Crockpot Chicken Sandwiches – Easy Dinner Recipe
Have you heard of the crack chicken sandwich craze? I had heard from a girlfriend that they were easy, delicious and made in a crock pot. When you combine the words easy, delicious and crock pot and say them in my presence, it’s like magic to my ears. Seriously. I use my crockpot year ’round and consider it a part of my sanity saving toolkit.
So, of course I had to set out to figure out how to combine all of my favorite flavors that these so called Crack Chicken Crock pot sandwiches included, while still holding true to the crack chicken sandwich craze hitting America by storm. 😀
So, I did and it … of course it was FAB. But, how could it not be when you include cream cheese, ranch, and bacon. Right?
Need a new crockpot? I can’t believe how LOW this one is right now!
So, when you look at the ingredient list you’d wonder how anyone couldn’t possibly fall in love with this list if delicious libations mixed into one fine sandwich:
- 4 chicken breasts (would look like two “butterflies”, each cut in half)
- 1 packet Buttermilk Recipe Ranch Dressing Mix
- 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- 8 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 2 cups shredded mild or sharp cheddar cheese
- Scallions/green onions (about a handful – optional)
- Hamburger buns
The best thing in my opinion about these crock pot creamy chicken sandwiches is that they are essentially a meal all in one. You’ve got your meat, your grain, your dairy and a teensy bit of veggies if you decide to garnish them with green onions. All made in just a few hours in the crock pot. And they’re absolutely the bomb!
To make these follow these easy directions:
In a large crockpot (a four quart — this one is a staple AND on sale 😀 or six quart crock pot like this one that’s oddly also marked down will do)
Layer the chicken breasts in the bottom of the crock pot.
Next, place your cream cheese on top of the chicken. When it gets warm it will spread just a bit but eventually you’ll be mixing it all together with your hand mixer, so no worries that it’s just set on top. Sprinkle with the Hidden Valley ranch seasoning packet.
Cook on low for six hours.
As I mentioned I use my hand mixer for mixing crock pot chicken, since it’s hot and moist, the chicken shreds perfectly and I don’t need to dirty a separate bowl. However, if you’re worried about scratching your crock pot, I would definitely remove it into a different bowl before using the mixer in it, or use two forks instead. A hand mixer like this is perfect and reasonably priced. We don’t need any fancy tools for this recipe! 😀
Once you’ve shredded the chicken breast, sprinkle the cheese on top, then the bacon. Put the crock pot lid back on for about 15 more minutes or just until the cheese is melted, and lastly add the scallions.
There you have it, awesome crock pot chicken sandwiches! These are AWESOME for busy nights where you need a quick meal to serve and get out the door. Enjoy!
Crockpot Chicken Sandwiches – Easy Dinner Recipe
Ingredients
- 4
chicken breasts
or 2 butterflies cut in half - 1
packet Buttermilk Recipe Ranch Dressing Mix - 8
ounces
cream cheese
softened - 8
strips bacon
cooked and crumbled - 2
cups
shredded mild or sharp cheddar cheese - Scallions/green onions
about a handful – optional - Hamburger buns
Instructions
- In a large crockpot layer the chicken breasts.
- Next, place your cream cheese on top of the chicken.
- Sprinkle with the Hidden Valley ranch seasoning packet.
- Cook on low for six hours.
- Shred chicken mixture with hand mixer or two forks.
- Sprinkle the cheese on top, then the bacon.
- Replace the crock pot lid for about 15 more minutes or just until the cheese is melted and sprinkle with scallions.
- Serve on hamburger buns – ENJOY!
(Adapted from Aunt Bee’s Recipes)
do you think adding some Buffalo Sauce might be good with this cause i love spice
Hi Virginia!
It’s like you read my mind! I just posted a new recipe: https://couponcravings.com/buffalo-chicken-crock-pot-sandwiches/
I’m confused. How does 4 chicken breasts equal 2 butterflies cut in half? When one butterflies a chicken breast they are already cutting it in half horizontally
Recipe said – 4 chicken breasts or 2 cut in half length wise = 4 breasts. Same difference.
my confusion still is 4 breasts are thick and 2 butterflied are a lot thinner. Won’t this affect cooking time? You can tell I don’t cook.
Whoops! My fingers got ahead of me on that one! 2 breasts cut in half is what I meant! Sorry about that.
Whoops! My fingers got ahead of me on that one! 2 breasts cut in half is what I meant! Sorry about that.
I wondered about this too. The picture at the very beginning shows a package of chicken breast FILLETS. So the recipe actually calls for 4 breast fillets OR 2 breasts-filleted.
