Valentina Ablaev
Our instant pot crack chicken is the ultimate comfort meal from scratch! In just 35 minutes, you have the perfect cheesy, shredded chicken that is packed with flavor. This crack chicken is perfectly served in toasted buns and topped with crispy coleslaw, a meal that you’ll be craving for the days to come!
What is Called “Crack Chicken”?
A viral cream cheese chicken recipe was nicknamed “crack chicken” because of how rich, creamy, and addictive it is! This crack chicken is the Instant Pot version of our crockpot crack chicken, which is a family staple.
Instant Pot Recipes
When it comes to a busy schedule, a quick dinner is the way to go, and nothing puts food on the table as fast as a pressure cooker! Whether you want a creamy potato soup or an easy chicken alfredo, the Instant Pot can do it all!
Ingredients for Homemade Crack Chicken
- Chicken breast – We use chicken breast to create the best shredded chicken.
- Broth – The chicken breasts cook in the broth to make the perfect, juicy, and shredded chicken.
- Cream cheese mixture – Our cream cheese is mixed with softened cream cheese and a variety of seasonings.
- Cheese – Use a blend of your favorite shredded cheeses.
- Coleslaw – Our simple coleslaw recipe makes the perfect crispy salad to serve on top of this crack chicken.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and quantities.
What Cheese is Best in Crack Chicken
You can use your favorite shredded cheese for this recipe! We love a combination of shredded cheeses:
- Colby Jack cheese
- Mexican blend
- Cheddar cheese
- Mozzarella cheese
- Mild cheddar
Tools for this Recipe
Shop all of Valentina’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and kitchen must-haves!
- This recipe couldn’t be any simpler because all you need is an instant pot!
Substitutions and Variations
Here are some fun ways to switch up this recipe!
- Add bacon: When the chicken is cooked and shredded, add crispy bacon for a delicious crunch and flavor profile.
- Spice it up: Add red pepper flakes to the cream cheese mixture to add a kick of spice to this crack chicken.
How to Make Instant Pot Crack Chicken
The easiest step-by-step instructions:
- Chicken. Add the boneless skinless chicken breasts to the pressure cooker and cover with chicken broth.
2. Cream cheese mix. In a small bowl, whisk together the cream cheese with the seasoning, and layer it on top of the chicken.
3. Cook. Top the chicken with butter and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes.
4. Shred. Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it with a fork. Return the shredded chicken to the pressure cooker and stir to combine.
5. Cheese it up. Add the shredded cheese to the pressure cooker in small amounts, mixing until melted.
6. Serve. Add the creamy chicken to toasted buns, and top with coleslaw. Serve, and enjoy!
Other Cooking Methods
Though we love cooking this crack chicken in the Instant Pot, here are a few other ways to make this beloved recipe:
1. To make this crack chicken in the crockpot, simply add all of the ingredients to the slow cooker.
2. Cook on high for 3–4 hours or on low for 6–7 hours.
3. Take the chicken breasts out of the slow cooker and shred.
4. Add the shredded chicken back into the pot and mix.
1. Assemble the crack chicken in a casserole dish and cover with foil.
2. Bake at 375°F until the chicken is cooked through.
3. Shred the chicken and add it back to the dish.
4. Mix in the cheese, and enjoy!
Expert Tips:
- Perfect cream cheese mix. When whisking the cream cheese mixture, using room-temperature cream cheese is key.
- Shred with ease. Making sure the chicken is finely shredded is key to a perfect crack chicken. You can use two forks, or you can use an electric mixer to shred the chicken.
- Cheese matters. When picking the cheese for this crack chicken, it’s important to pick cheese that melts well. We love to use a blend of Mexican cheese, Colby Jack, or mozzarella. Bonus points if you hand-shred it!
Ways to Serve Crack Chicken
- Sandwich: The classic way to enjoy this crack chicken is as a sandwich, such as our BBQ pork sandwich with coleslaw!
- A dip: Serve this creamy chicken with pita chips and crispy crostini as a delicious appetizer.
- Chicken wrap: This creamy chicken makes an excellent filling for a homemade chicken wrap!
- Pasta: Serve this creamy chicken over penne pasta for a hearty and filling meal!
- Lettuce wrap: Serve this crack chicken in a lettuce leaf to make a delicious low-carb lunch.
Store & Reheat
- Refrigerate. Keep leftover crack chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat. Reheat the creamy chicken in a pan or the microwave.
- Freeze. Store the chicken for up to 3 months in the freezer! Simply add the cooled chicken to a freezer-safe container and freeze. Reheat: Add the frozen chicken to a pot and reheat on low with the lid on. Cook until thawed and reheated.
More Pressure Cooker Recipes
If you enjoyed this crack chicken recipe, be sure to try our other easy instant pot recipes; here are some of our favorites:
Chicken- Grains and Pasta
- Hot Drinks
If you tried this crack chicken recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below – we appreciate it!
Instant Pot Crack Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, boneless skinless (3 breasts)
- 1/3 cup chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 cup shredded cheese (see Note)
cream cheese mixture-
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp parsley flakes
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp ground paprika
- ¼ tsp dried basil
- ¼ tsp dried oregano
cole slaw-
- 2 cups slaw mix
- 3 Tbsp mayonnaise
- ½ tsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- dash pepper and salt
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts into the instant pot and cover with chicken broth.
- In a bowl, whisk together cream cheese and seasoning. Top the chicken with the cream cheese mixture.
- Add cubed butter over the top of the chicken.
- Close the lid and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes, then release the pressure quickly.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and use forks to shred.
- Add the shredded chicken back into the pot and mix with the cream cheese.
- Mix in the shredded cheese until melted.
- To a large salad bowl, add slaw mix. Add coleslaw dressing ingredients and mix.
- Add a generous portion of the pulled chicken onto a bun, and top with coleslaw.
- Serve, and enjoy friends!
Notes
- Cream cheese mix. When mixing the cream cheese mixture, be sure that your cream cheese is at room temperature.
- Shredding chicken. When shredding the chicken, be sure that the chicken is still warm, as this helps the shredding process.
- Pick the right cheese. When making crack chicken, the cheese you use matters! Use a variety of cheeses for a well-rounded flavor profile, but also select ones that melt well.
- Refrigerate. Store leftover crack chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Nutrition
FAQ’S
We love using chicken breast for this recipe because of how well it shreds; however, you can also use chicken thighs for an equally delicious result.
To make this crack chicken more calorie-friendly, swap the cream cheese for reduced-fat cream cheese. You can also add blended cottage cheese for a protein boost!
If you find that your chicken is too thick, simply dilute it with a splash of chicken broth or milk to keep it creamy and smooth.
