Instant Pot Crack Chicken Chili—addictive and delicious creamy chicken chili with bacon!
Related: SLOW COOKER crack chicken chili recipe
Instant Pot Crack Chicken Chili
There’s a recipe that’s going around the internet called “crack chicken.” It’s usually made in the slow cooker or Instant Pot and it has chicken, bacon, cream cheese, cheddar and ranch dressing mix in it.
Sound good? It is. It’s terribly good. But if you’re looking to add a little more nutrition and oomph to crack chicken then you should make my Instant Pot crack chicken chili. It has all the ingredients of normal crack chicken but it also has beans, tomatoes, green chiles and added seasonings. And I’ll tell you what, it was so good that my entire family plus a friend couldn’t stop eating it. We ate it until it was gone. YUM! We all agreed that the flavor was spot on. I’m looking for a reason to make this again real soon.
A couple ingredient notes:
Cream cheese–I used full fat cream cheese. And guess what? I added it in at the beginning of the recipe. I was a little nervous that it would not hold up under the pressure (usually dairy does NOT) but it did! It was fast and easy and incorporated nicely after I stirred it in and thickened with the cornstarch slurry.
Corn–I used frozen sweet corn and it was one of my favorite parts of the chili. Little pops of sweetness in every bite. Canned corn would also work, although I personally don’t think it tastes as good.
Chili Beans–Chili beans are found next to the regular canned beans at the grocery store. Some common brands that sell chili beans are Bush’s and S&W. Chili beans are pinto beans that are canned in tomato sauce and have seasonings added. I found that the use of these beans gave the chili an extra boost of flavor.
Bacon Crumbles–I like to buy the big bag of bacon crumbles from Costco. They are so convenient. You can cook bacon and crumble it, if you prefer.
You might also like…
Instant Pot Creamy White Chicken Chili–Tiffiny said, “My whole family loved it!“
Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Chili–Kurt said, “Just made for a chili cook off…I won! what an amazing amazing taste… I’ll be making this for years to come.”
Instant Pot Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Soup–WB said, “I just wanted to say that this is one of my favorite recipes ever. It’s so so good.”
What Pressure Cooker Did You Use?
To make Instant Pot Crack Chicken Chili I used my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo 60 7 in 1*. I love this Instant Pot because it has the yogurt making function which I use almost weekly. It has two pressure settings (high and low), and there are also little slots in the handles so that you can rest the lid there instead of putting it down on your counter-top.
Instant Pot Crack Chicken Chili
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes (plus 10 minute NPR)
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
Description
Addictive and delicious creamy chicken chili with bacon!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (frozen is fine and you can use a combination or types of chicken)
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 (15.5 oz) can seasoned chili beans (Bush’s and S&W brands are good)
- 1 cup frozen corn (you can also use a can of drained corn)
- 1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
- 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
- 1/2 cup bacon crumbles (I buy the big bag from Costco)
- 1 packet or 3 Tbsp dry ranch dressing mix (I use Hidden Valley)
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese (I use full fat)
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese (I like sharp cheddar for more flavor)
- Cornstarch
Instructions
- Add chicken and broth into bottom of Instant Pot. Dump the chili beans, corn, tomatoes, green chiles, bacon, ranch dressing mix, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and cream cheese on top of the chicken. Don’t stir.
- Cover the Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure the valve is set to sealing. Set the SOUP button (if you don’t have a soup button use the manual/pressure cook button) to 10 minutes. When the time is up let the pot sit for 5-10 more minutes and then move the valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Use tongs to remove the chicken and place it on a cutting board. Shred up the chicken well and add it back into the pot. Stir the chili so that the cream cheese melts. Stir in the cheddar cheese.
- To thicken use a cornstarch slurry. Take 2-3 Tbsp of cornstarch and 2-3 Tbsp of cold water and stir together in a small bowl until smooth. Then turn the Instant Pot to the saute setting. Stir the slurry into the Instant Pot and the chili will thicken quickly. Once chili is thick turn off the Instant Pot. Ladle chili into bowls and serve.
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Could I cut the chicken into chunks before cooking instead of shredding it after it’s cooked? Would I adjust the cook time?
Yes you can do that and it will only be a 2 minute pressure cook time on the soup button with a 5-10 minute natural pressure release.
