Keto Crack Chicken

Slow Cooker Keto Crack Chicken is one of the most delicious and creamy chicken recipes you will ever have. It gives you the real comfort food feel that we all know and love, while still keeping you on your keto diet.

This is another great recipe I’m super excited to share with you guys! Keto Crack Chicken is here and let me tell you, you’re gonna love it. 

Everyone is making low carb crack chicken these days, so get on the bandwagon and try the very best one! What’s better than throwing a handful of ingredients into your crock pot, and coming back in a few hours to a delicious creamy chicken dinner.

What is Crack Chicken?

Crack chicken is seriously all the rage right now. But what exactly is crack chicken? It’s basically just a creamy shredded chicken dish made with cheese, cream cheese, ranch seasoning, and spices. 

It’s a quick and easy dish with virtually no prep work, and hardly any clean up. Simply put…my kind of meal!

Why is it Called Crack Chicken?

A lot of people ask, why is it called “crack chicken?” It’s simple really, crack chicken gets its name because it’s addictive…just like crack but a lot healthier for you. Once you have tried it, you’ll understand and won’t make chicken any other way.

Is Chicken Ok on Keto?

In a word…YES! Chicken is absolutely acceptable to eat on keto, in fact, it’s something you probably eat all the time. Why? Because it’s so versatile, chicken can be cooked a hundred different ways and still taste delicious and be perfect for your keto and low carb lifestyle. 

Chicken has important nutrients and vitamins and is an excellent source of protein. 

Just 3 oz of chicken breast has: 

• 122 Calories 
• 24g Protein 
• 3g Fat 
• 0g Carbs 
• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin B12 
• Potassium 
• Zinc 

Plus many more…..

Trust me when I tell you that chicken is a great addition while eating low carb and overall a healthy protein option.

Is Crack Chicken Keto-Friendly?

Ok so we know chicken is great while on keto, but what about crack chicken? ABSOLUTELY! All of the ingredients in crack chicken are all keto-friendly. 

We used homemade ranch seasoning, boneless chicken, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, bacon, and then top it with some fresh scallions. If you are familiar with keto, then you know all of those ingredients are commonly used in low carb recipes. They have enough fat to help you make your macros for the day.

How Many Carbs are in Crack Chicken?

This keto crack chicken recipe is absolutely perfect when counting your carbs. Since it only consists of chicken breast, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and some spices it’s very low in net carbs. 

To be exact, for 1 serving it has only 1.8 NET CARBS. Told you it’s great!

Crack Chicken Cooking Methods

There are several different ways to cook a keto crack chicken recipe. You can try one of them or all of them, but no matter which one you choose it’s going to taste delicious. 

Slow Cooker/Crock-Pot – Add all the ingredients and cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 6 hours. 

Oven – In a baking dish add the chicken. Then in a small bowl combine the cream cheese, spices, and cheddar cheese. Spread over the chicken and bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. 

Instant Pot – Add the chicken, spices, cream cheese, and cheddar cheese. Pressure cook for 12 minutes. Add in extra cheddar cheese and the bacon. 

Stove Top – Using pre-cooked shredded chicken, add it to a large skillet. Then add all of the remaining ingredients and cook until the cheeses are completely melted and gooey.

What Ingredients are in Keto Crack Chicken?

• Chicken – I used boneless chicken breasts, but you could definitely use boneless chicken thighs if you prefer. Both work perfectly. 
• Cream Cheese – 8 oz cream cheese, Philadelphia is my favorite brand. 
• Cheddar Cheese – Shredded cheddar works best. 
• Spices – Ranch seasoning packets are what most people use but I prefer making my own. To make your own ranch seasoning it’s a combo of dried chives, dried dill, garlic powder, dried parsley, onion powder, and salt. 
• Bacon – Cooked chopped bacon adds great flavor and texture. 
• Scallions – Adding some chopped scallions gives some good flavor.

What Chicken is Best in this Recipe?

The best chicken to use when making keto crack chicken should be boneless breasts or boneless thighs, BONELESS being the keyword here. You don’t want to use any chicken that has bones, it’s way too much work to get all the bones out after it’s cooked. 

