Rich, creamy, and full of flavor, this Keto Instant Pot Crack Chicken Recipe is sure to be a favorite family dinner.
This recipe is from our e-book, 20 Low-Carb Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Recipes. In the e-book we call it “Better Than Crack Chicken”, which it really is! We switched up the seasoning a little (omitted the Ranch mix and added our own keto-friendly seasonings), and this takes it over the top in terms of deliciousness. Our e-book is now on sale on for just $4.99!
We’ve also included this ebook in our ULTIMATE KETO EBOOK BUNDLE for only $19.99. It includes all 9 of our ebooks and meal plans! If you love the ebooks, join our affiliate program and earn 40% on each ebook sale you refer!
What is Crack Chicken
The wildly popular Crack Chicken is actually pretty simple in its ingredient list: chicken, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, bacon, scallion, and Ranch seasoning! The end result is creamy and rich, and packed with flavor. It’s proof that a recipe doesn’t have to be complicated to taste great. Crack Chicken is deliciously addictive, which is where the name comes from.
Using Frozen Chicken to Make Crack Chicken in an Instant Pot
A question we frequently get asked is whether you have to defrost boneless, skinless chicken breasts before making this recipe, or if you can just use them frozen. If you forgot to pull the chicken out of the freezer in the morning, we have good news for you! Crack Chicken can easily be made with frozen chicken. If using an Instant Pot, just add 5 minutes on to the cooking time (for a total of 20 minutes on Manual High Pressure).
Note that the U.S. Department of Agriculture advises against cooking frozen chicken in a slow cooker or crock pot because slow cookers cook at a low temperature and may not heat chicken up to 165F, which is the minimum temperature to destroy any dangerous bacteria and ensure that chicken is fully cooked. So if you’re using a crock pot or slow cooker to make Crack Chicken, make sure to defrost it first!
Crack Chicken Ingredients
- bacon
- boneless skinless chicken breasts
- cream cheese
- water
- apple cider vinegar
- dried chives
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- crushed red pepper flakes
- dried dill
- salt
- black pepper
- shredded cheddar cheese
- scallion
Using Leftover Chicken to Make Crack Chicken
Sometimes we all have leftover chicken on hand that needs to be used up. Maybe you roasted a couple of chickens on the weekend to prep for the week ahead, maybe you had company over and grilled up too many chicken breasts.
Or maybe rotisserie chicken was on sale at your local grocery store and it was too good a bargain to pass up or you made some Instant Pot shredded chicken breasts. Whatever the reason, we all can use a few ideas on how to use up leftover chicken.
If you have cooked chicken in your fridge just waiting to used, we have good news for you! Leftover chicken works great for making Crack Chicken. If using an Instant Pot, keep the chicken breasts whole if possible (don’t pre-shred them), and decrease the cooking time to 5 minutes (for a total of 5 minutes on Manual High Pressure).
If you have left over crack chicken, it’s perfect to meal prep and take for lunch the next day!
How to Make Crack Chicken in a Slow Cooker or Crock Pot
One of the things we love most about Crack Chicken is that there are so many different ways you can make it! We love our electric pressure cooker, but if you’d rather throw everything together in the slow cooker in the morning and come home to dinner waiting for you, you’ll be happy to know that Crack Chicken can also be made in a crock pot.
To make Crack Chicken in a slow cooker, add the chicken and cream cheese to the slow cooker. Whisk together the water, vinegar, chives, garlic powder, onion powder, crushed red pepper flakes, dill, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl and pour on top. Cook on LOW for 8 hours. Remove the chicken and shred it, and then add it back to the pot and stir in the cheddar. Cook the bacon in a skillet on the stovetop until crispy; cool the bacon and then crumble it on top.
How to make Crack Chicken in the Oven
After so many people have asked we made a keto baked crack chicken recipe! This recipe is just as good as our original keto crack chicken made in the instant pot!