Thanks for your quick response. I made this last night and decided to go with the recipe as written. I used thighs and breasts and Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base. I made it early and kept it on warm–allowed more time with my guest. When I did release the pressure, there must still have been a lot of pressure inside as it spewed all over. Other than making a lot of noise and a bit of a mess, this didn’t affect the recipe at all. This is the best chili I have made! I’d give it more than 5 stars if possible, Smelled delicious, tasted even better and was very filling. Like most chilies, it is just as good or even more tasty when reheated.
★★★★★
So glad it all worked out in the end! Thanks so much for the 5 stars!
Hi! Does this work with canned chicken breast? Any changes in cooking time?
Thanks
Yes you can use canned chicken. I would only pressure cook for 5 minutes.
Thank you!
HI! if using frozen chicken, would you adjust the PC time?
thank you!
I would use a 12 minute cooking time
I’m eating it now as I write this review served over crushed up tortilla chips. I used frozen boneless skinless chicken thighs and 6 slices of fully cooked thick cut bacon that I zapped in the .microwave before cutting it up into bits with a pair of kitchen shears. The end result is fabulous, my husband really likes I, and I will definitely make this again in the future! It was really nice to make a dump and go meal for a change! No slicing and dicing involved here! 😁👍
★★★★★
Thanks so much for the nice review and the 5 stars! Glad you both liked it!
This so good! I will add it to our regular rotation. I just wish there was an amount of bacon listed in the case that you fry it yourself. I used half a pound and it seemed like enough in case anyone else is wondering! Thanks for sharing this recipe. I’m taking it to our church’s chili cook off tomorrow.
★★★★★
Ok good to know Candice about the bacon!
Made tonight for dinner. I used a rotisserie chicken pulled off the bone. I cooked for 10 mins on soup mode and it came out great.
★★★★★
Yay!
Used just a slightly modified recipe and took first place in our United Way Chili Cook-Off. It was fantastic. Thank you!
CONGRATS!!!!! That is so fun!
Did the first batch using your recipe. Second batch, I used jalepeno cream cheese, diced fire roasted tomatoes and added some sliced jalepenos and 4 cheese cheddar blend. Mixed them together. It was fantastic. Just the right spicy. Won the day! Thank you!
oh ya! That version sounds way good!
I want to make this for a soup contest we are having at school but will need to make it in a crockpot instead. Any ideas on time and if i would need to change the recipe? Little worried about the cream cheese.
We made it in the slow cooker and it took 5 hours. We used double the cream cheese though. Came out beautifully.
Here is the slow cooker version: https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/slow-cooker-crack-chicken-chili/
I made a double recipe in the instant pot, then transferred to crock pot. Worked great, and took first place. Slightly modified.
OMG!! This was AMAZING! I made this for Sunday dinner tonight because it just sounded so good. Well it was GREAT!
I only had one can of chili beans or I’d have gone ahead and made another batch for leftovers for the week. I skipped the corn, as I don’t like corn in anything. I only like it by itself. I will be making this again and again and again. Thank you so much. I don’t know how you come up with these recipes but Karen you’re just fantastic!
★★★★★
Oh thanks for trying it and letting me know! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. It really is a good one! One of my faves.
You don’t call it Crack Chicken Chili for nothing. This is my hubby’s favorite recipe! I tend to put extra of the ingredients called for! I make a super moist corn bread (from the Krustea’s box). Put a square of that then cover it with the chicken chili and you are in heaven!
MMMMMMMM!!!!
My family really liked this! I will absolutely make it again. Thank you for the continued support.
★★★★★
Thanks Penny!
It was very good. I added a can of drained and rinsed pinto beans so was able to use only 2 T. of cornstarch. Added fresh black pepper at the end. It’s good served with tortillas.
★★★★★
We love this one too!
Delicious !!!
I made it exactly as the recipe directed, except I didn’t have chili beans just pinto, so I added more chili powder.
90% of the recipes you send daily I want to make. I can’t keep up.
Thank you !
★★★★★
Haha Chris! I can barely keep up either!! Good thing it’s my job 🤣
This was delicious! The only things I changed: added 1 large sauteed diced onion, doubled the beans (1mild and 1 medium spicy), and tripled the chili powder (organic, personal taste). My family loved it! I have made 3 of your chilis: this, downhome and white chicken. My family has loved all 3. I asked them to rate them; they said they would need at least 5 more bowls of each to possibly make such a decision. Keep creating your awesome instant pot recipes, we love them :)! You have the best Instant Pot collection on the internet!
