This baked crack chicken or Ranch chicken has a combination of the ranch, cream cheese, and bacon. It’s a keto-friendly and low-carb dinner that your entire family will love!
This chicken recipe requires only a couple of simple ingredients to make. It’s also a cinch to make and a few ingredients can be prep in advance.
What You Need To Make Baked Crack Chicken
- Cream cheese: Use either regular cream cheese or light/fat-free cream cheese.
- Ranch Mix: You can use store-bought or homemade.
- Shredded cheddar cheese: I prefer sharp cheddar cheese, but you are welcome to use a mixture of cheese like cheddar, jack, or even pepper jack cheese.
- Chicken breasts: Pound to 1/4-inch thickness. Or replace with boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Bacon: Use thick-cut bacon or your preferred type. Pre-cook the bacon before using it.
- Salt
- Pepper
- Smoked paprika
- Green onions
How To Make Baked Crack Chicken
Step 1: Mix the cream cheese, half of the sliced green onions, and the ranch seasoning to make the cream cheese mixture.
Step 2: Pound the chicken breasts to about 1/4-inch thickness and season with salt, black pepper, or paprika. Lay the chicken breasts in a lightly greased baking dish.
Step 3: On top of each chicken breast, place 2 tbsp of the cream cheese mixture, evenly coating each chicken breast.
Step 4: Bake at 400 degrees F for 12 minutes, uncovered.
Step 5: On top of each chicken, evenly divide the shredded cheese, then the diced bacon. Bake further until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees.
Step 6: Garnish the baked crack chicken with the remaining green onions before serving.
FAQ
How to store?
Place any leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 to 5 days.
Can baked crack chicken be frozen?
Place the baked crack chicken in a freezer-safe container with a lid and freeze for up to 3 months.
If desired, freeze the cooked bacon. This saves time! Bake the bacon in the oven and lay them flat on strips of paper towels. Roll and place in a freezer storage bag, then freeze. Or freeze the already cooked, diced-up bacon.
Is this dish low-carb or keto?
Yes! This recipe is one of my favorite keto chicken recipes. Serve this with a side salad and low-carb veggies to keep it keto.
What to serve baked crack chicken?
For a simple, delicious dinner, serve this with steamed veggies, green beans, or salad on the side. This also pairs well with mashed or baked potatoes.
Can I make this dish in advance?
Absolutely! Prepare and assemble this dish and keep it in the fridge until ready to bake.
Baked Crack Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Ranch Seasoning mix
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
- 4 slices Bacon cooked diced
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 4 oz. Cream Cheese softened
- 4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese white or yellow
- 2 to 3 scallions finely sliced
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Set the oven to 400 degrees F.
- To make the cream cheese mixture, mix the cream cheese, half of the sliced green onions, and the ranch seasoning in a small bowl and set aside.
- With cooking spray, mildly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Set aside.
- Using a meat mallet, pound the chicken to about 1/4-inch thickness. Then, season with salt, black pepper, and paprika. In the prepared baking dish, arrange the chicken.
- Over each chicken breast, place 2 tbsp of the cream cheese mixture, evenly spreading them out.
- Bake the chicken for 12 minutes without a cover.
- Divide the shredded cheese on top of each chicken and sprinkle with diced bacon. Continue baking for additional 10 to 15 minutes until the internal temperature of the chicken breast reaches 165 degrees.
- Before serving, garnish with green onions.
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