This delicious recipe for creamy Instant Pot Crack Chicken turns out incredibly flavorful and satisfying. It makes a hearty dish that can be used in a variety of ways and is great for meal prepping.
"I got so many compliments from this!! It's quick, easy, and incredibly delicious. A definite crowd-pleaser!"
Table Of Contents
What Is Crack Chicken?
Instant Pot Crack Chicken combines shredded chicken, salty bacon, creamy melted cheeses and ranch seasonings. It's a flavorful and versatile recipe great for making sandwiches and serving over grains, like rice or pasta. It even works as a hearty dip for chips and vegetables.
This recipe for Instant Pot crack chicken is super delicious and easy to make. It doesn't require any fancy ingredients or special tools aside from your pressure cooker. The delicious creamy shredded chicken that results from this recipe is perfectly paired with a toasted sesame bun and roasted vegetables and baby potatoes.
MORE INSTANT POT RECIPES TO TRY
Ingredients
- Chicken tenders: boneless skinless chicken tenders.
- Bacon: you don't need cooked bacon. This recipe cooks the bacon right in the Instant Pot, then uses some of the drippings to flavor the sauce.
- Extra sharp cheddar cheese: freshly shredded cheddar cheese works best.
- Mexican melting cheese: such as quesadilla melting cheese or Oaxaca cheese, not a Mexican cheese blend. A bag of shredded melting cheese will work perfectly.
- Cream cheese
- Chicken broth: or vegetable broth.
- Ranch seasoning: such as Hidden Valley ranch seasoning and salad dressing mix.
- Parsley
- Garlic salt
- Oregano
- Garlic powder
- Cilantro: you can also use chives or green onions.
- Butter, milk and flour: to create a roux to thicken the sauce.
Step-By-Step Instructions
STEP 1: Set the Instant Pot to saute on high for 6 minutes. Cook bacon slices until they reach your desired crispiness. Remove from the inner pot and dry between paper towels. Discard the bacon grease but leave the brown bits in the pot. *If you have the Instant Pot air fryer lid, you can also use this to air fry the bacon rather than pan fry.
STEP 2: Pour in ½ cup chicken broth. Deglaze the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add 2 lbs chicken tenders, 2 tablespoon ranch seasoning, 1 tablespoon dried parsley, 2 teaspoon garlic salt, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Set the Instant Pot back to saute on high for 4 minutes and cook chicken, flipping once halfway through.
STEP 3: When done, put on the lid and seal. Set to pressure cook on high for 8 minutes. Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then quickly release the remaining pressure. Remove the chicken from the pot. Shred chicken using 2 forks or a handheld mixer.
STEP 4: Set the Instant Pot to saute on high. Melt 2 tablespoon butter in the pot, then add 2 tablespoon flour and whisk constantly until a thick paste forms.
STEP 5: Whisk in 6 oz milk and 2 oz cream cheese, breaking up the cream cheese and whisking constantly for 3 minutes or until smooth. Turn off saute and carefully transfer the inner pot to a heat-proof surface.
STEP 6: Slowly stir in 1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese and 1 cup Mexican melting cheese. Stir until the sauce reaches a creamy and smooth texture. Add the shredded chicken to the sauce and mix well.
Serve warm, topped with crumbled bacon, fresh cilantro and extra cheddar cheese.
What To Serve With Crack Chicken
Crack chicken is versatile and be served in a variety of ways, either mixed into other recipes or as the main to many side dishes. Some ideas for using it are:
- over garlic mashed potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes
- paired with green vegetables, like broccoli, green beans and asparagus
- mixed into pasta
- double the sauce ingredients and turn it into a dip served with tortilla or pita chips
- to make nachos or as the filling in tacos, burritos or taquitos
- in a lettuce wrap
- to make stuffed sweet potatoes or served with them as a side dish
How To Store
Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight before using.
Chef's Tips
- You should always do a natural pressure release when cooking meats. Not only is the type of pressure release built into recipes' cook times, a natural pressure release prevents meats from turning out tough.
- Use a digital thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked to a safe temperature. The chicken should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit at the thickest part.
- If opting to use another cut of chicken, such as chicken breasts, or if you're using frozen chicken, make sure to change the cook time as noted below.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. If you use frozen chicken tenders make sure to increase the pressure cooking time to 12-15 minutes.
Yes. When using chicken tenders or chicken breasts, pressure cooking time depends on their thickness rather than their total weight. This is different than cooking a whole chicken where cook time depends on the weight of the chicken. If you use whole chicken breasts, ensure they are all of even thickness. Large chicken breasts need 12-15 minutes of pressure cooking time. Thinner chicken breasts need between 8 and 10 minutes, similar to chicken tenders.
Pressure cook time won't change if you double the recipe.
Yes! Instant Pot Crack Chicken freezes very well. Put the chicken in freezer safe bags or containers and freeze for up to 6 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight.
Recipe
Instant Pot Crack Chicken
Equipment
- whisk
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 2 lbs chicken tenders
- 2 tablespoon ranch seasoning
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 2 tsp garlic salt Lawry's
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon flour
- 6 oz milk
- 2 oz cream cheese
- 1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup Mexican melting cheese shredded
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to saute on high for 6 minutes. Cook 3 slices bacon until they reach your desired crispiness. Remove from the inner pot and dry between paper towels. Discard the bacon grease but leave the brown bits in the pot.
- Pour in ½ cup chicken broth. Deglaze the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add 2 lbs chicken tenders, 2 tablespoon ranch seasoning, 1 tablespoon dried parsley, 2 teaspoon garlic salt, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Set the Instant Pot back to saute on high for 4 minutes and cook chicken, flipping once halfway through.
- When done, put on the lid and seal. Set to pressure cook on high for 8 minutes. Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then quickly release the remaining pressure. Remove the chicken from the pot and shred using 2 forks or a handheld mixer.
- Set the Instant Pot to saute on high. Melt 2 tablespoon butter in the pot, then add 2 tablespoon flour and whisk constantly until a thick paste forms.
- Whisk in 6 oz milk and 2 oz cream cheese, breaking up the cream cheese and whisking constantly for 3 minutes or until smooth. Turn off saute and carefully transfer the inner pot to a heat-proof surface.
- Slowly stir in 1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese and 1 cup Mexican melting cheese. Stir until the sauce reaches a creamy and smooth texture. Add the shredded chicken to the sauce and mix well.
- Serve warm, topped with crumbled bacon, fresh cilantro and extra cheddar cheese.
Notes
- over garlic mashed potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes
- paired with green vegetables, like broccoli, green beans and asparagus
- mixed into pasta
- double the sauce ingredients and turn it into a dip served with tortilla or pita chips
- to make nachos or as the filling in tacos, burritos or taquitos
- in a lettuce wrap
- to make stuffed sweet potatoes or served with them as a side dish
Nutrition
Ramona says
This recipe looks really flavoursome and super delicious! I cant wait to make this, thank you for sharing this recipe!
Moop Brown says
I don’t think I’ve ever had crack chicken before but it seems like a really tasty and versatile dish that I need to try!
Monica says
What a delicious dish for the whole family! I have not been making as many chicken dishes in my Instant Pot lately but so excited to put this in the regular rotation - so good and so easy!