Thursday, February 1, 2018

Slow Cooker Crack Chicken (or Instapot)

I needed a hearty appetizer for a party this week.  I am also trying to eat low-carb and this recipe was perfect.  There are several different versions out there.  You can use plain dry ranch, or spicy ranch.  I chose to use Fiesta Ranch.  i love it - so much flavor!

I cooked mine in the slow cooker for 4 hours on high.  You can also cook it for 8 hours on low.  You could also use your Instapot.  The key with the pressure cooker is the water or chicken broth. See below for details on both.  This is great to snack on, make a dip with, enjoy on a sandwich or a topping for baked potatoes.  My hubby enjoyed it over rice.

I needed mine for a dip.  After cooking in the Crockpot/slow cooker, I shredded it and put it in a sprayed baking dish.  The next day, I cooked it a 350 for about 30 minutes, then topped with shredded cheddar cheese and crumbled crisp bacon.  I baked for about 5 - 10 more minutes.  Serve with chips, crackers or even veggies.

           This isn't a pretty picture - but this is how the chicken looked after shredding before baking and topping with cheese and bacon.



Slow Cooker Crack Chicken

2 - 3 lbs boneless chicken breasts
2   8 oz cream cheese
1 pkg dry Fiesta Ranch mix
8 or more slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
cheddar cheese, grated
green onion, chopped (optional garnish)

Spray slow cooker with cooking spray.  Add chicken, two cream cheese and sprinkle with the dry ranch mix.  Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours - or until the chicken is done and easy to shred.  Take chicken out and shred using two forks.  Whisk the cream cheese mixture to blend.  Add shredded chicken back in.

Serve on buns with cheese and bacon crumbles and green onion.  My husband enjoyed it over rice.  I enjoyed it as a dip - using kohlrabi slices as my "dipper".

For a dip - place chicken mixture into a prepared baking dish.  If refrigerated the night before, bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.  Top with grated cheese and bacon pieces and bake for another 20 minutes or so. If warm right out of the slow cooker, top with bacon and cheese and serve.  You could always bake it 5 - 10 minutes to bring all of the flavors together.

*I baked a pound of bacon in the oven.  If you haven't baked your bacon, you should.  The pieces all bake so evenly and so nicely.  Follow the baking directions on the package.

For the Instapot/Pressure cooker - 

Brown 8 slices of chopped bacon on the "saute" mode.  After bacon is cooked and crispy, remove and save.  Drain bacon drippings.  Place chicken and cream cheese in Instapot.  Pour 1/2 cup chicken broth over chicken and cream cheese.  Top with 1 pkg of dry ranch dressing. Seal and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.  Allow pressure to naturally release for 5 minutes.  Then, do a quick release of pressure.  Be careful of any steam.  Removed lid and take chicken out.  Using two forks, shred the chicken on a plate.  Whisk the cream mixture.  Add the shredded chicken back in.

See above - serve on buns with cheese, bacon and any other garnish.

Printable Version

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