Baked Crack Chicken

Baked Crack Chicken is crispy and cheesy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside! It is addictively delicious, loaded with flavors, and super easy to make! It has a weird name, but it is an amazing dish like you have never tasted before!

Made with ranch seasoning, mayo, and bacon, topped with shredded cheese and more bacon for an amazing dish you want to serve every night. When I find something fast, easy, and delicious, I make it more than once. This is one of those recipes I often make, and so will you!

Baked Crack Chicken is one hearty meat dish that can be easily done in under an hour including the preparation time. Also, it requires only a handful of ingredients. The chicken is juicy and tender, and the outside is covered with melted cheese and cooked crispy bacon.

It is hard to believe that something so deliciously cheesy and full of flavor only takes about 30 minutes to make. But it’s true. With just 10 minutes of prep time and 20 minutes to bake, you can make this yummy entrée for dinner tonight! It goes well with so many side dishes from baked potatoes to fried okra. I prefer mine with macaroni and cheese and a salad.

Why you will love this recipe

• The taste is immensely satisfying: If you love cheese and bacon, this recipe will blow you away. Add in the garlic and ranch flavors for something that you will never forget.
• It is so easy to make: Seriously, it is simple. Mix the mayo and ranch in one bowl and the bacon, garlic, and salt in another. Dip chicken in each one and then bake. Easy peasy!
• It’s versatile: If you don’t like bacon (or cannot eat it) or are not a fan of garlic, leave it out. Your chicken will still taste incredible.
• It cooks fast: You don’t have to boil or fry anything ahead of time. Just bake for 20 minutes, and you can serve it.

What you’ll need to make baked crack chicken

Special items:

• Baking sheet – Any baking sheet will do.
• Food processor – To pulse the bacon mixture.
• Tongs – To dip the chicken.
• Medium bowl – To mix the ranch sauce.

Ingredients:

• Chicken breasts—I prefer using boneless, skinless chicken breasts because they are easy to prepare. You can also use bone-in chicken with skin or chicken thighs instead of breasts. It is your preference.
• Ranch seasoning – It is hard to describe the flavor of ranch to someone who has never tried it. I would say it is savory and tangy with a milky background. Mixed with mayo, you get a creamy buttermilk flavor with hints of onion, garlic, mustard, chives, and paprika. Try my easy homemade ranch seasoning for this recipe.
• Mayonnaise – Like I said before, I love Miracle Whip, but you can use any kind of mayo that you like. The point is to get something creamy to mix your ranch seasoning with.
• Bacon – I would highly recommend using freshly made crispy bacon that has been blotted to remove the grease. Then, use a food processor to make the bits and save six slices for the topping.
• Garlic—Freshly minced garlic is the best choice for its rich, salty flavor with just a little kick.
• Cheddar cheese – Shred your cheese for the freshest flavor that melts much easier than the bagged stuff.

How to make baked crack chicken?

1. Preheat and prep the pan: First, preheat oven to 450 degrees F and line your baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Make the bacon mixture: Now, add one and a half cups of bacon bits, garlic, and salt to a food processor and pulse until minced and mixed. Pour the mixture into a large shallow dish.
3. Stir the ranch sauce: Next, whisk the ranch seasoning with the mayo in a medium bowl until combined.
4. Dip and roll: Now, dip the chicken breasts into the mayo ranch before pressing them into the bacon mixture. Make sure they are coated well, and then put them all on the prepared baking sheet.
5. Add more: Then, sprinkle cheese on the chicken and place six bacon slices on top of that.
6. Bake it: Finally, bake for 15 to 20 minutes and let it rest for five minutes before serving.

Expert tip

How to make the juiciest chicken

Nobody likes dry chicken. The best way to make sure it does not dry out while cooking it is to make sure you follow the directions carefully. Cooking is like a science. I spend many hours experimenting with different temperatures and cooking times for the juiciest chicken. So, if you follow one of my recipes and it turns out dry, you may need to check your oven temperature.

But if you are making chicken and you want it extra juicy, you can always marinate it. You could use salt water with a pinch of sugar, lemon juice, or white wine vinegar. Tenderizing it is another way to ensure it is tender. Just remember that if you flatten it too much, you have to cut a few minutes off the baking time.

