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Home » Blog

Instant Pot Crack Chicken

By Laurie
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Instant Pot Crack Chicken

Instant Pot Crack Chicken –Did you know that Crack Chicken is one of the most popular recipes on Pinterest? It’s true! This simple yet mouthwatering recipe is made up of only a few ingredients.

If you have wanted a simple recipe that will be a family favorite, this is one of the best Instant pot recipes!

Instant Pot Crack Chicken #easyrecipe #easyinstant pot dinner #dinnereasy #easyrecipe #ketofriendly #keto #healthy

The Best Crack Chicken Recipe Instant Pot

This is a fun recipe. It’s funny because it’s one of the most popular dishes for the Instant Pot, but whatever recipe you use, they all come from the same place. Hidden Valley, the original recipe, can be seen here, and as you can see, it was originally made with the crockpot.

I have seen this recipe for many years, but something about the cream cheese and chicken didn’t sit right. But, joining the bandwagon, I gave it a try. The first thing is that if you use that much cream cheese, in my opinion, it’s just TOO much.

So, I consulted my mom, my chef guru, and she said that you are trying to make cream soup without using it. So, I went to work, halved the cream cheese, decreased the amount of Hidden Valley ranch dressing, and decreased my opinion that this would be a life-changing recipe. If you need to use up chicken, please try this one; you will love me for it!

Suppose you have been looking for some easy Instant Pot Chicken Recipes. In that case, my favorites are INSTANT POT SALSA CHICKEN, INSTANT POT CHICKEN AND RICE, NINJA FOODI CHICKEN PAD THAI, and INSTANT POT CHICKEN FAJITA PASTA.

What Is Crack Chicken?

What’s Crack Chicken? It’s a dish made by cooking the chicken in an Instant Pot and mixing it with cream cheese, smoked paprika, cumin, pepper, and salt. You can make this as spicy as you like by adding more spice to the mix (we recommend lots of crushed red pepper). This recipe is fantastic, so invite your friends for dinner or freeze some portions later.

The name comes from the fact that this chicken dish is so addicting; it’s like crack! You have to have it!

Ingredients Needed For Instant Pot Crack Chicken Recipe

Are you looking for an effortless, delicious way to make a hearty meal out of minimal ingredients? Crack chicken is the dish for you! This beloved comfort food is made with succulent shredded chicken packed with cheese and bacon. With just five low-cost ingredients and about twenty minutes in your Instant Pot pressure cooker, this rich and creamy dish can be on the table faster than you can say “crack!” Get ready to satisfy your taste buds by learning all about the key elements that create a great bowl of crack chicken. Here are the easy ingredients you will need

Ingredients Needed For Instant Pot Crack Chicken Recipe

Remember, The Step-By-Step Directions Are Below In The Printable Recipe Card at the bottom of the post.

  • Chicken: Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts or use Boneless Skinless Chicken thighs
  • Water: You can also use chicken stock or vegetable broth for added flavor
  • Hidden Valley Dressing (Dry Mix): One Packet of Dry Ranch Seasoning
  • Cream Cheese: Low Fat or Regular
  • Bacon: Is there anything better than crispy bacon on top? You can also use bacon bits.
  • Serving: Hamburger Buns, Sliced Green Onions, Hot Sauce, Shredded Cheddar Cheese

How To Make Instant Pot Crack Chicken

How To Make Instant Pot Crack Chicken

Step One: Add Your Chicken

Place chicken in the Instant Pot. Place the block of cream cheese on top of the chicken.

How To Make Instant Pot Crack Chicken

Step Two: Prepare The Ranch Dressing

Add your ranch seasoning mix and water in a small bowl, and mix well to combine. For lots of ranch flavor, add the entire packet of ranch dressing. Pour the ranch dressing over the chicken.

How To Make Instant Pot Crack Chicken

Step Three: Set The Pressure Cooker

Set the manual high pressure and set the cooking time for 15 minutes. When the timer is up, let a natural release. While the chicken cooks, cook up the bacon.

How To Make Instant Pot Crack Chicken

Step Four: Shred The Chicken

Then remove the chicken, place it in a bowl and shred it (either uses the unique tool or use two forks and shred it). Add it to the Instant Pot and mix it with the sauce.

Step Five: Serving

You can serve it over rice, wrapped in a tortilla, or on a hamburger bun, the same as a shredded pork sandwich.

