Easily make Instant Pot Crack Chicken in only 40 minutes! This creamy, salty, cheesy shredded chicken is perfect for sandwiches, or enjoy it without bread as a Keto-friendly meal that the whole family will love.
Anything that is called “crack” must be delicious, right? We have Christmas crack, cabbage crack, crack pie, and many other so-named recipes, but I think you’ll find that creamy crack chicken is the best of them all!
If you don’t love the name crack chicken, you can also call this recipe cheddar ranch chicken, or you can simply call it the most delicious and addicting Instant Pot Chicken recipe out there.
You won’t be able to get enough of this tender pulled chicken in a creamy, cheesy ranch sauce topped with salty bacon and savory green onion.
I have so many Instant Pot Recipes here for you to try! Start with Instant Pot Butter Chicken, it’s a reader favorite. Then be sure to check out Instant Pot Meatloaf and Instant Pot Pulled Pork for your next easy and delicious dinner idea.
Why You’ll Love This Crack Chicken Recipe
- A Versatile Recipe Starter – Crack chicken is easy to serve on toasted rolls or wrapped in lettuce leaves, but it’s also fun to stir it into pasta, bake it up into a casserole topped with tater tots, or put your own spin on it with other flavors and add-ins.
- Low Carb and Keto Friendly – This recipe is high in protein and fat, and very low in carbs, so it can fit into your low-carb lifestyle.
- The Instant Pot Makes it Faster – This recipe can also be made in a crockpot, but when you don’t have 4 to 6 hours to cook dinner, you’ll be glad that you can make crack chicken in the Instant pot in under 45 minutes.
Ingredients In Crack Chicken
The best Instant Pot Crack Chicken only needs a handful of ingredients to make the most amazingly flavorful dish!
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Chicken: Two or three large chicken breasts or about 2 pounds of meat are needed for this recipe.
- Cream Cheese: Use full-fat cream cheese to make crack chicken. Low fat won’t taste as good, and it won’t be as luscious and creamy.
- Broth: The pressure cooker won’t work without liquid added to the pot. Choose low-sodium chicken broth for this recipe since we’re adding salty ranch to the mix.
- Ranch Seasoning: Hidden Valley ranch seasoning mix, or my homemade version (try it, it will save you money!) gives crack chicken its irresistible flavor.
- Bacon and Cheddar: I add cheese and bacon to instant pot crack chicken just before serving. This way the bacon stays crispy and the cheese doesn’t melt into the sauce right away.
- You’ll also need some salt and pepper, and chopped green onions for a tasty garnish.
How To Make Instant Pot Crack Chicken
- Cook Chicken in the Instant Pot: Add raw chicken breasts, broth, salt, pepper, and ranch seasoning to the Instant Pot. Set the lid to seal and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes. When the cooking program ends, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then quickly release the rest of the steam.
- Shred It: Carefully remove the chicken from the pot and shred it into small pieces with two forks. While doing this, set the Instant Pot to “saute” mode.
- Make Creamy Crack Chicken: With the Instant pot on “saute”, whisk in the softened cream cheese until the sauce is thickened. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir to coat.
- To Serve: Top the chicken with shredded cheddar cheese, chopped bacon, and sliced green onions. You can enjoy crack chicken on toasted bread or hamburger buns, add it to pasta, or serve it with a side of mashed potatoes.
Tip!
Low Carb? Enjoy this creamy cheddar ranch chicken on its own, over cauliflower rice, or wrapped in lettuce leaves.
Recipe Tips
- Instead of chicken breasts, use the same amount of chicken thighs.
- Grate your own cheese. Bagged shredded cheese is convenient, but it also contains additives that make it less tasty and can add carbs if you’re watching that. Buy a block of cheddar cheese instead, and shred it using a box grater.
- Homemade ranch seasoning is delicious and much cheaper in the long run than buying packets of seasoning at the store.
- Burn Message? There shouldn’t be an issue, but if your IP gives you a “burn” warning, add a bit more water until it stops.
- This recipe was tested in a 6-quart instant pot. If you are using a larger one, you will need to add more liquid to equal 1 cup in total.
- To Make Crockpot Crack Chicken: Cook the chicken with seasonings and broth for 4-6 hours on low. Shred the chicken, and stir in the cream cheese after the time is up.