You could also try searing the chicken before cooking it, but then it may not be able to soak up as much of the ranch sauce. Just remember one thing: Always let your meat rest for at least five minutes before slicing or serving.

Recipe variations and add-ins:

• Different cheese: You can add more cheese or replace it with something like shredded parmesan, mozzarella, or Monterey Jack. Even better, mix them all!
• Hawaiian crack chicken: If you have a sweet tooth, you will love this dish with chopped pineapple and brown sugar. Don’t worry; it will blend well with the ranch and cheese.
• Spice it up: Spicy food lovers would enjoy hot sauce or salsa on top or red pepper flakes in the ranch sauce.
• Other meat: Instead of chicken, you can make this meal with turkey or pork.
• Italian chicken: Add some of my Italian seasoning mixed with mayo. It is also incredible.

Serving suggestions:

There are so many ways to enjoy this cheesy crack chicken. Here are some examples you might like.

• Try serving this chicken on a bed of rice or pasta. I have a great recipe for buttery rice that you will love.
• Another way to enjoy this meal is on top of crack mashed potatoes.
• You could also chop it up and use it as a topping for baked potatoes with sour cream and more cheese.
• Make a sandwich out of it. Put it on soft potato or brioche buns.
• Add it to a wrap!!! Or chop it and mix it with a salad. You can make crack chicken caesar salad or add it to this strawberry spinach salad.
• Serve it with a salad on the side, it goes really well with this refreshing cucumber salad or this creamy tomato salad.

Frequently asked questions

Why do they call it crack chicken?

There are many stories about how addictive this crack chicken is, which some people decided was just like being addicted to the drug. However, most people think that it is just a silly rumor. While the recipe is addictive, it has nothing to do with any drug. It was named this because the traditional way to serve this was to crack open the chicken in the middle and fill it with the sauce, top it with cheese, and then add bacon. 

Should I cover chicken when baking it?

When you cook this dish, there is no need to cover it. However, you should not cover individual pieces of chicken in the oven at a high temperature for a short period of time. In fact, keeping it covered could cause it to not cook evenly. I would only cover it while baking whole chicken or large bone-in chicken pieces.

What is the best temperature to bake chicken?

Different cuts and sizes of chicken can be cooked at different temperatures. For example, when making boneless breasts, the best temperature is about 400 to 450 degrees F. But only cook it for 10 to 20 minutes. For a whole chicken, start at 400 degrees F and then reduce it to 350 degrees F after about an hour. Bone-in chicken can be cooked at a lower temperature for a longer period. The most important part is cooking it until it reaches 165 degrees F.

Why is my chicken dry?

If you made this recipe and your chicken was dry, you probably cooked it too long. If you tenderized it by flattening it, you have to cut about three to five minutes from the cooking time. Also, check your oven temperature regularly to ensure it is cooking at the right temperature. To make your chicken even juicier, soak it in a brine of salt water with a pinch of sugar for an hour before cooking. You can also sear the outside of the breasts before baking. Always let the meat rest for at least five minutes after cooking.

How to store:

• Refrigerate: Place cooled chicken in a sealed container and refrigerate for up to four days.   
• Freezing: If you cannot finish your chicken in a few days, wrap it in plastic, place it in a freezer bag, and freeze it for up to three months.   
• Defrost: For the best taste and texture, defrost frozen chicken in the fridge the night before serving.
• Reheating: Place chicken in the microwave for 60 to 90 minutes to reheat.

More delicious chicken recipes:

• Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
• Air Fryer Chicken
• Honey Garlic Wings
• Grilled Souvlaki Recipe
• Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Tenders

Recipe tips:

• Save time using store-bought bacon bits and pieces instead of making your own.
• Before eating, the internal temperature has to be 165 degrees F using a meat thermometer.
• If you watch fat and calories, you can use Greek yogurt instead of mayo.
• Similarly, turkey bacon would be a healthier choice for those on a diet.
• Remember the five steps to juicy baked chicken every time: tenderize, brine, sear, bake, and rest.