This Instant Pot Crack Chicken recipe is a creamy, cheesy, and flavorful dish that's incredibly easy to make, especially on busy weeknights. It's a low-carb, keto-friendly meal that combines juicy chicken, crispy bacon, zesty ranch seasoning, and a rich cheese sauce, creating an addictive flavor profile that will leave you wanting more. The name "Crack Chicken" comes from its highly addictive nature, and once you taste it, you'll understand why!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Low-carb comfort food: This dish is creamy, flavorful, and satisfying, without the carb-heavy ingredients often found in traditional comfort foods.
- Versatile dish: Delicious and flavorful on its own, this dish can also be used to create endless flavor and texture combinations.
- Easy clean-up for busy weeknights: You'll have fewer pots and pans to clean, making it an ideal choice when you want a quick, hassle-free dinner.
- Kid-friendly: Crack Chicken's creamy texture, savory bacon, and cheesy goodness make it a hit with kids of all ages.
- Healthy: Despite its indulgent taste, Crack Chicken can be a surprisingly healthy dish when made with lean chicken breast, reduced-fat cheese, and low-fat dairy options.
- Inexpensive: This recipe utilizes affordable ingredients like chicken, bacon, cheese, and seasoning, making it a budget-friendly option for feeding a crowd or meal prepping for the week.
- Make-ahead friendly: Crack chicken only gets better over time, making it perfect for meal prep! The flavors meld together beautifully in the fridge, and reheating is a breeze.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Chicken: Choose fresh or frozen chicken breast. Chicken thighs can also be used.
- Cream cheese: Make sure to cube the cream cheese before adding it to the Instant Pot. Cream cheese can be substituted with sour cream. For a dairy-free option, use dairy-free cream cheese or mayonnaise.
- Dry Ranch dressing seasoning packets: Use store-bought keto Ranch seasoning or make a homemade keto-friendly ranch seasoning.
- Cheddar cheese: Use shredded cheese for this creamy crack chicken. Dairy-free shredded cheddar can be used as a substitute.
- Bacon: Make sure you read the label and choose a sugar-free brand. Cook the bacon separately, either in the oven, on the stovetop, or in the microwave, until crispy.
- Onions: They add a hint of sweetness and depth of flavor to the dish.
- Chicken broth (or water): Use chicken broth for added flavor, but you can substitute it with water. If using low-sodium chicken broth, remember that you’ll need to adjust/add more salt to your dish.
- Optional Ingredients: Fresh parsley, avocado oil or olive oil, fresh cilantro, garlic, sriracha, green onions.
How to Make Instant Pot Crack Chicken Keto Recipe
Here's how to make this delicious and easy Instant Pot Crack Chicken keto recipe:
Cook the bacon: Turn pressure cooker on, press “Sauté”, and wait 2 minutes for the pot to heat up. Add the chopped bacon and cook until crispy. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Press “Cancel” to stop sautéing. In step 1 of the Instructions above, after removing the bacon from the pot, we recommend adding a splash of water, and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits that have formed on the bottom to deglaze the pan.
Add ingredients to the Instant Pot: First, add the broth to the Instant Pot. Secondly, place the chicken in an even layer in the pot and top it with cubes of cream cheese. Sprinkle the ranch seasoning over the top. Pour the broth into the Instant Pot. Place the chicken in an even layer in the pot, then top with the cubes of cream cheese. Sprinkle the ranch seasoning over the top. Secure and seal the lid, then cook on Manual High for 10 minutes.
Cook the ingredients: Seal the Instant Pot lid and allow for 10 minutes of cooking time. Set the pot on High Pressure for 12 minutes; then do a quick release. Cook on manual high for 20 minutes, followed by a 5-minute natural release. After 10 minutes of cook time, allow a 5-minute natural release, then a quick release of the remaining pressure. When the cook time is up, allow a 5 minute natural release, then quick-release the remaining pressure. Press Cancel.
