Crockpot Chicken Sandwiches (Crack Chicken)

A friend told me about this recipe and said you HAVE to make them. Apparently these sandwiches have gone viral, mainly in mom Facebook groups, which I’m not a part of but am told, and everyone is going crazy for them.

All caps, exclamation points and everything.

I will admit that when I saw the name…crack chicken…I thought…hmm, ok, we’ll see about that. But, I made them and my husband, kids, and myself are crazy for them too.

We’ve already added these sandwiches to the weekly rotation and are making them on Sunday for easy-to-grab lunches later in the week.

The combination of creamy, tangy ranch + cream cheese, sweet, smoky bacon, and melty cheddar is amazing.

The Set-It-and-Forget-It Dinner

Put chicken in slow-cooker. Layer on the cream cheese and season with Hidden Valley Ranch.

Cover and cook for about 6 hours, until chicken is easily shredded with a fork.

To make the sandwiches, place the shredded chicken on hamburger buns and top with shredded cheddar cheese. Top with cooked, crumbled bacon and sliced green onions.

Serve with sides of your choice.

RECIPE NOTES:

• You can make this recipe with boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts. The meat will be extra-tender with thighs.
• If the chicken breasts are very thick, butterfly or cut in half lengthwise so they will cook more evenly.
• It is important to use a WHOLE stick of CREAM CHEESE and let it soften at room temp for 30 minutes or nuke it for about 20 seconds before adding to slow-cooker. If you use a fat-free product or cold cream cheese you will have white, unmelted chunks of cream cheese in the crockpot.
• Use the ENTIRE Hidden Valley Buttermilk Recipe packet for maximum flavor.

Once the chicken comes out of the crock pot it can be used for SO MANY recipes besides sandwiches. Put it over a baked potato, inside of a quesadilla, top a bowl of rice, stuff a tortilla…you name it.

One recipe fills up our meal-prep fridge for easy grab-n-go lunches for several days.

• Cooked and crumbled bacon, I prefer it already cooked because it prevents a chewy bacon texture in the finished product.

Bake it. Line a sheet pan, lay bacon flat and pop it in the oven at 400°F.

Check it in 15 minutes and bam. No babysitting required.

• Shredded Cheddar Cheese, I find it melts better if you shred it yourself, but bagged shredded cheese is fine. Either mild or sharp are great.
• Green Onions, these are optional, but help to cut through the richness with freshness.
• Buns, I used a soft and sturdy brioche bun and gave them a quick toast. I find that helps keep them from getting too spongy.

How to Make Crockpot Chicken Sandwiches

• Lay the chicken in one piece at a time on the bottom of a slow cooker that is at least 4 quarts. Add the cream cheese on top of the chicken, I softened mine before adding so that it would be more pliable, but there’s no need to make it perfectly smooth.
• Add the entire packet of ranch seasoning on top of the cream cheese/chicken. Cover with a lid and cook on low for 6 hours. Leave the lid on, you want to prevent any of the precious heat from escaping.
• Remove the lid and shred the chicken with two forks. TIP: You can make short work of shredding the chicken by popping the beaters from an electric hand mixer in the pot, giving them a spin on LOW for about 30 seconds, then removing. You can do this directly in the crockpot (as pictured) or transfer to a bowl and mix there. Either way, the shreds will be incorporated into the sauce super quick.
• Stir in bacon and shredded cheese, replace the lid and allow to sit on WARM for 15 minutes so the cheese can melt into the chicken. Add green onions either stirred in or on top. Serve on toasted buns and enjoy.

How It Keeps and How to Use It All Week

How long will cooked crack chicken last?

Refrigerated, this slow cooker recipe should last 4 days. Reheating will make the sauce thick.

Add a splash of milk before reheating for 90 seconds in the microwave to loosen it back up. This slow cooker recipe freezes well, so feel free to double the recipe and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Crack chicken is a great option to meal-prep sandwiches, fillings for baked potatoes, quesadillas, nachos, toss with pasta, wraps, you name it.

Crack Chicken Sandwich FAQ

Can I cook it on high?

This recipe cooks in 3 hours on high, 6 on low. We recommend cooking it on low because we find that the chicken gets more flavorful.

Also, when cooked on high, the chicken gets done before the cream cheese has a chance to melt, resulting in dry chicken. When cooked on low, everything comes together in a creamy, tender, flavorful mess.

Can I use chicken thighs?

Yes! About 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs works well.

Follow the recipe/cooking directions as-is. Honestly, I prefer using chicken thighs because they stay moist and are more forgiving to cook, but breasts are cheaper and cook up beautifully when you follow these instructions.

Can you use frozen chicken in a slow cooker?

This recipe can be made with frozen chicken. It will take an hour or so longer.

Even though for food safety reasons USDA recommends thawing beforehand, cooking the chicken on low for 7 hours will bring the temperature to a safe level way before you want to serve.

Why is my Crack Chicken lumpy?

Make sure your cream cheese is softened before adding to the slow cooker. Lumpy sauce usually happens when cream cheese goes straight from the fridge into the slow cooker.

Don’t worry though. Any lumpiness will melt away as you shred the chicken with two forks or use a hand mixer.

Why are my Crack Chicken Sandwiches soggy?

To help with sogginess, serve sandwiches immediately since the longer they sit, the soggier the buns become, drain any extra liquid from the meat, and toast the buns lightly.

Other Slow Cooker Dinners in the Same Family:

• Slow Cooker Crack Chicken Pasta, which is this chicken bacon ranch combo but cooked up in the slow cooker with pasta. Soooo delicious.

Instant Pot Crack Chicken, all of those delicious crack chicken flavors, but ready in less than 40 minutes, not 6 hours.

Crescent Roll Crack Chicken – all of the flavors of crack chicken wrapped up in crescent rolls and ready in just 25 minutes in the oven.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole – the same great flavors as crack chicken in a delicious, easy-to-make casserole with pasta. Feeds 6-8.

Crock Pot French Dip Sandwiches – slow-cooked chuck roast served on hoagie rolls with a delicious au jus dipping sauce.