- Chicken is fully cooked when it measures 165°F/74°C using an instant read thermometer. If for some reason your chicken isn’t fully cooked (but it’s close) after you’ve released the pressure from the pot, close the lid and let it sit for 5 minutes to finish cooking.
Storing Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.
To freeze, let the crack chicken cool down, then transfer it to freezer bags. Freeze for up to 3 months.
What To Serve With Crack Chicken
My family loves it when I serve Crack Chicken sandwiches! Toast some sandwich bread, or pile the shredded chicken onto hamburger buns. You could also make crack chicken sliders with small rolls.
Want to include some veggies with your dinner tonight? Serve simple steamed or blanched broccoli or cauliflower – the sauce from the chicken is delicious on veggies. I also enjoy this meal with a simple side salad.
FAQs
I like to shred chicken by hand using a fork in each hand and gently pulling apart the meat. The best thing about this method is that you don’t need any special equipment or skills! Avoid using your hands to shred Instant Pot chicken, as the meat will be extremely hot. If you’re making a large amount of shredded chicken, a stand mixer on low-medium speed will also do the job quickly.
To use frozen chicken breasts instead of fresh or thawed, add 5 minutes to the cooking time.
If you’re cooking with a larger instant pot, feel free to double the ingredients. Keep the cooking time exactly the same.
I can’t wait for you to try this easy recipe for Instant Pot Crack Chicken! It’s ready in under 45 minutes, and your family is going to devour every drop of this chicken with bacon and ranch in a creamy sauce.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Instant Pot Crack Chicken
Equipment
- Instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (900 grams) chicken breasts boneless skinless, about 3 large breasts
- ½ cup (120 ml) low sodium chicken broth
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ounce (1 packet/3 tablespoons) (28 grams) ranch seasoning
- 8 ounces (225 grams) cream cheese softened
- 1 cup (120 grams) shredded cheddar cheese
- 5 slices thick cut bacon cooked until crispy and crumbled into pieces
- 4 green onions thinly sliced
Instructions
- Add chicken, broth, salt, pepper, and ranch seasoning to instant pot.
- Place valve in the “sealing” position and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes. Release pressure naturally for 5 minutes, before switching valve to “venting” and manually releasing remaining pressure.
- Remove chicken and shred with 2 forks. While shredding the chicken, turn instant pot to the saute setting and whisk in the cream cheese until thickened. Add chicken back to the pot and stir to coat in sauce.
- Serve chicken topped with cheese, bacon, and green onions. Make sandwiches, add it to pasta, or serve with mashed potatoes if you'd like.
Notes:
- This recipe was tested in a 6-quart instant pot. If you are using a larger one, you will need to add more liquid to equal 1 cup in total.
- Instead of chicken breasts, use the same amount of chicken thighs instead.
- You can make this with frozen chicken, simply add 5 extra minutes to the cook time.
- Homemade ranch seasoning is delicious and much cheaper in the long run than buying packets of seasoning at the store.
- Chicken is fully cooked when it measures 165°F/74°C using an instant read thermometer. If for some reason your chicken isn’t fully cooked (but it’s close) after you’ve released the pressure from the pot, close the lid and let it sit for 5 minutes to finish cooking.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- To Make Crockpot Crack Chicken: Cook the chicken with seasonings and broth for 4-6 hours on low. Shred the chicken, and stir in the cream cheese after the time is up.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Erica says
I think I went wrong in taking the broth out, the recipe doesn’t specify. It was still good just less creamy. I am going to try it again and leave the broth in.
Little Sunny Kitchen says
Yes, you should leave the broth in the instant pot. I’m glad you enjoyed the chicken anyways though!
Stacey says
Hi! I made this and it was not creamy at all. Still tasted ok but what did I do wrong? It didn’t say remove the leftover chicken broth after removing the chicken so I left it in and added my cream cheese and some plain Greek yogurt because I only had half the amount of cream cheese needed. Thanks!
Little Sunny Kitchen says
Hi Stacey. The cream cheese is the ingredient that makes the recipe creamy. Greek yogurt won’t have the same effect. Next time, try it with the amount of cream cheese called for in the recipe and I think you’ll be really happy with it.