Green onions: Fresh scallion bite, brightens heavy flavors, adds tiny fiber and nice color not much.
Ingredient Quantities
- 2 to 3 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts trimmed
- 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese softened
- 1 (1 oz / 28 g) packet ranch dressing mix
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) chicken broth
- 8 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups (100 to 150 g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 3 green onions thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Salt to taste (optional)
- Hamburger buns or slider rolls for serving (optional)
How to Make this
1. Cook 8 slices bacon in a skillet until crisp, drain on paper towels and crumble, set most aside for later and keep a little for topping.
2. Cut 8 oz cream cheese into chunks or microwave 15 to 20 seconds to soften so it melts faster.
3. Place 2 to 3 lb trimmed boneless skinless chicken breasts in the crockpot; sprinkle 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp black pepper and salt to taste over the chicken.
4. Pour 1/2 cup chicken broth around the chicken (not directly on the cream cheese), add the cream cheese chunks on top and sprinkle the 1 oz ranch dressing mix evenly over everything.
5. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or on high for 2 to 3 hours, until chicken shreds easily with forks.
6. Remove chicken to a cutting board or shred right in the crockpot with two forks or a stand mixer, then return shredded chicken to the crockpot.
7. Stir in most of the crumbled bacon, 1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese and 3 sliced green onions, mix until the cheese and cream cheese are fully melted and creamy. If the sauce is too thin, cook uncovered on low 15 to 20 minutes to reduce or mix 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp cold water and stir in to thicken.
8. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, remember the bacon and ranch already add salt so you might not need much.
9. Serve hot on hamburger buns or slider rolls (or over rice, pasta or a salad), garnish with the reserved bacon and sliced green onions. Enjoy, its messy but totally worth it.
Equipment Needed
1. 10-inch skillet or frying pan, for cookin the bacon until crisp
2. Slow cooker / crockpot (4 to 6 qt), where the chicken, cream cheese and ranch cook low and slow
3. Cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife, for trimming chicken and slicing green onions
4. Measuring spoons plus a 1/2 cup measuring cup, for garlic powder, pepper and the chicken broth
5. Tongs or a spatula and a plate lined with paper towels, to drain and crumble the bacon
6. Two forks (or a stand mixer with paddle), for shredding the cooked chicken
7. Heatproof spoon or silicone spatula, for stirring in cheese, bacon and onions until creamy
8. Box grater (if using block cheddar) and a large serving spoon or spatula to portion onto buns or plates
FAQ
Crack Chicken Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Chicken breasts: use boneless skinless chicken thighs for more flavor and they stay juicier, or shred a rotisserie chicken to save time and still get great texture.
- Cream cheese: swap with full fat Greek yogurt, sour cream, mascarpone, or Neufchatel for a lighter tang or richer creaminess depending on what you like.
- Bacon: try pancetta or smoked ham if you want similar salty smoke, or use turkey bacon for a leaner option, or skip it and add a pinch of smoked paprika for that smoky hit.
- Sharp cheddar: switch to Monterey Jack or Colby for milder melt, or pepper jack if you want a little kick, mozzarella works too if you want super gooey cheese.
Pro Tips
1) Soften the cream cheese well before it goes in. Cube it or zap 15 to 20 seconds in the microwave so it melts into the sauce faster. Dont overheat or it can get grainy, just warm enough to be pliable.
2) Be light with extra salt. Between the bacon and the ranch mix theres already a lot of sodium, so taste near the end before adding anything. If it still needs oomph, add a little at a time.
3) For the best shredding and sauce control pull the chicken out to shred on a cutting board, then add back just the amount of cooking liquid you want. If the sauce is too thin, stir in a cornstarch slurry (1 tsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp cold water) and simmer uncovered till it thickens.
4) Cook bacon on a rimmed baking sheet in the oven for even crispness and less mess, and save a little extra for topping. If you want deeper chicken flavor quickly, sear the breasts in a hot skillet for a minute per side before slow cooking.
Crack Chicken Recipe
I can't wait to share my Crock Pot Creamy Ranch Chicken, a shockingly simple shredded-chicken recipe that becomes the easiest sandwich filling straight from the crockpot.
8
servings
497
kcal
Equipment: 1. 10-inch skillet or frying pan, for cookin the bacon until crisp
2. Slow cooker / crockpot (4 to 6 qt), where the chicken, cream cheese and ranch cook low and slow
3. Cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife, for trimming chicken and slicing green onions
4. Measuring spoons plus a 1/2 cup measuring cup, for garlic powder, pepper and the chicken broth
5. Tongs or a spatula and a plate lined with paper towels, to drain and crumble the bacon
6. Two forks (or a stand mixer with paddle), for shredding the cooked chicken
7. Heatproof spoon or silicone spatula, for stirring in cheese, bacon and onions until creamy
8. Box grater (if using block cheddar) and a large serving spoon or spatula to portion onto buns or plates
Ingredients
2 to 3 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts trimmed
8 oz (225 g) cream cheese softened
1 (1 oz / 28 g) packet ranch dressing mix
1/2 cup (120 ml) chicken broth
8 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
1 to 1 1/2 cups (100 to 150 g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3 green onions thinly sliced
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
Salt to taste (optional)
Hamburger buns or slider rolls for serving (optional)
Directions
- Cook 8 slices bacon in a skillet until crisp, drain on paper towels and crumble, set most aside for later and keep a little for topping.
- Cut 8 oz cream cheese into chunks or microwave 15 to 20 seconds to soften so it melts faster.
- Place 2 to 3 lb trimmed boneless skinless chicken breasts in the crockpot; sprinkle 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp black pepper and salt to taste over the chicken.
- Pour 1/2 cup chicken broth around the chicken (not directly on the cream cheese), add the cream cheese chunks on top and sprinkle the 1 oz ranch dressing mix evenly over everything.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or on high for 2 to 3 hours, until chicken shreds easily with forks.
- Remove chicken to a cutting board or shred right in the crockpot with two forks or a stand mixer, then return shredded chicken to the crockpot.
- Stir in most of the crumbled bacon, 1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese and 3 sliced green onions, mix until the cheese and cream cheese are fully melted and creamy. If the sauce is too thin, cook uncovered on low 15 to 20 minutes to reduce or mix 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp cold water and stir in to thicken.
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper, remember the bacon and ranch already add salt so you might not need much.
- Serve hot on hamburger buns or slider rolls (or over rice, pasta or a salad), garnish with the reserved bacon and sliced green onions. Enjoy, its messy but totally worth it.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 243g
- Total number of serves: 8
- Calories: 497kcal
- Fat: 24.2g
- Saturated Fat: 10.4g
- Trans Fat: 0.09g
- Polyunsaturated: 1.25g
- Monounsaturated: 7.5g
- Cholesterol: 201.8mg
- Sodium: 703mg
- Potassium: 501mg
- Carbohydrates: 3.1g
- Fiber: 0.19g
- Sugar: 0.75g
- Protein: 61.3g
- Vitamin A: 310IU
- Vitamin C: 0.4mg
- Calcium: 148mg
- Iron: 0.3mg