How to Shred Cooked Chicken Breasts
There are a number of methods for shredding cooked chicken breasts, most of which take less than a minute! Choose the one that works best for you. Note that all of these methods work best when the chicken is still warm, so be sure to shred it before it cools, but not when it’s still too hot to safely handle.
Stand Mixer Method to Shred Chicken
Add the chicken to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Put on the splatter guard. Turn the mixer on until the chicken is shredded, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
Hand Mixer Method to Shred Chicken
Add the chicken to a large bowl. Beat the chicken on low speed with a handheld electric mixer until the chicken is shredded, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
Food Processor Method to Shred Chicken
Add the chicken to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the dough blade (this dough blade is for this Cuisinart food processor).
High Speed Blender Method to Shred Chicken
Add the chicken to a high speed blender (such as a Vitamix or Blendtec) and pulse a few times until the chicken is shredded.
Two Forks Method to Shred Chicken
Place the cooked chicken breasts onto a cutting board. Pierce the center of a piece of chicken with one fork and use the other fork to pull the chicken into shreds.
What Makes This Crack Chicken Keto/Low-Carb
The main ingredients in this recipe (chicken, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and bacon) are all part of a low-carb, ketogenic diet. We skipped the store-bought Ranch seasoning mix because it usually contains sugar, quite a bit of salt, and preservatives that we try to avoid if possible. Instead we used a keto-friendly mix of dried chives, garlic powder, onion powder, crushed red pepper flakes, dried dill, salt, and black pepper to season our Crack Chicken.
To keep this meal keto, an important thing to keep in mind is what you serve with this Crack Chicken; we share a few keto-friendly serving suggestions below.
In the photo above, our Crack Chicken is served “sandwich style” on Paleo Low Carb Sandwich Bread Rolls (Keto Buns)!
How to Serve Keto Crack Chicken (And Keep it Keto-Friendly)
Here are a few of our favorite keto-friendly ways to serve Crack Chicken:
- On top of zucchini noodles
- On a bed of baby spinach
- With a side of homemade guacamole
- Along with herbed cauliflower rice or cilantro lime cauliflower rice
- As sliders, using our favorite keto cheddar biscuits (the biscuit recipe is in our Freezer-Friendly Family Dinner Recipes e-book)
Other Low Carb Instant Pot Recipes you will love!
- Juicy Beef Brisket Recipe – Fall apart tender brisket made in the instant pot!
- Creamy Garlic Broccoli Mash – A delicious way to eat more vegetables on a keto diet.
- Low Carb Roasted Red Bell Pepper Chicken – Juicy dark meat in a rich creamy sauce.
- Low Carb Pot Roast – Made with radishes instead of potatoes (you won’t be able to tell the difference!).
- Instant Pot Beef Ribs – Perfect for summer barbecues.
- Cauliflower Soup with bacon and Cheddar cheese – You won’t be able to taste the cauliflower I swear!
- Keto Cheesecake – Great dessert to bring for friends and family gatherings!
- Instant Pot Cauliflower Pav Bhaji (Low Carb Indian Food) – To satisfy your craving for Indian food!
- Low Carb Instant Pot Pot Roast – We use radishes instead of potatoes!
- Instant Pot Keto Cinnamon Rolls – Perfect for lazy Sunday Mornings!
- Instant Pot low Carb Chili – great to warm you up on those cold winter nights!
Also, here is a round up post we created sharing other bloggers favorite low carb instant pot recipes.
If you’re new to the Instant Pot, check out this post we wrote on our favorite Instant Pot Accessories!
5 Day Keto Meal Plan On a Budget
This crack chicken recipe can be made super cheap! And if you’re looking for other budget friendly keto recipes, check out our 5 Day Keto Meal Plan. This keto meal plan is great for people looking to do keto on a budget. With our keto budget meal plan you can eat for less than $5 per day!
Easy Chicken Recipes you need to try!