This sounds right, but the recipe above still reads wrong then. Is Kate going to correct it?
i agree with Lorelei, I made this recipe yesterday and used four half chicken breast which were pretty thick, did what the recipe told me to do and cooked it six hrs on low. Put the cream cheese on top of the chicken and sprinkled the butter milk mix over the cheese. After the six hrs I then mixed it with my hand mixer and shredded the chicken along with the cream cheese and seasoning. Then sprinkled the cheddar cheese and the bacon and cooked for anorther 15 minutes. I was very disappointed that is was so dry. I think this recipe needs some improvement, maybe adding some bottle buttermilk dressing. The flavor was there but too dry.
Why on earth would you add a package of anything? Cancer is rampant because of processed food! Just eat real food!!!!!!
Maria,
Instead of just leaving a demeaning comment, how about also leaving an alternative recipe for everyone to try. Try the sandwich method…. Positive – Improvement – Positive.
Why on earth would you add a packet of chemicals…just eat real food! Cancer comes in boxes, cans and idiots that can’t cook without opening them????
Maria, that is very unkind. Recent reporting on trends in our society is that many people do not cook as a result of fast foods and not learning how as a child. That then creates more people who do not cook because they are not teaching their children. I was fortunate enough to take an interest in cooking because my mother and father both cooked and taught me. Later in Girl Scouts, I earned my cooking badge and learned even more about cooking. As a result I grew up knowing how to cook. Many children no longer do. I applaud those people who are attempting to learn and are beginning to make healthier choices and perhaps pass down an interest in cooking to their children. It is also less expensive than prepared processed foods or eating out. I see your point but not every one is at the level you are. You could have made your point without being insulting.
That is just an ugly , hateful attitude. Why are you looking for new recipes, you obviously are way ahead of us bad cooks. So just move along and let us amateurs enjoy.
Wow
Then make your own ranch seasoning????? Someone always has SOMETHING to bicker about. Maybe be helpful instead of ugly and offer your recipe for ranch seasoning. This is meant to be a quick and easy meal.
Literally anything can cause cancer: too much sun exposure, smoking, food, breathing in chemicals used to clean, being around radiation, too many hormones. You can develop cancer through genetics, and through things you do everyday. Cancer is simply cells that are growing and dividing at a rapid rate and can’t stop, which then depletes your immune system where your blood cells can’t counteract and stop the overgrowth. If you didn’t smoke your entire life, if you ate as healthy as you possibly could and excerised everyday, I’m sorry to say, you still factor a risk of having cancer. So, don’t blame the food. By the way to whoever created the recipe, it’s delicious!
How is it that there no liquid in the crock after the chicken is done? Even if no liquid was added, I always have liquid in the crock at the end of cooking, like a couple of cups worth. Do you put paper toweling under the lid and change it out as that gets wet? And I wouldn’t recommend using the mixer in the crock, if the crock breaks or chips you’ve just lost the entire meal!
Hi Cynthia!
Thank you for the note. I know about the Crock Pot, but for the time using my mixer in my crock pot has saved me, I could probably buy a lot of crock pots – it’s one oy my favorite hacks!
As far as the liquid goes. My food studio is off my kitchen, so I had to let some of the steam out before carrying the crock back from my kitchen to studio. This could have let a little liquid off but not much. You could certainly add some water, or maybe even broth to the beginning if you wanted to?
Thanks for commenting! I love when people interact with me on my recipes and posts!
Kate
This is a great question! Not all chicken is prepared the same. Most packaged chicken breasts have been injected with a solution of some kind which adds to the moisture when cooking. Also any time you put frozen meat in the crock pot there will be extra liquid. I can see from the above pic that the chicken breasts used were air chilled. I believe that is the most un-processed chicken you can buy. No liquid has been added. For recipes such as this I think chicken breasts that have not been frozen are the best to use. I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Could the sandwiches be frozen and heated up later in the microwave? And to Maria – taking the time to criticize what people are good enough to share with the rest of us is jut plain rude.
If you don’t want to make the recipe then don’t but please stop posting rude comments. Very immature of you.
I agree totally!
Hi Tilly, thanks for reaching out! I haven’t tried this yet (they were gone in a flash!)
Mind letting me know if you do indeed try it out?
Thanks!
Kate
I don’t mean to sound like a “prude”, and I can guarantee you that I definitely am not! However, I am a retired nurse. During my years working labor & delivery, I encountered more crack-addicted moms, who gave birth to crack-addicted babies, than I like to think about – although one would have been too many! This being said, I do not support, in any way, any recipe that refers to the food as “crack”, and I do wish that everyone would do the same. I realize that it is supposed to be “funny”, but there is nothing funny about what that horrific drug does to those in its grasp. I do not want my grand-kids to think that there is anything good about “crack”, and simply request that you take this into consideration before giving this name to any future recipes. (And yours is not the only site where I have voiced this concern.)
