Dump-and-Bake Crack Chicken

Shredded cream cheese chicken in a blue dish

5 from 4 votes

In the oven or in the slow cooker, this Dump-and-Bake Crack Chicken is an addicting easy dinner recipe that your family will love! Serve the creamy, cheesy, bacon and Ranch chicken in sandwiches, in wraps, on a salad, or over rice or pasta.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword baked chicken breast recipes, crack chicken recipe, ranch chicken

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1

Servings people

Calories 421kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used 4 chicken breasts that were about 8 ounces each)
½ cup cooked, chopped bacon (about 6 slices)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 (1 ounce) packet dry Ranch salad dressing and seasoning mix
8 ounces cream cheese, diced into small squares
Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

FOR THE OVEN:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
Place chicken breasts and bacon in prepared dish.
In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar and dry salad dressing mix. Pour over the chicken and bacon.
Cover tightly with foil. Bake (covered) for 45 minutes, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Add the cream cheese to the dish, cover, and return to the oven (uncovered) for 5 more minutes (or until the cream cheese starts to melt).
While the chicken is still in the dish, use two forks to shred the meat. Stir the chicken and sauce together until everything is combined. Garnish with fresh herbs, if desired.

FOR THE SLOW COOKER:

Add chicken and bacon to a slow cooker.
In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar and dry salad dressing mix. Pour over the chicken and bacon.
Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours (or until chicken is cooked through and tender).
Add cream cheese and cook for 5-10 more minutes. Shred the chicken, stir with the sauce, and garnish with fresh herbs.

Notes

You can substitute with 2 lbs. of boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of the breast meat.
If you prefer, you can cook the chicken in a slow cooker instead of baking it in the oven. The Crock Pot instructions are included below.
Garnish the cooked meat with fresh herbs (I love a bit of fresh parsley or chives) for a bright burst of flavor and color.
I like to use store-bought cooked bacon for a shortcut, but you can certainly cook your own bacon to use in this recipe instead.

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