- Low Carb Indian Butter Chicken
- Low Carb Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
- Keto BBQ Chicken Salad Bowls
- Keto Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
- Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Leftover Chicken Bone Broth Soup
- Copycat Alice Springs Chicken
If you’re big into meal prepping, we have something for you! We wrote a post about keto chicken meal prep that you may enjoy!
If you loved this post or any of our recipes, please leave a comment below. We love hearing from you! You can also tag #theketoqueens on social media. To stay up-to-date, FOLLOW US on Instagram @theketoqueens, Twitter, and Facebook.
Keto Instant Pot Crack Chicken Recipe
What You'll Need
Ingredients
- 2 slices bacon chopped
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 16 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dried chives
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar (2 oz)
- 1 scallion green and white parts, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Turn pressure cooker on, press “Sauté”, and wait 2 minutes for the pot to heat up. Add the chopped bacon and cook until crispy. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Press “Cancel” to stop sautéing. (See Note.)
- Add the chicken, cream cheese, water, vinegar, chives, garlic powder, onion powder, crushed red pepper flakes, dill, salt, and black pepper to the pot. Turn the pot on Manual, High Pressure for 15 minutes and then do a quick release.
- Use tongs to transfer the chicken to a large plate, shred it with 2 forks, and return it back to the pot.
- Stir in the cheddar cheese.
- Top with the crispy bacon and scallion, and serve.
Notes
Virgie says
This by far is a keeper. My kids LOVED 🥰 it. My son couldn’t get enough. For reference they are 5 and 3 years old. This is going to be in heavy rotation at my house. Thanks for the recipe.
Marie says
Had to make a couple substitutions due to my pantry… came out excellent. Hard not to eat it all.
Anne says
Chicken crack is so satisfying on a cold day! I like to cut my chicken breasts into 4-5 horizontal pieces so I don’t end up with such long strings of shredded chicken. It’s more chunks and short spreads. My favorite is to put it on roasted broccoli or cauliflower (but the white on white is not as appetizing as the white on the green broccoli). Thanks for the seasoning to replace ranch mix!
Roel says
I had a dish at a restaurant about a decade ago and I always wanted to know what sauce it was…it was EXACTLY this. Amazing recipe, thank you.
Alex says
Made this multiple times. You can substitute all the dry ingredients with Italian dry seasoning (dressing). It is fantastic!
Makala says
Do you think I can use chicken thighs? It’s all I have.
The Keto Queens CH says
I don’t see why not!
Dave says
I prefer chicken thighs. I also end up using more cheese. A lot more cheese. OK the whole bag. 😁
Free resource center says
thank you
Sam B says
SO GOOD! One of my favorite keto recipes I’ve made!
Lara says
Hi Sam,
We’re so glad you loved it!
Susan James says
I’ve made Instantpot crack chicken before with the store-bought Ranch seasoning and it was just OK. I was honestly reluctant to try your recipe but I am so glad I did! The flavor is SO much better with home blended spices! Thank you for posting!
Michaela Maynard says
Homemade always makes a difference! So happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Danielle Jolivet says
Best thing I’ve ever eaten . great on pita bread.
Lara says
Hi Danielle, we’re so happy you loved it!
EllEN says
Could you make this in a slow cooker if you don’t have an instant pot or pressure cooker?
Lara says
You totally can! We actually have slow cooker directions in this post 🙂
Brenda says
Hello – Thank you for the recipe. I have not made it yet, but I was wondering if it would still taste fabulous with only 8 oz of cream cheese? I would have to go to the store to get more cream cheese if not. Thank you.
Lara says
I know some people have said they’ve made it with half and it’s come out good (we just haven’t tried it that way yet)
Theo says
Hey there! We make this all the time using only half of the cream cheese and it’s fantastic! Serve over roasted or steamed cauliflower…one of our faves!
Lisa says
Great recipe. This is our first keto meal as this type of diet was just recommended for my husband. He thought a little spicy, but still enjoyed it and would like me to keep it in the rotation. I thought it perfect, but I love spicy. I am truly enjoying finding your instant pot & kept recipes.