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Prepare the chicken: Place the cooked chicken in a bowl and shred it. Remove the chicken to a bowl and shred it. Remove the chicken and transfer it to a cutting board to shred it with two forks or meat shredder claws.
Finish the dish: Transfer the cooked, juicy chicken to a serving dish. Turn the Instant Pot to saute mode and add 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Whisk the mixture thoroughly to melt and break up any remaining cream cheese. Stir the sauce and add the grated cheese. If you would like a thicker sauce, you can add ½ teaspoon of xanthan gum to the cheese sauce before returning the chicken and bacon to the pot. Keep your Instant Pot on sauté. Add chicken back to the pressure cooker and stir. Return the chicken to the pot along with half the bacon.
Serve: Garnish with the remaining bacon and green onions (if using).
Tips for the Perfect Instant Pot Crack Chicken
- Use fresh or frozen chicken: The Instant Pot will work magic if you choose fresh or frozen chicken breasts.
- Stir in cheddar cheese gradually: When adding it to the dish, do it gradually. Stir it in gently, allowing a moment for each addition to melt before adding more.
- Crispy bacon garnish: For the ultimate crack chicken experience, we recommend cooking the bacon separately until it's crispy.
- Adjust Seasonings to Taste: Feel free to adjust the amount of ranch seasoning used in the recipe to suit your taste preferences.
Serving Suggestions
When it comes to serving sides with Instant Pot crack chicken, you have a wide range of options, whether you're looking for regular sides or keto-friendly alternatives:
- Cauliflower rice: A low-carb alternative to traditional rice.
- Zucchini noodles: Zoodles are a keto-friendly substitute for pasta.
- Serve as chicken crack dip: Turn your crack chicken into a savory dip that can be enjoyed with tortilla chips, making it a perfect party appetizer.
- Serve in Various Ways: Crack Chicken can be served in a variety of ways, including as a filling for sandwiches, wraps, or tacos, or served over rice, pasta, or salad greens for a complete meal.
Storing and Reheating
- Freezing: Let cool to room temperature before freezing. We recommend you label each container or bag with the date and a brief description. Freeze it for up to three months.
- To thaw: Transfer from the freezer to the refrigerator. Allow it to thaw slowly over 24 hours or longer. If you need to thaw it faster, use the defrost setting on your microwave or place the sealed container in a bowl of cold water.
- Stovetop: Reheat in a saucepan on low to medium heat.
- Microwave: Reheat smaller portions in the microwave using a microwave-safe container.
- Instant Pot: You can also use your Instant Pot. Add a small amount of water or broth, and use the sauté function.
Variations
- Make it spicy: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a dash of your favorite hot sauce to the mixture.
- Dairy-Free Option: If you do not have dairy-free cream cheese you can substitute 1/2 cup mayonnaise. Skip the cream cheese step. Once the chicken is cooked, drain 1/2 of liquid out of the pot. Turn the Instant Pot to SAUTE. Add the mayonnaise and whisk together with the liquid until a sauce forms. Add the shredded chicken back into the pot along with the dairy-free cheddar cheese and bacon. Stir until the cheese has melted.
Other Instant Pot Recipes to Try
- Instant Pot Chicken Legs - For perfectly tender chicken legs in under 30 minutes, look no further than this Instant Pot Chicken Legs recipe.
- Instant Pot Artichokes - This Instant Pot Artichokes recipe gives you the most tender and delicious artichokes ever!
- Instant Pot Chicken Chili - You can make this Instant Pot White Chicken Chili in no time at all!
- Instant Pot Salmon - Did you know that you can make mouthwatering, flavorful salmon fillets right in your Instant Pot?
- Instant Pot Whole Chicken - This Instant Pot Whole Chicken is so simple to make and turns out juicy and delicious, every time.
- Instant Pot General Tso's Chicken - This Instant Pot General Tso’s Chicken is the perfect, healthy, homemade dinner in under 30 minutes.
- Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken
- Instant Pot Balsamic Chicken and Potatoes recipe
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