★★★★★
Haha! That is great! I love hearing that Jeanette.
This sounds great, but my family does not like the texture of beans unlike myself, so is there a way to make it without beans?
You could…but I feel like it needs something in there to replace beans…
GREAT recipe!!! I used Rotel in place of the tomatoes and Chilies. Next time I think I would like more corn and beans. But so easy and such great flavor! Thank you for another amazing recipe– your site is the only one I use for instant pot recipes!! Keep up the good work!!
★★★★★
So glad you tried it and liked it. I love this one!!!
Wonderful recipe! My guys are nervous about trying new things, but this is a keeper for sure. Someone worried about it being too spicy, but it was not for us, as I left out the peppers. I added a shredded zucchini to raise the veggie level a bit. We are so happy to have something new and different to our recipe file. SO EASY to make, too.
★★★★★
So happy to hear you all enjoyed it Gaye!
I have about 1.5 lb of frozen packaged rotisierre chicken from Costco which is already cooked. If I wanted to use that in this recipe how long would you suggest cooking? I assume the release time would be the same? Thanks so much!
That sounds good! I would use a 5 minute pressure cook time and same 5-10 minute npr.
Made this for lunches for the week, great taste and super easy! Thanks for another great recipe!
★★★★★
You’re welcome Monika!!
How many adults does this typically feed? Horrible with serving count and my family is awful with leftovers! Thank you!
I’d say 6 large servings or 8 modest servings
Does anyone know if this can be doubled in and 6 quart? Making for chili cook off not sure one batch will be enought, likely about 25-30 people
Getting about 3-4 oz servings
I bet it would fit okay in there! There’s not a ton of broth.
I made this the other night – OMG! It is soooo good! My husband loved it – said this recipe is a keeper. Made enough for us to have leftovers for lunch. Excellent recipe! He is not crazy about spicy things, so I used a can of rinsed pinto beans – substituted the diced tomatoes with 2 cans of mild Rotel (they’re just 10 oz) – one I used my immersion blender on to puree – the other I just tossed in – omitted the green chilis since they were already in the Rotel, and used Sargento Taco Shredded cheese – it has some spices already in it. Not spicy at all, but very flavorful. I am always trying new things in my Instant Pot – bless his heart, he is my guinea pig. Many have been good – some…not so much. This one is terrific. Plan to make it again for the Championship Game on Monday night! Thanks so much!!
★★★★★
Melissa, I’m glad to hear he liked it. Yes my family members are the guinea pigs too. Lol! And who will you be cheering for on Monday? We love the buckeyes so are sad they aren’t in the game.
I just made this. I followed the recipe and it turned out wonderfully! It is so so good!! I will be making it again in the future. It was quick, easy, and delicious.
★★★★★
I love this one too Amy! I’m glad you tried it 🙂
Karen, I tried this recipe today. Tastes great!! I didn’t have diced tomatoes but had crushed, I used about 1/2 cup of them and added an extra can of chili beans. I love the recipe and will make it again. I found a Ranch seasoning packet with no MSG too. It’s from my local Hannaford store (Northeast grocery store) called Nature’s Place, it’s really good! I spent good money on a cookbook to go with my Instant-Pot when I got it but use your recipes 9 times out of 10. Thank you and Merry Christmas.
★★★★★
Merry Christmas to you Dan! Thanks for being here.
I’m making this for a Chili Cook-off at work. Would you suggest I make it the night before or the morning of? Will it hold up ok reheating later? Would you suggest I make it and then warm it in a crockpot for work later? I prefer to actually cook it in my instant pot but I’m having a hard time figuring out how to transport and warm up for work. (Contest is at 12 noon… I start work at 7am).
★★★★★
I would make it the morning of and once it’s done cooking you can just put it on the keep warm button. The Instant Pot lid locks into place and is convenient to travel with. good luck I really hope you win. If you don’t win I still think your co-workers will win because they get to eat it!
Just coming back to report that I WON!!! 1st place Crack Chicken Chili!!! 🙂
★★★★★
Yes MEL! that is great news! Party time.
Made this once and loved it.. making it tomorrow for a crowd and wondering if I double the recipe should I increase or decrease the time at all? (I’ve never doubled an IP recipe before…) TIA!
