The BEST Crack Chicken Chili Recipe (Takes Just 5 Minutes To Prep)

This crack chicken chili recipe is a delicious, hearty chili that is sure to become an instant favorite. It combines chicken, bacon, and ranch seasoning with cheddar cheese and a creamy chili base that has an irresistible flavor. The best part is that everything cooks in the slow cooker, so it's practically effortless to make!

The Best Crack Chicken Chili

This crack chicken chili recipe is a delicious twist on a classic chili. I mean, it has all of the elements of regular chili, but it's really taken to a whole new level of tasty tastiness.

Instead of ground beef, this chili has chicken and bacon to make it just as hearty. Then, the chili itself has a deliciously creamy consistency from the cream cheese and cheddar cheese and it's filled out with some corn and black beans.

Gah, it's just so good, and it's so easy to make too.

Seriously, all you have to do is add all of the ingredients to a slow cooker or crock pot and let it cook for about 4 hours. So it really makes the ultimate weekend meal when you have to run errands or do things around the house - like clean up after your 2 year old.

Also, since there's practically no active cooking involved, you'll have plenty of time to whip up an equally delicious side dish like this Little Caesars crazy bread, or this sweet potato cornbread to go along with it.

Ingredients

So, I've already mentioned a few of the ingredients that are in this cream cheese crack chicken chili, and the rest of them are kitchen staples. In fact, the other ingredients are so common that there's a good chance you already have everything you need to make it!

Anyway, here's what you'll need to make this crack chicken chili recipe:

• 2 chicken breast
• 1 can corn, drained
• 1 can black beans, drained (or frozen, thawed)
• 1 can diced tomatoes and green chilies
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 tbsp. ranch seasoning
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• ½ cup bacon bits
• 2-4 Tablespoons hot sauce (optional)
• ½-1 tablespoon chili powder (optional)

Pretty simple stuff, right?

By the way, you can use almost every single one of these ingredients to make this crack chicken pasta, crack chicken noodle soup, crack dip, and crack chicken casserole. They're two more addictive crack chicken recipes, so you'll definitely want to give those a try next- especially if you have some leftover chicken breasts.

Ingredient Substitutions and Suggestions 

Now, I always make this crack chicken chili with the ingredients listed above, but there are a few changes you can make to the recipe, and it'll be just as delicious!

First off, instead of using chicken breasts, you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs. I've used the chicken thighs several times in the past - when that's all I had on hand - and the chili turned out great each time.

As for the cheese, I like to use shredded cheddar cheese, but any kind of shredded cheese will work great! Some other options are Monterey jack, mozzarella, or pepper jack cheese for a little more spice.

For the seasonings in this chili, I think the ranch seasoning combined with the cumin and paprika is a perfect blend. But, if you want to make it spicier, you can add in cayenne pepper, chili powder, and even a dash of hot sauce.

As far as the veggies go, you really can add in anything you're in the mood for. Celery, carrots, bell peppers and jalapenos are a few of my favorites to use.

Also, if you want to add a little kick to this cream cheese chicken chili I recommend adding a tablespoon or two of hot sauce or some chili powder. You could even add both if you want to really add some heat.

The possibilities are endless with this amazing slow cooker cream cheese crack chicken chili recipe, so don’t be afraid to experiment and see what kind of flavors you come up with.

How To Make Crack Chicken Chili

As I mentioned earlier, this crack chicken chili is a breeze to make.

It'll take you under 5 minutes to prepare, and then the rest of the time is just waiting for it to cook. That's really all there is to it! So, even if you've never made chili before, this recipe will a breeze.

Anyway, let's not waste another second and get cooking.

Step 1:  Prepping and Cooking The Crack chicken chili

First, you'll want to take out your slow cooker - or crockpot - along with all of the ingredients.

Then, you'll want to add the chicken breasts, corn, drained black beans, diced tomatoes and green chilies, chicken broth, cumin, ranch seasoning, and paprika to the slow cooker and let everything cook on high for about 3-4 hours or low for 5-6. Really once the chicken is tender enough to shred with a fork you're good to go!

Step 2: Finishing The Crack chicken chili

As I just mentioned in the last step, once the chicken is tender and shreddable with a fork, you'll want to do just that. So, at this point, you can take the chicken out of the slow cooker, add it to a bowl, and then use two forks to pull the chicken apart and shred it.

Then, once it's shredded, you can add it back to the pot of chili.

Next, you'll want to add the shredded cheese and cream cheese to your crack chicken chili and stir them together with all of the ingredients until they both fully melt and you have a creamy broth.

Step 3: Serve

Finally, it’s time to serve this delicious slow cooker cream cheese crack chicken chili!

So, to do that, you can dish out the chili into bowls and top it with the bacon bits and some more shredded cheese on top. You could even add some hot sauce for a little heat and sour cream for some more creaminess.

By the way, this cream cheese crack chicken chili is incredible with some tortilla chips served on the side for dipping. So, I highly suggest you grab some tortilla chips from the store or make these air fryer tortilla chips to go with it. Enjoy!

How To Store Crack Chicken Chili

This recipe for crack chicken chili will make 4 hearty bowls of chili, so it's really perfect for a big family dinner. Oh, and it's delicious leftover, so you might want to double or triple the recipe.

Speaking of leftovers, if you end up with some you can store the chili in an airtight container and it will stay good in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Alternatively, if you want to store the chili for even longer, you can freeze it in an airtight container - or freezer-safe bag - and it'll stay good for about 2 months.

How to reheat crack chicken chili

Once you're ready to eat this delicious creamy crack chicken chili again, you'll definitely want to reheat it.

The quickest method for reheating it is definitely in the microwave. Just heat it in 30-second increments - stirring between each one - until it's warmed through.

With that said, if you're reheating a few servings, you'll want to put the crack chicken chili in a large pot and warm it up on the stovetop over medium heat. Just make sure to frequently stir it until it reaches your desired temperature. This will ensure the bottom doesn't burn.

Wrapping It Up

Well, that is how to make crack chicken chili!

I know I'm biased, but I think this is the most delicious chili recipe ever. I mean, the combination of chicken, bacon, and ranch in a big bowl of warm creamy tomato-based chili it's just so, so good. Plus, the fact that it's effortless to make, too, is just an added bonus.

Honestly, I've been making this cream cheese crack chicken chili about once a week, and my family honestly can't get enough of it. My 2-year-old even devours this stuff.

Anyway, I hope you like this crack chicken chili recipe as much as I/we do.

As always, if you give it a try, leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts.

More Dinner Recipes 

If you're looking for some more comfort food - just like this crack chicken chili - we have a ton of other delicious recipes on the blog just like it.

Give one of these recipes a try next:

• Chicken divan
• Ham loaf
• Chicken and shrimp alfredo
• No bean chili
• Texas Roadhouse chili
• White chicken chili with cream cheese

Also, don’t forget to follow us along on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram for more tasty tastiness. We post new recipes on them every single day.

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