With inflation almost as high as temperatures in Texas, money saving meals are a no-brainer. Saving money, all while not heating up your kitchen when feeding your family is the same.

So, how do you save money, beat the heat, and still make an amazing dish? You do so with Crack Chicken.

You’re probably wondering what that is, and some of you may already know, but this is one of those dishes that may end up being one of your go-to comfort foods. It’s called crack chicken because it is that good.

This palate delight is creamy, cheesy, and ultimately addictive! The only thing about this culinary wonder is that it is not a friend to your waistline. Then again, what truly delicious comfort food is? On the plus side, it is a great dish for those on a keto or low carb diet. So truly, how can you say no to that.

With only a handful of ingredients and either a crockpot or an instant pot, this crack chicken can fill your plate with little to no effort. For all you busy moms and bona fide bachelors, this is a meal that is as minimalist as it gets. It’s a lazy man’s dish, and that’s ok, because the taste makes up for the lack of effort involved.

This dish has its origins from crack dip that became popular at parties and other gatherings. The dip made with cream cheese, ranch seasoning, bacon bits, cheddar cheese, and perhaps mayonnaise or sour cream became a hit. And it was so addicting it earned its name “crack.”

Somewhere along the way, someone decided adding chicken was a good idea, and thus this gastronomical delight came to be. It really was quite genius.

The best part about crack chicken is that it can be served several different ways. It may be the main meal in and of itself, or it can be piled on a burger bun or hoagie roll with a side of French fries. You many even want to throw it in a tortilla or use it on top of pasta. It would take the keto and low carb out of the equation if served on bread, tortillas, or pasta, ideally it could also be served on a bed of rice. If served on rice or pasta, this would allow the meal to stretch even farther without stretching the budget. That’s a winner in my book.

So, no matter how you decide to serve it or what you decide to pair it with, this is a dish that you will hit out of the park and keep them coming back for more.

Crack Chicken-Crockpot version Ingredients 2 lbs. chicken-boneless, skinless thighs or breasts 1 packet of Ranch seasoning 2 (8 ounce) blocks of cream cheese 6 strips of bacon ½ cup chicken broth 1 ½ cups shredded, sharp cheddar cheese 3 scallions, diced Directions Rinse and pat dry chicken and place in a crockpot along with the chicken broth.

Sprinkle with the Ranch seasoning, and after allowing the cream cheese to soften, cube it up and place on top of the chicken.

Close the lid and cook 4-5 hours on high or 6-7 on low.

At some point while the chicken is cooking, cook the bacon until crisp and crumble later.

Once the chicken is cooked, remove the lid and shred the chick inside the crockpot itself.

Top with shredded cheddar cheese and bacon and replace the lid and cook for a few minutes or until cheese is melted.

Garnish with the diced scallions and serve.

For the Instant pot Use the saute setting and cook the bacon until crisp, then remove it and the grease.

Add in the chicken broth, chicken, and Ranch seasoning. Secure the lid, select manual or pressure cook, and cook on high for 15 minutes.

Open the lid and shred the chicken, and then switch the setting to saute mode again. Stir in the cream cheese.

Mix well until it melts. Add in the shredded cheddar cheese and the bacon and cook until the cheddar melts. Turn it off and garnish with diced scallions.