★★★★★
Same cooking time is what I would do! https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/how-to-double-instant-pot-recipes/
Can I use ranch dressing instead of packet?
No, it’s the seasonings you need. I would make my own if you can’t find one at the store. https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/homemade-ranch-seasoning-mix/
Probably a dumb question…my soup setting is 40 minutes…it says to do 10 minutes on manual if you dont have the soup setting. Do I leave it at 30 when I hit soup? This looks amazing
No, you would adjust it to 10 minutes.
Can you crockpot this recipe.
Yes…here is the crockpot version: https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/slow-cooker-crack-chicken-chili/
Can this be doubled?
Yes in an 8 quart pot. In a 6 quart pot you won’t have enough room I don’t think.
This looks great and I’m interested in giving it a shot! Does anyone know if it’s freezable?
I think it would freeze very nicely.
Karen did not come up with this term, others did. She only referenced it. I truly hate to see social warriorism invade our wonderful space here. We all love to cook and love Karen’s hard work to bring the magic of pressure cooking to us all. Can we just leave at that and enjoy?
★★★★★
I’d love to find another flavoring other than ranch dressing mix as it contains MSG…which as a breast cancer survivor I really want to avoid!
★★★
I don’t buy dry mixes because of the MSG. I usually make my own dry mixes. Many recipe online for making your own. About 3 tbsp of dry mix is equivalent to a pkt of store bought mix. There’s also companies that are now making dry mixes without the MSG. You would just have to read ingredient lists.
Yes it’s equivalent to a packet. Here is a recipe that you can use to make your own at home. Use 3 Tbsp of it for this recipe:
RANCH DRESSING MIX
1/3 cup dry buttermilk powder
3 Tbsp parsley flakes
2 1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 1/2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp dried minced onion
2 tsp dried dill weed
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
Spice Hunter and Simply organic both make organic versions that doc not contain MSG 🙂 I buy mine online at vitacost.com
Could you make your own from scratch? That’s what I’d do.
Spice Hunter and Simply organic both make organic versions that doc not contain MSG 🙂 I buy mine online at vita cost.com
I’m on a low sodium diet. How can I mak this with less sodium?. Does the ranch dressing need to be added and the can beans be drained of it’s juice? What suggestions do you have?
I’d use low sodium versions of beans (rinse and drain them, just use pinto beans), low sodium broth, low sodium tomatoes, make your own ranch dressing mix and leave out the salt from it.
RANCH DRESSING MIX
1/3 cup dry buttermilk powder
3 Tbsp parsley flakes
2 1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 1/2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp dried minced onion
2 tsp dried dill weed
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
You need to stop calling things “crack” items. Its insensitive to the people whose lives were directly impacted by the crack epidemic. Why dont you call it Meth chicken? Oh, I think we know why.
For real?! 😂😂😂😂 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️ 2019- everyone is sensitive asf.
I’m not affiliated with this site or know Karen personally. I rarely comment, but I find your comment to be insensitive. It actually takes a lot of work to come up with a recipe your whole family will enjoy, re-test recipe to make sure ingredients and quantities are correct, take multiple pictures, then type it all up and share it for free. I’m very thankful for this site and Karen’s hardwork because it has helped me explore ways to use my intant pot. When things are called “crack”, it’s referring to the addictiveness. Meaning, this is so good that you’ll want it over and over. Feel free to try recipe and call it whatever you want. Someone will always find offense to something. Hard to please everyone in this politically correct society. And pointing it out can in itself be insensitive.
Amen and thank you Aunt B.
★★★★★
Aunt B. well said!
I have tried several of Karen’s recipes and they are EXCELLENT!
So, people, stop being stupid to her and applauded her most generous efforts for ALL of us!
★★★★★
I embrace the naming conventions and say don’t hold yourself back by what others say. Especially if they are not even speaking for themselves but just on behalf of those it could offend. And I do say all this as someone who has had family members suffer from alcohol and drug abuse, I look forward to making myself some crack chicken chili.
★★★★★
Move on to another web site then.
You’re right! That’s why I quit using champaign vinegar and no longer use my Instant POT!
Yo Curry, I could say that your name is offensive bc I’m allergic to curry. If you are that sensitive you should probably stay off the internet.
★★★★★