Healthy Crack Chicken {Instant Pot or Slow Cooker}

What IS Crack Chicken?

According to the all knowing internet (insert tongue in cheek), crack chicken is shredded chicken, cream cheese, bacon and ranch dressing, addictively good — does it make you cringe hearing that term, yeah, me too, and hopefully you’ll forgive me and trust that this stuff is really, really good!

As per my norm, I am late to the party (again), crack chicken and other recipes like these Peanut Butter Cup Crack Brownies started coming out back in the early 2000’s time frame, oh well, better late than never as “they” say!

I’m not a huge fan of the famous package of ranch dressing mix, you know the one, but that ingredient list, yes, I have used it; but I love to find ways to replace it if I can, which is what I did here. Just look at these beautiful, fresh ingredients.

Instant Pot Crack Chicken AKA Creamy Salsa Chicken

I started making this chicken for my ravenous teen boys, I needed something they loved, was easy and filling and was mom and kid approved. I think you’ll like it; it’s lightened it up, the long unpronounceable ingredient list of dressing mix is removed, but it still has tons of flavor. Oh and it’s ready in about 45-60 minutes in the Instant Pot.

Why Is It So Good!?

1. Super tender chicken with rich, aromatic spices, lime juice and salsa, finished with cream cheese and pepper jack cheese.
2. It takes minutes to throw together.
3. Throw it in the crockpot in the morning and come home to a delicious meal, this is my favorite crock pot
4. Or make it last minute, even with frozen chicken in your instant pot
5. Make on Sunday and eat all week – great for meal planning!
6. It’s healthier and has whole food ingredients you can pronounce!

Ways to Enjoy Healthy Crack Chicken

1. Delicious as taco meat, fresh, and bright. Chop tomatoes, avocados, add a little cheese and it’s dinner!
2. Add to your favorite enchiladas (try in these cheese ones!)
3. Make a Mexican salad with crack chicken, greens, maybe some charred corn, avocado and bacon, the sauce is it’s own dressing.
4. Serve between brioche or hamburger bun, if you want to stay true to the original recipe top with some crisp bacon pieces and a little extra cheese.
5. Keep it low carb (keto) and eat it by itself (omit beans), would be delicious in a roasted or fresh tomato or scooped out zucchini boat and baked or barbecued.
6. It’s naturally gluten-free!
7. Serve as a warm dip with corn chips or tortilla chips, celery, cucumbers and a side of ranch dressing. Try this homemade ranch by my friend Julia at Julia’s Simply Southern!!
8. Make tortilla roll-ups or a quesadilla.

Recipe adapted from Tidbits.

Crock Pot vs. Instant Pot

I love it both ways, depends on my schedule for the day!

• Crock Pot or Slow Cooker | Dump in everything except the pepper jack cheese, give it a little stir, cover and cook on high 3 hours or low 5-6 hours; if cooking all day; I will sometimes put my chicken in frozen or partially frozen. Which is a chicken safety no-no — but I’m a risk taker that way!
• Instant Pot | Place chicken in single layer (cutting breasts in half lengthwise will yield more even and tender chicken) all except cheeses, stir if you like, set pressure for 20 minutes, with natural release.

HOW TO COOK FROZEN CHICKEN BREASTS IN THE INSTANT POT

Contrary to what you may have heard, you do not need to cook frozen chicken breasts longer in a pressure cooker. It will do the math for you in that it will take longer for the pressure to build with frozen vs. fresh chicken, thereby cooking it through. This is a great article on this topic.