This Instant Pot crack chicken recipe is ready in just 30 minutes! I make crack chicken every chance I get, so this super quick and easy pressure cooker version is a necessity for last minute gatherings. Chicken, ranch, cream cheese, and bacon come together to make a super creamy and cheesy cracked chicken I use for game day snacking and weeknight dinners alike!
Top Reader Review
Delicious! Doubled this recipe for a hungry crew of 10 at work and everyone loved it
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Quick and Easy Cream Cheese Cracked Chicken
Making crack chicken in my Instant Pot is the quickest and easiest way to get my favorite game day food ready for company. I just toss in some chicken breast and ranch seasoning to cook, shred the chicken, make a melty cream cheese sauce, then combine everything with bacon and more cheese. Out comes the creamiest crack chicken, and the only thing I have to clean is my pressure cooker! I love using this to make tacos or sandwiches when the game is on, but it’s just as perfect for family dinners.
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One Simple Tip!
If the shredded chicken seems too liquid-y after adding it back to the pot, let it sit on the WARM setting with the cream cheese mixture for a few minutes. This will help the sauce “cook down” while some of the liquid evaporates.
Instant Pot Crack Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- 6 qt Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (*)
- ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 3 tablespoons dried minced onion
- 1 ounce dry ranch dressing mix (1 packet)
- 1½ teaspoons onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 8 ounces cream cheese (1 brick, softened and cubed)
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- ¾ cup Crumbled cooked bacon
- 5 green onions (sliced)
Instructions
- Pour chicken broth in the bottom of your Instant Pot. Put cooking rack in pot and place chicken breasts on rack in a single layer. Sprinkle chicken with garlic, dried onion, ranch mix, onion powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth, 3 cloves garlic, 3 tablespoons dried minced onion, 1 ounce dry ranch dressing mix, 1½ teaspoons onion powder, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- Set Instant Pot to pressure cook on normal for 15 minutes. When the cook time ends, allow the Instant Pot to do a natural release for 5 minutes, then do a quick release.
- Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred chicken with two forks.
- Turn Instant Pot to a low saute and add cream cheese. Whisk until cream cheese is incorporated into the broth.8 ounces cream cheese
- Turn Instant Pot to warm setting. Return shredded chicken to Instant Pot and stir.
- Turn Instant Pot off and add shredded cheddar and parmesan cheeses, bacon, and green onions. Stir gently.1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese, ¾ cup Crumbled cooked bacon, 5 green onions
- Serve crack chicken on buns, or over noodles or rice.
Notes
- If using larger chicken breasts, you may want to increase the pressure cooking time to 18 minutes.
- You can use regular chicken broth, but using the low-sodium version ensures the crack chicken isn’t too salty.
- For a lower-calorie alternative, try using low-fat or light cream cheese and half as much shredded cheese.
- My chicken was the perfect consistency after returning the shredded chicken to the Instant Pot, but if your chicken is too liquid-y at this point, leave it on warm for 5 minutes, or until it thickens up to your liking.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
How to Make Crack Chicken in an Instant Pot Step by Step
Prep: Gather the list of ingredients for this quick cracked chicken recipe. Mince the garlic, soften the cream cheese and cut it into cubes, shred the cheeses, and slice the green onions.
Season the Chicken: Pour ¾ cup of chicken broth into the bottom of your Instant Pot. Place the cooking rack into the pot, then place 3 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts on the rack in a single layer. Next, sprinkle the chicken with 3 cloves of minced garlic, 3 tablespoons of dried minced onion, 1 ounce of dry ranch dressing mix, 1½ teaspoons of onion powder, ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper. Feel free to omit the cayenne if you don’t want any spice.
Cook the Chicken: Set your Instant Pot to pressure cook on “normal” for 15 minutes. When the cook time ends, allow your Instant Pot to do a natural release for 5 minutes, then do a quick release.
Shred the Chicken: Remove the cooked chicken to a cutting board, and shred it using two forks. Leave the broth and accumulated juices in the pot, but remove the cooking rack and set it aside.
Make the Sauce: Next, turn your Instant Pot to a low “saute”. Add 1 brick of softened cream cheese cubes to the pot with the leftover broth and juices. Whisk until the cream cheese is fully melted and incorporated into the broth.
Coat the Chicken: Turn your Instant Pot to the “warm” setting. Return the shredded chicken to the Instant Pot and stir until well-coated in the cream cheese sauce.
Add the Other Ingredients: Turn your Instant Pot off, then add 1½ cups of shredded cheddar cheese, ½ cup of shredded Parmesan cheese, ¾ cup of bacon crumbles, and 5 sliced green onions.
Combine: Stir gently until the cheeses have melted, and all ingredients are well-combined with the chicken.
Serve: Serve Instant Pot crack chicken on buns to make sandwiches, or as tacos. It’s also delicious served over noodles or rice for dinner.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store leftover Instant Pot crack chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, or in the microwave in 30-second increments, until warmed through.
More Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
Note: This recipe is one of those few exceptions on our site that has more than 10 ingredients. We try to keep things VERY easy around here, and limiting ingredients and time spent is one of our favorite ways. That being said, this recipe is too delicious to leave out of our recipe box! It’s an exception that is so flavorful and worth the extra ingredients if you have the time and resources to make it.
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