You also could use leftover cooked chicken or even a rotisserie chicken. However, keep in mind you won’t need to cook it for nearly as long because you are starting with pre-cooked chicken. 

Instead, you will want to cook it just long enough to melt the cream cheese and cheddar cheese making it nice and gooey.

Can I Use Frozen Chicken?

Sure thing! You can certainly use frozen chicken instead of fresh, but keep in mind you will need to add more to the cooking time. In that case it will probably be close to an hour in the crockpot.

Ranch Dressing vs Packaged Ranch Seasoning

Packaged seasonings tend to contain fillers that help them become more shelf-stable, and I really try to stay away from things like that. I prefer sharing homemade seasonings with you guys instead. They tend to be cheaper, and definitely healthier. 

So with this keto crack chicken recipe, I used my own homemade ranch seasoning, which uses: 

• 2 tsp dried chives 
• 2 tsp dried dill 
• 2 tsp garlic powder 
• 1 tsp dried parsley 
• 1 tsp onion powder 
• 1 tsp salt

Different Variations & Substitutions 

Crack chicken is so easy to make and it only consists of a handful of ingredients. However, if you want to change things up a bit then feel free to do so…the world is your oyster! 

Here are a few suggestions I’ve come up with: 

1. Are you a fan of spice?? If so, add some chopped jalapenos to give it a real kick.  
2. Use the keto crack chicken as a dip. Carrots, celery, and bell peppers are great to dip. 
3. Different kinds of cheese. 
4. Use any of your favorite spices.

Cheese Options

A few of my favorite cheeses to use are: 

• Cheddar 
• Mozzarella 
• Pepper Jack 

Feel free to use any other kind of cheese that you like!

How to Shred Chicken for this Recipe

There are several ways to shred the chicken in this low carb crack chicken recipe, so do whichever one works best for you. All of them are done after cooking the chicken.

1. Two Forks Method: Place the chicken onto a cutting board, or keep it in the slow cooker. Pierce the center of a chicken with one fork, then use the other fork to pull the chicken into shreds. 
2. Food Processor Method: Add the chicken to a food processor and turn it on until the chicken is easily shredded. 
3. Stand Mixer Method: Add the chicken to the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Turn the mixer on until the chicken is shredded. Use the splatter guard if you have one. 
4. Hand Mixer Method: Add the chicken to a large bowl, and beat the chicken on low speed with an electric mixer.

How to Make Keto Crack Chicken in the Crock-Pot

STEP 1: Prep – Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker. Sprinkle the seasonings on top of the chicken, then place the cream cheese on top.

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Be sure to cut the cream cheese into cubes, to ensure the chicken is evenly covered. 

STEP 2: Slow Cook – Cover with the lid and cook on High for 4 hours, or on Low for 6 hours.

STEP 3: Shred – Using 2 forks, shred the chicken. I shredded the chicken in the crockpot that way everything gets mixed in together. 

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STEP 4: Stir In – Add the shredded cheddar cheese and and bacon and mix until melted.

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STEP 5: Top – Add chopped fresh scallions to the top. Feel free to add some more shredded cheese and bacon if you want.

STEP 6: Serve – Serve the keto crack chicken and enjoy!

Crack Chicken Cooking Time

Cooking time will depend on what setting you set the crockpot at. 

• Cook on Low for 6 hours.
• Cook on High for 4 hours.

Making Keto Crack Chicken in an Instant Pot

• STEP 1: Prep – Place the chicken breasts in the Instant Pot. Sprinkle the seasonings on top of the chicken, then place the cream cheese on top. Be sure to cut the cream cheese into cubes, to ensure the chicken is evenly covered. 
• STEP 2: Cook – Place the lid on the Instant Pot and set to seal. Cook on high pressure for 12 minutes. 
• STEP 3: Release – Do a quick release. 
• STEP 4: Shred – Using 2 forks, shred the chicken. 
• STEP 5: Stir In – Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese and mix until melted. 
• STEP 6: Top – Add chopped bacon and fresh scallions to the top. Feel free to add some more shredded cheese if you want. 
• STEP 7: Serve – Serve the keto crack chicken and enjoy!

