Keto Crack Chicken

by Arman Liew

updated on Dec 25, 2024

81 comments

5 from 897 votes
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This keto crack chicken recipe is a weeknight family staple. It features shredded chicken breasts, crispy bacon, and a creamy ranch sauce, all topped with melty cheese. Only 2 grams net carbs!

crack chicken

If you need more weeknight keto dinners, I guarantee you’ll love my keto stuffed peppers, keto pork chops, and keto pizza!

Table of Contents
  1. Why I love this recipe
  2. Key ingredients
  3. How to make keto crack chicken
  4. Arman’s recipe tips
  5. Frequently asked questions
  6. Keto Crack Chicken (Recipe Card)
  7. More keto chicken recipes to try

I’ve never been someone who really plans dinners in advance. Unless I’m throwing a dinner party or hosting friends, I tend to do things on the fly. 

Come 5 PM, my family can usually find me hovering around the fridge, looking for inspiration to see what I can make for dinner. If I have chicken, bacon, and cheese, you better believe I’m making crack chicken!

Why I love this recipe

  • It doesn’t taste low carb. I’ve made this for just about everyone in my friend group, and none of them believe me when I say it’s low-carb. 
  • Easy to customize. From the cheese to the mix-ins and cuts of chicken, every ingredient can be customized.
  • A weeknight staple. The two things I crave most during the week are comfort foods and easy dinners…and this casserole checks both boxes. 
  • Convenient. Like my keto chicken casserole, this recipe is FAST, and you can even prep it 1-2 days before you need it. 
  • Multiple cooking methods. While the oven is my preferred method, I also tested it using the slow cooker and pressure cooker, if that’s your preference.
ranch chicken

Key ingredients

  • Boneless skinless chicken breast fillets. Use either four small chicken breast fillets or two large ones that have been sliced in half. 
  • Salt and pepper. To season the chicken.
  • Garlic powder. For aroma and flavor. I used powder for convenience but fresh garlic would be even better. 
  • Butter. To pan-fry the chicken. 
  • Cream cheese. Softened to room temperature.
  • Spice mix. I used a mix of onion powder, garlic powder, dried dill, dried parsley, salt, and mustard powder to make a mock ranch seasoning mix. If you have a ranch packet, use that instead. 
  • Bacon. I prefer thick-cut bacon for maximum crispiness. 
  • Olive oil. To fry the bacon.
  • Cheese. I used a mix of sharp cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese to cover the chicken before baking it in the oven.

How to make keto crack chicken

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step 1- Prep. Preheat the oven and grease a baking dish. Pound the chicken until they’re equal in thickness, then season each fillet. 

Step 2- Cook the meat. Cook the bacon in an oiled skillet over medium-high heat until crispy, then remove the bacon, melt the butter, and cook the chicken until golden. 

Step 3- Assemble. Place the chicken in the baking dish and pour the butter mixture on top. Stir together the cream cheese and spice mix in a bowl and pour on top of the chicken. Sprinkle the bacon and shredded cheddar cheese on top. 

Step 4- Bake. Bake until the chicken is fully cooked, then serve warm and enjoy!

how to make keto crack chicken

Arman’s recipe tips

  • Only sear the chicken until golden. The oven will take care of fully cooking the chicken, and you don’t want it to overcook. Once it’s golden brown on both sides, you can remove it from the heat. 
  • Add a splash of chicken broth. Depending on the brand of cream cheese I’m using, sometimes the sauce can be pretty thick. If you prefer a thinner sauce, add a splash of chicken broth. 
  • Garnish with green onions or fresh chives for a pop of color. 

Frequently asked questions

Why is it called crack chicken?

Crack chicken gets its name from the popular crack dip. It uses the same ingredients, with the addition of chicken, and something you’ll definitely request a second helping!

Can I use other cuts of chicken?

