Meet Instant Pot Crack Chicken – where tender chicken meets a creamy mix of ranch, cheese, and bacon in a flash. Quick, easy, and sure to please your taste buds!
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Why This Recipe Works
- Flavor Explosion: This recipe combines chicken, cream cheese, and bacon for an irresistible taste.
- Quick & Convenient: The Instant Pot cuts down cooking time, perfect for busy schedules.
- Versatile Dish: Serve as a sandwich, wrap, or standalone dish for any meal.
📋 Ingredients
Here are the ingredients for this creamy Instant Pot crack chicken recipe:
- Boneless Chicken Breasts: The main protein in this dish, providing a hearty and filling base.
- Olive Oil: Used for sautéing the chicken, it adds a layer of richness to the dish.
- Ranch Seasoning: Infuses the chicken with a tangy, herbaceous flavor that's utterly addictive.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Melts into the sauce, creating a creamy, cheesy layer that's full of flavor.
- Cream Cheese: Adds a velvety texture and rich taste to the sauce, making it even more decadent.
- Chicken Stock: Thins out the sauce just enough, while adding a depth of savory flavor.
- Cooked Bacon: Brings a smoky, salty element that complements the creamy sauce perfectly.
- Minced Garlic: A little goes a long way in adding a punch of flavor, giving the dish a savory edge.
- Sriracha Hot Sauce: Gives the dish a kick of spice, balancing out the richness of the cheese and cream.
- Green Onion: Used as a garnish, it provides a fresh, crisp contrast to the creamy, cheesy chicken.
For the complete list of ingredients with measurements and instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
🔀 Substitutions & Variations
- Chicken Thighs: You can switch out the skinless chicken breasts for boneless skinless chicken thighs. The cooking time will be the same.
- Garlic Powder: Fresh garlic will give a more intense flavor and aroma, but if you’re in a rush or don’t have fresh garlic on hand, powdered garlic will work just fine. If using powder, use half of what the recipe calls for ¼ teaspoon instead of ½ teaspoon.
- Chicken Broth: You can switch chicken stock to chicken broth if you wish. Both will give this dish a fantastic flavor.
🔪How To Cook Instant Pot Crack Chicken
- Step 1: Select sauté mode on the Instant Pot. Once hot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add diced chicken. Sauté the chicken until fully cooked. Add ranch packet, chicken stock, garlic, and sriracha.
- Step 2: Close the Instant Pot lid and seal the valve. Pressure cooking on high pressure for 7 minutes. Once the crack chicken is done cooking, allow it to naturally release for 10 minutes.
- Step 3: Open the Instant Pot. Remove some of the liquid and set aside. Turn the Instant Pot to sauté mode. Add in the cubed cream cheese, and shredded cheddar cheese. Stir well until completely combined.
- Step 4: If you feel that it is too dry for your liking, add back in your liquid a tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Top your Instant Pot crack chicken with crispy bacon and green onions. Serve on a bread bun or with rice or pasta.
If you love cracked chicken then you'll also love our Instant Pot Crack Chicken Chili and Crack Chicken Pin Wheel Recipes.
👩🍳 Expert Tips
- Natural Release vs Quick Release: When cooking Instant Pot Crack Chicken, it’s important to know the difference between a natural release and a quick release. A natural pressure release is when you allow the steam to gradually escape until the pressure drops.
- Juicer Meat: A natural release of pressure results in more tender meat as it slowly cooks in its own juices. A quick release is when you manually open the valve to release the steam. This results in faster cooking, but also slightly dryer meat.
- Stir Gently: Stir gently when combing the chicken and cream cheese, this allows the ingredients to blend smoothly and ensures a creamy consistency throughout your dish
💭 FAQs
Yes, you can use shredded chicken for this Instant Pot crack chicken recipe. If you don’t want to use cubed or diced chicken, you can add skinless chicken breast or shredded chicken to the Instant Pot and make this crack chicken recipe. The cooking time will be the same either way, so go ahead and do what works best for you.
It can be…it all depends on how much spiciness you want it to have. If you’re a fan of spice, add in the hot sauce! Or better yet, add it separately to your own sandwich or bowl once you’ve made up this recipe. You don’t want to make it too hot that no one else is going to enjoy it!
Yes, if you are using chicken tenders in the Instant Pot, adjust the time to 1 minute on high pressure. When time is up, let your Instant Pot naturally release for 10 minutes, then remove the lid and carefully tilt it away from you.
Freeze Crack Chicken in an airtight container. Divide evenly among freezer-safe containers/bags and lay flat in the freezer to freeze flat for easy stacking. Label with the date and contents. When you’re ready to enjoy your frozen crack chicken, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before reheating and serving. You can also reheat straight from frozen if you need to.
When you’ve had your fill of warm, comforting crack chicken the night before, you can easily transform those leftovers into something just as delicious. From casseroles to sandwiches and salads, there are many ways to enjoy your Instant Pot crack chicken leftovers:
Crack Chicken Sandwich: Serve on a bun with your favorite toppings like lettuce, tomato, and pickles.
Crack Chicken Salad: Top a bed of greens with crack chicken and your favorite dressing.
Crack Chicken Nachos: Layer chips, cheese, crack chicken and salsa together for the perfect appetizer or snack.
Crack Chicken Tacos: Enjoy it wrapped in a warm tortilla with your favorite taco toppings.
Crack Chicken Tortilla: Try wrapping it in a tortilla with cheese for a tasty quesadilla or serve it over a bed of greens for a tasty lunch.
Crack Chicken Pizza Crust: You can also add the chicken to a pizza crust, and mix it with cream cheese and jalapenos for an amazing dip.
Serving Suggestions
These are my favorite sides to serve with Crack Chicken:
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts: Toss Brussels sprouts with olive oil, garlic, and Parmesan, then roast until crispy.
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes: Whip up velvety mashed potatoes with butter and cream for a classic comfort side.
- Bacon Wrapped Asparagus: Wrap asparagus spears in bacon, bake until crispy – a savory delight..
- Sweet Potato Fries: Slice sweet potatoes, season, and bake until golden and crisp.
Instant Pot Crack Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 Chicken Breasts approximately 1 pound
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Package Ranch Seasoning
- 1 Cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- 8 Ounces Cream Cheese I like cubed cream cheese best
- ½ Cup Chicken Stock
- 6-8 Slices Cooked Bacon or ¼ cup chopped bacon bits
- ½ Teaspoon Minced Garlic or ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Teaspoon Sriracha Hot Sauce
- 1 stem Green Onion To Garnish
Instructions
- Select sauté mode on the Instant Pot. Once hot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add diced chicken. Sauté the chicken until fully cooked.
- Add ranch packet, chicken stock, garlic, and sriracha.
- Close the Instant Pot lid and seal the valve. Pressure cooking on high pressure for 7 minutes.
- Once the crack chicken is done cooking, allow it to naturally release for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, manually release any remaining pressure.
- Open the Instant Pot. Remove some of the liquid and set aside. Turn the Instant Pot to sauté mode.
- Add in the cream cheese, and shredded cheddar cheese. Stir well until completely combined. If you feel that it is too dry for your liking, add back in your liquid a tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
- Top your Instant Pot crack chicken with crispy bacon and green onions. Serve on a bread bun or with rice or pasta.
Notes
Nutrition
🍜 Related Recipes
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1/2 what of garlic? Your recipe is missing a measurement. thx
half a teaspoon. tsp equals teaspoon.