Creamy shredded Instant Pot crack chicken is a triple threat of bacon, ranch, and melty cheddar cheese! Serve this addictively cheesy chicken on hamburger buns for an easy weeknight dinner or Game Day meal.
If you love the flavors in creamy chicken recipes like my King Ranch chicken and chicken and dumplings, wait until you get a load of crack chicken made in the pressure cooker!
Why You’ll Love This Instant Pot Crack Chicken Recipe
Creamy cheddar ranch chicken, a.k.a. crack chicken, is super quick to make in the pressure cooker! This Instant Pot crack chicken recipe has extra juicy shredded chicken packed with the addictive flavors of ranch, bacon, and melted cheese. I’m obsessed. Here’s why you will be, too:
Extra creamy. There’s cream cheese AND melted shredded cheese in the sauce, and the results are oh-so-gooey and irresistibly creamy. The sauce clings to every bite of chicken and the bacon and ranch take it completely over the top.
Easy. The Instant Pot packs all that flavor into a short, basically hands-free cooking time. Simply add your ingredients to the pressure cooker, and hit go. It’s great for weeknights and last-minute get-togethers when I need something tasty in a hurry.
Versatile. Crack chicken is an easy meal to make for a crowd, and it’s one of my favorite Game Day recipes! I’ll serve it over buns alongside appetizers like chips and dip, pigs in a blanket, and mac and cheese balls. It’s also great as a dip with crackers or as a topping for nachos, baked potatoes, and more.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This Instant Pot recipe only needs 6 ingredients, and the “cracked” combination comes down to three of them: bacon + ranch seasoning + cheddar cheese. Below are some notes, and you’ll find a printable ingredients list in the recipe card after the post.
Chicken – I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Keep in mind that if you use chicken thighs, they’ll take longer to cook.
Cream Cheese – The kind that comes in bricks, cut into cubes. My favorite will always be Philadelphia cream cheese!
Ranch Seasoning – Choose your favorite package of ranch seasoning mix from the store. You’ll also need salt and pepper.
Cheddar Cheese – Freshly shredded. You can also use another melty cheese, like Monterey Jack or even Velveeta cheese.
How to Make Instant Pot Crack Chicken
The Instant Pot is such an easy way to cook chicken perfectly in a short amount of time. Follow the steps below, and scroll to the recipe card for printable instructions.
Cook the bacon and drain the grease.Deglaze the pot.
Sauté. Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode and cook the bacon. Afterward, you’ll remove the bacon, drain the grease, and deglaze with a bit of chicken broth.
Combine the ingredients.Cook!
Combine. Next, switch off the pot and add the chicken, cream cheese, and ranch seasoning. Season with salt and pepper and pour in the last of the broth.
Cook. Now, seal the lid and pressure cook on High for 15 minutes, followed by a 5-minute natural release.
Shred the chicken.Add everything back to the pot and stir.
Shred the chicken. Remove the chicken from the pot, and use two forks to shred it.
Put it together. Lastly, with the IP on sauté mode again, whisk the cooking liquid together until it’s creamy. Then, return the chicken to the pot along with the bacon. Stir in the shredded cheese until that’s melted. You’re ready to serve! See below for ideas.
Can I Make This In the Slow Cooker Instead?
Absolutely! The only method more hands-off than the Instant Pot is the slow cooker. If you’d prefer to make classic crack chicken in the crock pot or slow cooker instead, check out my recipe for slow cooker crack chicken. It’s the original version of this recipe.
Recipe Tips
Time-saving tip. I’ll sometimes cook the bacon on the stove or in the air fryer while the chicken cooks in the Instant Pot, to save the ~15 minutes or so it takes to sauté the bacon beforehand.
Test that the chicken is done. Before shredding the chicken, check the internal temperature using an instant-read thermometer. Chicken is done when it reads 165ºF at the thickest part of the breast.
Fix undercooked chicken. If your chicken is slightly undercooked coming out of the Instant Pot, place it back into the broth, close the lid, and let it rest for a few minutes until it comes to temperature. If it’s very undercooked, seal the lid again and pressure cook on High for another 1-3 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you overcook chicken in the Instant Pot?
Yes, you can overcook chicken in the Instant Pot. The overcooked chicken will be rubbery and dry when you shred it. Make sure to follow the cooking times as directed, and don’t skip the natural release at the end.
Why is it called crack chicken?
It’s not exactly PC, but the story goes that crack chicken is so addictively tasty that it’s like crack. It comes down to the bacon, ranch, and cheese combination that most would agree is really, really good. The chicken absorbs all those savory flavors, and after one bite, you’re hooked!
Serving Suggestions
My favorite way to serve Instant Pot crack chicken is piled onto a fluffy hamburger bun or sandwich roll, sprinkled with chives. It’s also great rolled up inside a soft tortilla, taco-style, and if I have leftover crumbled bacon or shredded cheese, that gets added on top, too.
We’ll usually serve our crack chicken with a side of crispy fries, roasted carrots, or corn on the cob. This creamy cheddar ranch chicken is just as good spooned over rice, and it’s a delicious topping for mashed potatoes and baked potatoes!
Storing and Reheating Leftover Crack Chicken
Refrigerate. Keep your leftovers airtight in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat. I usually reheat my crack chicken in a saucepan on the stove, or I’ll use the microwave in a pinch. The cheese sauce tends to thicken with time, so I like to add a splash of chicken broth to help loosen up the chicken again.
Instant Pot crack chicken is a triple threat of bacon, ranch, and melty cheddar cheese! This creamy shredded chicken tastes great on hamburger buns, tortillas, and as a topping for a baked potato.
8 slices bacon, cut into 1/2– inch pieces
3/4 Cup chicken broth, divided
3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
12 ounces cream cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 (1- ounce) package ranch seasoning mix
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Hamburger buns and chives for serving
Turn the instant pot to saute mode. Add the bacon to the pot and cook until crispy, about 15 minutes. Remove the cooked bacon to a paper towel lined plate and set aside. Discard the bacon grease.
With the instant pot still in saute mode, add 1/4 cup of chicken broth and deglaze the bottom of the pot. Cancel the cooking mode.
Add the chicken, cream cheese, ranch seasoning, pepper, salt and remaining chicken broth to the instant pot.
Place the lid on the instant pot and set the valve to the sealed position. Cook on manual high pressure for 15 minutes. Once the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure naturally release for 5 minutes. Open the valve to release the remaining pressure.
Remove the chicken to a plate and shred it with two forks.
Turn the instant pot to saute mode. Whisk the cream cheese and chicken broth together until smooth and creamy. If the sauce is very loose, simmer it until it thickens a bit.
Add the chicken back to the pot along with the cooked bacon and shredded cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted and creamy.
Serve on hamburger buns, top with additional cheese, bacon pieces or chives.
Notes
To save cooking time, prepare the bacon on the stove while the chicken is cooking in the instant pot.
Store airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