While chicken breasts are preferred, skinless chicken thighs can also be used.

baked crack chicken
keto crack chicken

Keto Crack Chicken

5 from 897 votes
This keto crack chicken is a delicious and addictive dinner recipe combining chicken, bacon, two kinds of cheeses, and ranch dressing! Low in carbs but full of flavor, it comes together in under 20 minutes!
Servings: 4 servings
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
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Video

Ingredients  

For the chicken

  • 4 small chicken breasts
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • 4 slices bacon chopped
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 6 ounces shredded cheese

For the cream cheese filling

  • 4 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon celery salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried dill

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish and set it aside.
  • Pound the four chicken breasts until ¼ inch in thickness. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
  • Add olive oil to the non-stick pan and place over medium heat. Add the diced bacon and cook until crispy. Remove the bacon and keep the bacon grease in the pan. Add the butter and when hot, and the chicken breasts and cook 2-3 minutes per side, until golden.
  • Transfer the chicken breasts into the baking dish and pour the pan juices over them. 
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the cream cheese and spices until combined.  
  • Evenly distribute the cream cheese mixture on top of each chicken breast. Sprinkle half the cooked bacon on top, followed by the shredded cheese.
  • Bake for 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Notes

Instant pot crack chicken method. Cook the bacon on the ‘Sauté’ setting. Set it aside, melt the butter, and sear the chicken. Once seared, pour the cream cheese mixture over the chicken, then sprinkle the bacon and shredded cheese. Cook on ‘High Pressure’ for 15 minutes, then naturally release the pressure for 5 minutes. 
Slow cooker crack chicken method. Cook the bacon and chicken in a skillet on the stovetop, then add the chicken to the slow cooker. Top it with the cream cheese mixture and cook on ‘Low’ for 8 hours or ‘High’ for 4 hours. Turn off the slow cooker, remove the lid, and shred the chicken with two forks. Add the bacon and shredded cheese and put the lid back on until the cheese has melted.
TO STORE: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
TO FREEZE: Place the cooked and cooled chicken in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 6 months.
TO REHEAT: Reheat the chicken at 350F for 8-10 minutes or microwave single-servings for 45 seconds.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 242kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 40gFat: 20gSodium: 898mgPotassium: 953mgFiber: 1gVitamin A: 516IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 272mgIron: 1mgNET CARBS: 1g
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Author: Arman Liew
Tried this recipe?Give us a shout at @thebigmansworld or tag #thebigmansworld!

More keto chicken recipes to try

Arman Liew

I’m a two time cookbook author, photographer, and writer, and passionate about creating easy and healthier recipes. I believe you don’t need to be experienced in the kitchen to make good food using simple ingredients that most importantly, taste delicious.

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5 from 897 votes (839 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  4. 5 stars
    I made this tonight for dinner and it turned out deliciously. Most, flavorful, and easy peasy to make. I especially like the healthy nutritional value you included.
    I haven’t made Crack Chicken before, your recipe will be my go to.

    Reply

  5. 5 stars
    I made this this evening and it was simply delicious, exactly or maybe even better than I hoped for. I used turkey bacon and ghee instead of butter. I was very happy with the results and will be using this recipe regularly.

    Reply

  6. 5 stars
    The recipe didn’t say what to do with the other half of the bacon, unless I missed it somewhere. It’s delicious! I topped the rest of the bacon on the cheese.

    Reply

  9. 5 stars
    My husband said this might be his new favorite chicken dish, even more than mozzarella chicken, and that’s saying something! This recipe was so yummy! I doubled it, which was about 4-5 Texas entree sized servings. I left out the butter and added half an onion, chopped and cooked in the bacon grease. Next time I would probably spoon out some of the bacon grease instead of putting all of it in the casserole dish. There was a decent bit of grease floating at the end… tasted excellent, but by personal preference a little oily. We are bookmarking this as a favorite recipe. I am astounded that something so hearty and comfort foodish could fall within our Keto diet!!!

    Reply

  15. 5 stars
    Easy and tasty! And very different from how I usually cook chicken breasts. Nice change. I will be making it again.

    Reply