How To Make Instant Pot Crack Chicken

Serving Crack Chicken

This is a versatile recipe, and you can use it in several ways. This will soon become one of your favorite weeknight dinners! I love using it to fill my tortilla, tacos, burritos, and even a pile of lettuce for a great KETO crack chicken and Low Carb Friendly Meal. You can also serve over Air Fryer Zucchini Noodles as a quick salad or make them with lettuce wraps!

Can You Freeze Instant Pot Crack Chicken

Yes, this makes for a great addition to your freezer. Let the cracked chicken cool to room temperature, and then place the chicken into a freezer bags and freeze. It will stay good for about 2 to 3 months.

For best results, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Can You Use Frozen Chicken For This Recipe?

Yes, for most recipes that you need chicken for cooking in the Instant Pot, you can easily switch out the frozen chicken for fresh. The cooking time will be about 3 to 5 minutes longer.

With the Instant Pot, you can enjoy a chicken breast from frozen without thawing it first. If there’s any food item that is always in demand and notoriously tricky for busy families—it is meat! The beauty about using an instant pot, though, is cooking with just one button press will have your meal prepared perfectly every time, so all members of society don’t need their kitchen nook or oven space at home (including those who forget they put out leftovers). 

Can I Reheat Crack Chicken?

Let any leftover cracked chicken cool to room temperature, then place it in an airtight container. The creamy shredded chicken will last 3-4 days; it’s better the next day! Then, you can quickly reheat the cracked chicken in either a small saucepan or a microwave dish and heat over medium-high heat or in the microwave. Heat until warm, though.

You can add more chicken broth or cream cheese to add more creaminess to the leftovers.

Is Crack chicken Keto and Weight Watchers friendly?

Instant Pot Crack Chicken is one of the best KEto and Low-Carb meals you can make in your Instant Pot.

Consult the point guide for Weight Watchers; you could substitute low-fat cream cheese for a healthier option.

Can You Use Homemade Ranch For Crack Chicken

You can easily switch out homemade ranch dressing for the store-bought version! A great version to try is this one by The Food Network! I love using store-bought ranch seasoning since it’s such a time saver!

How Do You Make This recipe in the Slow Cooker?

Before the Instant Pot, you always made this recipe in a slow cooker or crock pot. The formula is found on the Hidden Valley Website for a great, easy, slow-cooker meal.

More Instant Pot Recipes

INSTANT POT SALSA CHICKEN
INSTANT POT CHICKEN AND RICE
NINJA FOODI CHICKEN PAD THAI
INSTANT POT CHICKEN FAJITA PASTA
INSTANT POT ORANGE CHICKEN

5 from 3 votes
Instant Pot Crack Chicken
Print
Instant Pot Crack Chicken
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 

Instant Pot Crack Chicken –Did you know that Crack Chicken is one of the most popular recipes on Pinterest? It's true! This simple yet mouthwatering recipe is made up of only a few ingredients.

Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Instant Pot Crack Chicken
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 249 kcal
Author: ForkToSpoon.com
Ingredients
  • 4 large chicken breasts about 1/1/2 pounds
  • 1 cup water
  • 4 teaspoons Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing package dry
  • 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
Serving: Bacon (cooked), lettuce, tomatoes
Instructions
  1. Add your chicken to the Instant Pot.

  2. Place your cream cheese on top of the chicken.

  3. Add one cup of water to your measuring cup and then mix in the 4 teaspoons of the spice packet.

  4. Make sure it's mixed well, and then pour it over the cream cheese and chicken.

  5. Set the manual high for 15 minutes. When the timer is up, let a natural release.

  6. Then remove the chicken, place it in a bowl and shred it with forks or tongs.

  7. Add it to the Instant Pot, and mix it with the sauce in the presure cooker.

  8. You can serve it over rice, wrapped in a tortilla, or on a hamburger bun, the same as a shredded pork sandwich.

Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot Crack Chicken
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 249 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Trans Fat 0.02g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 3g
Cholesterol 116mg39%
Sodium 536mg23%
Potassium 582mg17%
Carbohydrates 3g1%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 33g66%
Vitamin A 299IU6%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 27mg3%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Hello, I’m Laurie!

I’m a mom and a wife who loves to cook. I love to share what I learn. I work hard on using my appliances, Air Fryer and Instant Pot, to make my life easier, and hopefully, in return, your lives easier.

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