Thank you.
I totally understand! And I hated using this term too. Unfortunately this term for some sandwiches and dips have come about and so when people search that term on the internet, recipes like mine will come up which helps more people find my recipe. I am so sorry for the offensive term and I am so happy that it wasn’t coined by me, which is why I didn’t use it in my title.
I hope you can forgive me,
Kate
You have nothing to be sorry for.
I totally agree with PL Brown. There is Nothing funny or appealing about a recipe that uses the phrase “crack” whatever. I would never use a recipe with that in the title/description.
Then be sure to omit pinch
Am I missing something? I don’t see the word “crack” in this recipe at all. However I do agree with your thoughts on the subject.
Then teach your children the meaning of crack. Not all things are related to the drug “crack”. There are cracks in sidewalk, walls, roads and the list goes on. Educate your children. I do not see anything wrong using the word “crack” in a recipe. What about “pinch”? Are you going to say do not use the word “pinch” in a recipe? It is all about education.
I so agree, I do not like this use of “crack” to describe everything from brownies to sandwiches. Crack is not cute, clever or funny.
A libation is a liquid (wine) poured out in honor of a deity.
do you drain the liquid fron being cooked for 6 hours before you shred the chicken and before you add the shredded cheese and bacon?
I just put everything in the crock pot as a surprise lunch for the crew at work.
I used ready made ranch dressing, will let you know how it turns out 🙂
now what if you want too double the recipe would you put extra stuff in for like two or three more breasts?
I am also curious about this. Would you need to add in another 8oz of cream cheese and packet of ranch seasoning. Or half half of those. Or does it depend on how many extra chicken breasts are added in. I have a large hungry family and would need to at least double the recipe size. Please let know your thoughts on the cream cheese and packet extras. Thank you!!!
Sounds awesome can’t wait to try these.
Is there a way to convert the cook time to be able to make in a pressure cooker like an instapot?
How many servings does this make?
Hi Staci, It depends on how much chicken you put on each bun but about 6-8 sandwiches. Hope you love them!
Kate
Made this recently. It was good. It’s also really rich! I only added half the package of ranch because of comments I read and I used 2 pounds of chicken breasts. Next time I will only add 1 cup of cheddar and 4 strips of bacon. In my opinion, it is actually better the next day served cold.
Oh my goodness! So simple and very tasty!!! This will be my go to far get togethers from here out.
Yes! Glad you liked it Amanda!
You are right, no need to be mean!
I was wondering if an immersion blender would work as well as a hand mixer as my crock is Teflon coated? Making these tomorrow and can’t wait to try them ????
Well tried the immersion blender……no go. Ended up using the hand mixer. Made these EXACTLY as described and they were SO good! Thank you. ????
It seems that this thread is a lot of bad cases of PMS or just mean people. If you have nothing nice to say…..say nothing.
I saw the question regarding whether this could be frozen and then reheated, BUT did not see an answer. Yes or no?
I see no problem with freezing it & using later.
I have read that when using milk products in a crockpot, for example sour cream, you should add that towards the end of the cooking time. So I was a little worried about putting the cream cheese in at the beginning, but I guess it’s OK, and doesn’t negatively affect the finished product? The recipe looks yummy, can’t wait to try it.
Hi Barb,
This works for us, but you could try adding it at the end. Let us know how it turns out!
Kate
Very Nice! its looking very Nice recipe for dinner I would must try it for my any dinner with my family.. I am a different kind of foods lover person & Cooking also, my family have also food loving.. from before we have coming to trying different kind of recipes & for that purpose things for different foods i try to get with money saving coupon websites,
So do I use chicken breasts Bc I already put it in the crock pot? And can I put it on high so it will cook faster or will it burn and stick to the crock pot? I ment to put it in the cricket pit 2 hours earlier but had to run an errons that took longer then expected.
This is delicious. Made this for dinner tonight. My husband ate 2, and that rarely happens. I’m going to be freezing enough for 2 meals since it’s just my husband and me. And for those people with negative comments, unless you can come up with a recipe yourself, keep your comments to yourself. Nobody told you to make it.
How long would you cook this in a instapot
What can you use in place of ranch?
Would you happen to know how many carbs are in one sandwich I have to count carbs cause I am diabetic so if you would know that would be a great help thank you
Kate
Would you know the exchange for using an InstantPot? I love recipes like this but would like to know time conversion if possible 🙂
Hi Jennifer, I do!
https://momscravings.com/instant-pot-crack-chicken-recipe/