Slow Cooker Crack Chicken
There’s a reason this recipe has become a sensation in homes across America. The combination of tender shredded chicken, tangy cream cheese, smoky bacon, and zesty ranch seasoning creates a flavor explosion that satisfies even the pickiest eaters. Plus, it’s versatile enough to serve multiple ways throughout the week – perfect for meal planning and avoiding the dreaded “What’s for dinner?” question!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 hours 10 minutes
- Total Time: 7 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs (trim excess fat if desired)
- 1 oz. packet ranch seasoning mix
- 16 oz. cream cheese
- 8 slices bacon (cooked, sliced, and drained)
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup sliced green onions
- Optional serving suggestions: rice, baked potatoes, or sandwich rolls
Instructions
- Place the chicken thighs in your slow cooker. Sprinkle the ranch seasoning evenly over the chicken.
- Add the cream cheese on top of the seasoned chicken (no need to stir).
- Cover and cook on LOW for 7 hours. (Resist the temptation to peek! Keeping the lid closed maintains consistent cooking temperature.)
- After 7 hours, use two forks to shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker. The meat should be tender enough to fall apart easily.
- Stir the now-melted cream cheese thoroughly into the shredded chicken until well combined.
- Mix in the cooked bacon pieces.
- Spread the mixture evenly across the slow cooker and sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese on top.
- Cover again and cook for an additional 10 minutes, just long enough to melt the cheese.
- Garnish with freshly sliced green onions just before serving.
Notes
After making this bacon ranch chicken countless times, I’ve picked up a few tricks:
- Chicken thighs work best for this recipe because they stay moist and tender during long cooking. If you prefer chicken breasts, reduce cooking time to 5-6 hours on LOW.
- For a lighter version, use Neufchâtel cheese (⅓ less fat cream cheese) and turkey bacon.
- The mixture might look a bit soupy when you first shred the chicken – don’t panic! It will thicken as you mix everything together.
- Pre-cooking your bacon the day before saves time on cooking day. (Sunday bacon batch cooking has saved my weeknight dinner sanity more times than I can count!)
Keywords: Slow Cooker Crack Chicken, Bacon Ranch Chicken, Chicken Recipe
Find it online: https://mumrecipes.com/slow-cooker-crack-chicken/