Various Incarnations of Crack Chicken

My dear grandson came for dinner the other night and happened to mention that he had just cooked up a batch of Crack Chicken in an Instant Pot. (knowing my interest in haute cuisine :))  What? I asked - Crack Chicken?  He tells me, as in addictive. Now in the recent past the boy would cook whole meals in his rice cooker, everything would go in there and he'd have dinner for a few days.  Now it's the Instant Pot.

This was the first I'd heard the term Crack Chicken.  He told me how great it tasted, and how easy it was to make.   So later I asked friend, Duck Duck Go and found a number of recipes for this odd sounding dish.  Very Au Courant I discovered.

Thus, we had to whip up a batch.  A bit like creamed chicken, but with ranch seasoning, cream cheese and bacon.  How could you miss?  One benefit is that it makes a goodly amount.  On various nights, and for lunches, we had it over noodles, with mashed potatoes, in a hamburger bun with tomato and lettuce, on toast topped with melted cheese, on pizza with some sliced olives, and I froze some for another day.

          Crack Chicken

Servings: 6 Servings

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I am currently wondering if thighs might be even
  better)
• 1 packet (1.5 ounces) dry Ranch seasoning mix
• 1 block (8 ounces) cream cheese
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup shredded cheddar
• 1 cup shredded Montery Jack cheese
• 1/2 cup crisp bacon crumbles
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• pepper to taste

Instructions

1.    Trim chicken of excess fat. Rinse and pat dry.

2.      In a pressure cooker, arrange chicken in a single layer. ** note below

3.      Add dry Ranch seasoning mix.

4.      Place cream cheese on top of chicken.

5.       Add water or broth.

6.       Cook on HIGH pressure for 15 minutes. When the Instant Pot beeps, do a natural release for 5 minutes and then quick release.

7.         Turn on SAUTE mode on LOW (using LESS on the Instant Pot) Or with a normal pressure cooker, just put on a low heat.

8.    Remove chicken from the pot and coarsely shred with two forks.

9.      Return shredded chicken to the Instant Pot and add shredded cheese, bacon crumbles, and green onions.

10.    Stir until well-distributed and mixture is nice and creamy. Season with pepper to taste, if desired. Serve immediately.  
** Note:  This can also be made in your slow cooker or in the oven, with minor adjustments.

Crack Chicken on Noodles and in a Fancy Bun

This post is all about the many ways this can be used.  Bob came into the office kitchen recently and Isaiah was having some in the form of soup with a friend.   Which is what I often do with a bit of left-over stew or whatever -  make it into soup. Apparently he makes enough on the weekend for dinner all week.  A working lad.

           On pizza with extra cheese and olives.                     On toast with cheese on top

I'll be sharing this with Beth Fish Reads for her Weekend Cooking event.  Do stop by for some other good recipes and book suggestions.