Cold weather always has me turning to low carb slow cooker recipes. One of my favorites is this crack chicken recipe, because it’s so comforting and needs minimal hands-on time. Best of all, it uses ingredients many of us have on hand all the time. That was the perfect excuse to make this Crock Pot crack chicken again this week — and to share it with you! This naturally keto crack chicken is one of those meals that will please almost anyone, even if they aren’t low carb, so it’s perfect to make for the family. I’ll bet you’ll be making it again and again, like I do.
What Is Crack Chicken?
Crack chicken is an addicting, creamy shredded chicken made with cream cheese, ranch, bacon, and cheddar. This easy crack chicken recipe is similar to crack dip, but we add chicken and use ranch seasoning instead of ranch dressing. This creates a stronger ranch flavor without making the chicken too soupy. Many crack chicken recipes use ranch seasoning mix packets, but they are filled with all kinds of weird ingredients, starch, preservatives, and sometimes even sugar. There’s no reason to do this, because you can easily make your own crack chicken seasoning! It’s very similar to the seasonings I use for homemade ranch dressing. If you prefer whole chicken breasts instead of the shredded style in this recipe, make my baked bacon ranch chicken instead.
Is Crack Chicken Keto?
Yes, slow cooker crack chicken is naturally keto friendly! All that cream cheese provides plenty of fat, and each serving has only 3 grams net carbs. But even if you aren’t keto, this crack chicken Crock Pot recipe is simply delicious — whether you’re on a special diet or not.
Crack Chicken Ingredients
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for keto crack chicken, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
Chicken Breast – I prefer to use organic chicken (get it shipped right to your door here), but any boneless skinless chicken breast will work. You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs.Spices – Dried parsley, dried dill, dried chives, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. If you like, you can make my homemade ranch seasoning and just use about 1/3 cup of that, but I recommend omitting the salt when you make it since this recipe is already salty from the cheeses and bacon.Cream Cheese – Full-fat cream cheese will be the most flavorful and creamy, but any plain kind is fine to use.Cheddar Cheese – Shred it yourself or use pre-shredded. Other cheeses, such as pepper jack, are also great.Bacon Bits – Buy cooked bacon bits if you prefer, but for best flavor, crumble your own from oven baked bacon, air fryer bacon, or microwave bacon.Green Onions – Stir in the white part of the green onion and garnish this easy crack chicken with sliced green onions.
How To Make Crack Chicken
This section shows how to make Crock Pot crack chicken, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Storage Instructions
Store: Once you’ve made this crack chicken Crock Pot recipe, you can store any leftovers in the fridge for 2-3 days.Reheat: The easiest way to reheat the chicken is in the microwave, but you can also do it in the slow cooker (using the Warm or Low setting) or in a saucepan on the stove. If you’re concerned about the chicken drying out, you can add a bit of fat (such as butter) or chicken broth when reheating.Freeze: Freeze chicken in a plastic bag or airtight container for 2-3 months.
What To Serve With Crack Chicken
This low carb crack chicken recipe comes out soft and creamy, almost like a dip. So, you can use it in a multitude of ways: If you want melted cheese on top, you can keep the Crock Pot on the Keep Warm setting, sprinkle on some extra cheese, and close the lid for a few minutes to melt.
Crack chicken sandwiches – Pile it onto your favorite buns! You can serve regular buns for any family members on a regular diet, and low carb buns for a keto diet. The buns pictured above are from my (first) Easy Keto Cookbook, but my (second) Easy Keto Carboholics’ Cookbook has even better buns that are soft and airy, like real ones.Crack chicken dip – Serve it with low carb veggies that are good for scooping, like celery or bell peppers. Tortilla chips are a good option for those who aren’t low carb.Crack chicken wraps – Stuff into lettuce for lettuce wraps, or any other kind of wrap you like.
And what goes with crack chicken on the side? Here are some ideas, which go with many other slow cooker chicken recipes, too:
Coleslaw – Keto coleslaw is pictured above!Potatoes – Roasted potatoes are a popular option for a regular meal. Try mashed cauliflower or roasted rutabaga for a low carb option.Pasta – My favorite is keto egg noodles, but zucchini noodles, shirataki noodles, or spaghetti squash also work great.Rice or Cauliflower RiceSalad – Choose your favorite healthy salad recipe; they suitable for everyone in the family.
Find more ideas for low carb side dishes here and more healthy side dishes here. Share your recipe picture by tagging @wholesomeyum and hashtag it #wholesomeyum on Instagram, or in our Facebook support group, too – I’d love to see it!
