Backed Crack Chicken Recipe

This Backed Crack Chicken recipe is quite easy, made out of tender chicken breasts with melted cheese, ranch seasoning, and crispy bacon. It’s a great dish-low carb and keto.

Easy Baked Crack Chicken Recipe

Cheesy, creamy ranch chicken with bacon is super delicious, kid-friendly, and easy to bake for a quick weeknight meal. This keto crack chicken is super low in carbs and is really very satisfying. It’s the kind of dish I want after a busy day, and once you try it, you’ll probably feel the same.

Ranch chicken recipe is, in my opinion, one of the best ways of baking chicken breasts.

Why You’ll Love This Backed Crack Chicken Recipe

Quick and easy. All in all, this cheesy baked chicken takes 30 minutes or less from start to finish.

Creamy and cheesy. It doesn’t get better than juicy, golden-baked chicken topped with ranchy cream cheese, melty cheddar, and crispy bacon.

Low-carb and keto-friendly. This baked crack chicken recipe is the perfect easy dinner if you’re looking for something diet-friendly, with flavor that’s through the roof.

Why Is It Called Cracked Chicken?

So, what is crack chicken? It’s a combination of ingredients like cream cheese, ranch seasoning, cheddar, and bacon. These flavors so good together that you can’t help but want to eat them all. That’s how it got its name. Folks have made all sorts of “crack” dishes like crack dip, crack pasta, and crack soup.

Crack chicken is comforting and easy to make, much like my jalapeño popper baked chicken, only without the peppers.

Recipe Ingredients

Here are the main ingredients for this cheesy ranch chicken, with a few substitution tips. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below to see the full recipe and instructions.

• Bacon – I like using thick-cut bacon because it chops up really well. If you want a leaner option, you can use turkey bacon.
• Chicken– Boneless, skinless chicken is best. I use chicken breasts, but thighs work well too. If your chicken breasts are large, pound them to about ¼ inch thick and trim off any extra fat.
• Cream Cheese- Either full or low fat is fine, but it must be the block type-not the soft spread. Take it out of the fridge ahead of time and let soften.
• Ranch Seasoning – I am a big fan of making your own ranch mix from garlic powder, onion powder, dill, and chives, but the store version is good, too.
• Cheddar Cheese-White cheddar or yellow cheddar-can be shredded or mixed together.

How To Make Crack Chicken

The first bite of this crack chicken is going to immediately tell you why it’s such a rage. It’s creamy, cheesy, and the best part is that I can enjoy this keto-friendly dish without guilty feelings. So good!

Fry the bacon. Add the diced bacon to the pan and cook until crispy. Take out the bacon; leave the grease for added flavor.

Prepare the chicken. Season the chicken breasts and sear both sides of the chicken until it becomes browned. Place in a baking dish.

Add the “crack” ingredients. Combine the “crack” ingredients together. Mix the ranch seasoning into the cream cheese and spread it evenly over the chicken breasts. It should smooth out if a bit on the thick side by whisking in some chicken broth. Then, add crispy bacon and shredded cheese to top the dish and voilà.

Bake. Bake the chicken at 400ºF for 15 minutes until cooked through and the cheese is melted and golden brown. While that’s baking, you can cook your noodles or zoodles to eat with the chicken. Garnish with fresh parsley or scallions and voilà!

Tips for Success

• This baked crack chicken recipe is so simple to make it’s practically guaranteed to come out amazing. Keep these tips in mind:
• Use skinless, boneless chicken so that the dish remains lighter and less greasy.
• Use real bacon and not those bacon bits. Real bacon tastes better and isn’t as salty. Cooking and crumbling can only take a few minutes.
• Experiment with cheese. The dish needs something more than cheddar. Add some flavor by using Pepper Jack and try the melty cheeses, Colby Jack, provolone, or Swiss.
• Don’t overcook the chicken. Chicken cooked too long can dry out and become tough. Check your chicken the last twenty minutes of baking time, as ovens fluctuate.
• To be certain the chicken is done, use a meat thermometer. The USDA says it should be an internal temperature of 165ºF.
• Doubles easily for quick leftovers throughout the week. Crack chicken freezes well also.
• This dish can be cooked without the oven in an Instant Pot or a slow cooker if you do not want to use the oven.

Serving Suggestions

Now that the ranch chicken is baked to cheesy perfection, it’s time to grab some tasty sides – green veggies such as steamed or roasted broccoli, carrots, or green beans, a baked potato, or shred the chicken and throw it in a lettuce wrap or pile it on some burger buns.

Serve this crack chicken on a bed of fluffy white or brown rice, or try a tasty rice pilaf. If sticking to keto, go with cauliflower rice instead. Finish with a big Caesar salad, a fresh garden salad, or a grilled zucchini salad.

For something different, you can marinate keto crack chicken in low-carb breadsticks or cloud bread; the soft bread is fabulous for sopping up all that extra, glorious melted cheese!

Can I Make Crack Chicken Ahead?

Sure! To make this crack chicken 1-2 days ahead of time, you can just assemble the chicken and toppings in the baking dish, cover it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and refrigerate until needed to bake as the recipe suggests.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

Put the leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for 2-3 days. You can also freeze your crack chicken for up to 3 months. Just thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Common Questions

Why is my crack chicken watery?

When you take it out of the oven, that cheese that’s been all melted will be kind of runny. If it’s really watery – maybe you’re using frozen chicken that wasn’t thawed out properly or chicken that’s been pumped full of water – so what; scoop out some of that excess with a spoon. No problem!

Do you bake crack chicken covered or uncovered?

For this crack chicken recipe, bake the chicken breasts without covering them. This helps the cheese melt and get nicely browned.

Can I use frozen chicken?

Yep, but if you’re using frozen chicken, make sure it’s fully thawed first. If it’s still frozen, it’ll take longer to cook and can make the dish watery.

What should I do if my Crack Chicken turns out too dry?

If your chicken gets dry, add some sauce or gravy to perk it back up. Serve it over mashed potatoes for added flavor. Cut it up and reheat in a soup or sauce-I freeze mine for chicken noodle soup later. Next time, use a meat thermometer and take the chicken out at 165˚F to avoid overcooking.