Making Keto Crack Chicken in the Oven

• STEP 1: Prep – Place the chicken whole or cubed into a baking dish. In a small bowl add the spices, cream cheese, and cheddar cheese and mix together. Spread over the chicken. (Or you can use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken and shred it.) 
• STEP 2: Sprinkle – Top with some added cheddar cheese and chopped bacon. 
• STEP 3: Bake – Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes. 
• STEP 4: Serve – Serve the keto crack chicken and enjoy!

FAQs & Best Tips

Here are some of our best tips to make sure this crack chicken comes out right every time:

• Use homemade ranch seasoning instead of store-bought packets. 
• Make sure the chicken is BONELESS. 
• Chicken breasts or thighs work the best. 
• Cheddar is my favorite but mozzarella or pepper jack both work well too. 
• Keto Crack Chicken can be cooked in a slow cooker, Instant Pot, or in the oven. 
• Use this low carb crock pot chicken as a dip, with some fresh veggie sticks. 
• Instead of chicken, you could try using pork. A pork loin will work just as well as the chicken.

How Do You Thicken Crack Chicken?

If you want to thicken the sauce in this crack chicken, then add ½ – 1 tsp of xanthan gum to the pan and stir until it starts to thicken up.

Why Don’t You Add Liquid to the Recipe?

I know some people are worried that because there isn’t any liquid added to the crockpot that it will be dry, but it’s not at all. Every time I have made this low carb crack chicken recipe, it’s been super creamy! 

The steam from the crock pot adds enough liquid to the pan, I have not found it necessary at all to add any extra.

How to Serve Low Carb Crack Chicken?

This low carb crack chicken recipe is honestly really rich, meaning that a little goes a long way. I love to make some steamed or roasted broccoli and put the crack chicken right on top. 

Another great way to serve it is to put it over some Keto Mashed Cauliflower, or some Cauliflower Rice. 

Pretty much any veggie side dish will go great with this keto crack chicken recipe.

Diets This Recipe is Good For

• Keto and Low Carb: This is a fabulous keto recipe, containing all low carb ingredients. 
• Gluten-Free: 100% gluten-free bacon cheddar ranch chicken recipe, but be sure to use homemade ranch seasoning. Some store-bought ranch packages can contain gluten. 
• Nut-Free: A lot of keto recipes use almond flour, but this keto slow cooker chicken is completely nut-free. 
• Dairy-Free: We use cream cheese and cheddar cheese which does NOT make it dairy-free. But instead, you can vegan cream cheese, and vegan cheddar cheese making it dairy-free.

Meal Prep & Storing Crack Chicken

MEAL PREP: Make the low carb crack chicken according to the recipe. Separate into containers or Ziploc bags and eat during the week, or store in the freezer. 

STORING LEFTOVERS: Store the leftover keto crack chicken in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for about 4-5 days. Always make sure that it cools down to room temperature before storing.

How to Reheat

Microwave: Place the leftover bacon cheddar ranch chicken in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 60-90 seconds, or until it’s reached your desired temperature. 

Oven: Place the leftover bacon cheddar ranch chicken in an oven-safe baking dish and bake at 350 for about 10-15 minutes. You can cover it with foil to help prevent it from drying out. 

Stovetop: Place the leftover bacon cheddar ranch chicken in a skillet or frying pan and cook on medium-high heat until fully reheated.

Can You Freeze Keto Crack Chicken?

Yes, this Low Carb Crock Pot Chicken is a great recipe for freezing leftovers! 

To Freeze: Place in individual Ziplock bags, or in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Tools to Use

• 2 Forks for Shredding 
• Spoon for Serving 
• Option 1: Slow Cooker – This is my favorite way to make our keto crack chicken.
• Option 2: Instant Pot 
• Option 3: Dutch Oven or Baking Dish

Other Low Carb Chicken Recipes

If you are looking for other delicious low carb chicken recipes then try some of these: 

• Cheesy Keto Chicken Casserole 
• Instant Pot Chicken Thighs 
• Homemade Everything Bagel Chicken Tenders 
• Crispy Keto Chicken Parmesan 
• Keto Chicken Nuggets 
• Keto Chicken Enchiladas

All of them are easy-to-make dinners and will have your friends raving!

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