Megan says
Can you make this recipe without the bacon? I am not a huge fan of bacon. Do I need to modify the recipe in anyway if I remove the bacon? Thanks!
Lara says
Hi Megan,
You can definitely do it without the bacon. Just skip that step completely.
Sheri Bublitz says
I followed the recipe exactly and my chicken was still half raw!
Alyssa Miller says
Oh.My.Goodness! This was so easy and delicious. My whole family devoured it and they ate it on Hawaiian rolls. I ate it as a lettuce wrap. Sooo good!
Ragen says
I JUST put everything in the Instant Pot and then started reading comments (looking for serving suggestions, in a tortilla? over cauliflower rice?) and it seems like I was supposed to cook the chicken separately first?! It didn’t say that anywhere in the directions so i put raw chicken breasts in. Was I indeed supposed to cook them first? If so, might be helpful to mention that, unless I missed it somewhere in the recipe?
Faith Gorsky says
Ragen, No, the chicken doesn’t need to be cooked separately first. If you have questions about the process, it might be helpful to watch the video.
Hope you enjoyed it! 🙂
Hollu says
Did you read the recipe. No where does it to put in cooked chicken. The instant pot cooks the chicken
Adi says
Hi, can’t wait to try this! I have raw, bone-in, skin on chicken thighs. Is it still possible to make this with raw chicken with the same instructions? Need to use up this chicken and would love to do so this way. Thanks!
Faith Gorsky says
Hi Adi, We recommend cooking the chicken thighs first, pulling the chicken meat off, and then combining it with everything else. To cook the creamy sauce on the stovetop, we recommend crisping the bacon in a saucepan and then removing it and adding the water and spices. Once the water is simmering, add the cream cheese a bit at a time (slightly softened would probably work best), whisking until it’s incorporated. Cooked this way, you may need to add a splash more liquid (water or broth, if you prefer) to the sauce, because some of the liquid will evaporate off as the cream cheese melts down. Finally, stir in the cooked shredded chicken and shredded cheddar, and serve! If you try it this way, please let us know how it goes!
Miraitowa says
All my family loved it.Thx for the option.
Lara says
We’re glad you’re family loved it!
Carole says
I prepared this last night for my husband and I. We were both WOWED!
I was particularly appreciative of how thorough your directions and video were. Thanks you so much for explaining how to adjust for half as many servings and how to use cooked, rather than raw or frozen chicken. We can’t wait to serve this for friends.
Lara says
Hi Carole,
We’re happy you and your husband loved it!
Jen says
(Made this in my slow cooker yesterday and love it! Thanks so much! Also, is it freezable? I made a big pot! 😋
Faith Gorsky says
Jen, We’re so happy you enjoyed it!! 🙂 Yes, it freezes very well!
Ashley says
Just made this tonight. Used applewood bacon. OMG it was sooo good. Served it hot with broccoli and cheese. Next time I make this, I’m gonna try it cold as a salad. Thank you so very much for creating this wonderful dish.
Lara says
Hi Ashley,
We’re so happy you loved it! Yes, it works great as a cold salad too!
Jen says
How can this be altered to make this in a crockpot?
Lara says
Hi Jen,
There are crockpot directions in the blog post 🙂
Sarah Barker says
Hi, can this be eaten cold as part of a salad or does it need to heated up?
Lara says
After it’s been cooked you can eat it however you wish 🙂
Stephenie says
Hello 🙂
We tried this last night. While the flavor was delicious, it was a bit runny. I did put semi-frozen chicken in the pot. So I think that moisture did not help…as well as added the 1/2c of water. Has anyone else had trouble with it being slightly runny?
Lara says
Hi Stephanie,
I actually made it last night for my when they were in town. I used half frozen chicken and half fresh chicken. It did come out runny so I just added more shredded cheese and it made it thicker.