Crack Chicken Stuffed Baked Potatoes take some of my favorite things – creamy cheddar, bacon, and ranch chicken and a tender, fluffy baked potato, and mash them up into one delicious meal. Perfect for using up leftovers, this recipe is great for lunch or dinner.
Stuffed Baked Potatoes with Crack Chicken
When the internet declared that the combination of chicken, cheddar, bacon, and ranch was like crack – so addicting that you can’t stop eating it – I was immediately hooked.
I have been putting those flavors together any chance I get. Making Crack Chicken Dip, Bacon Ranch Cheeseball, Creamy Bean Dip, and the now classic Crack Chicken Sandwich.
After indulging in my surprise hit recipe for Taco Stuffed Baked Potatoes, I knew that I’d be stuffing baked potatoes time and time again. It’s a super easy and delicious way to use up leftover potatoes and fillings.
You can basically put anything you want in a stuffed baked potato, from veggies and cheese sauce, buffalo chicken, pulled pork, or even pesto!
Ingredients for Crack Stuffed Baked Potatoes
Simple ingredients and simple methods are what this recipe is all about. I make the crack chicken in the slow cooker, but you could use precooked shredded chicken and just mix the ingredients together before loading up your potatoes.
- Baking potatoes – You’ll need one large russet potato per person. The recipe below makes 6 potatoes, but can easily be scaled to feed as many or as few as you need.
- Chicken – I use a pound of chicken breast, but you could use thighs, too.
- Ranch seasoning mix – Use ½ of a packet or a tablespoon of the dry seasoning mix.
- Cream cheese – I prefer full-fat here. Makes the chicken nice and creamy.
- Bacon – Try to get the low-sodium variety; the rest of the ingredients tend to have a lot of salt, so anywhere you can reduce the sodium is good. You can always adjust the seasonings later.
- Cheddar cheese – Shred your own right off the block. Packaged shreds have a coating that keeps them from sticking together but also prevents proper melting.
- Garnish – Fresh chives or green onion, extra bacon, drizzle of ranch, and blue cheese crumbles.
How to Make Stuffed Baked Potatoes
This recipe makes enough to fill 6 potatoes and maybe have a little leftover. Double it to make enough for sandwiches one day and stuffed potatoes another.
Make the crack chicken filling: Add the raw chicken, ranch mix, and cream cheese to a 4-5 quart slow cooker. Cook for 2-3 hours, then shred the chicken in the pot and stir in shredded cheddar and crumbled bacon.
Cook the potatoes: First, you need some large russet potatoes. Rub them with olive oil, salt, and pepper and bake them in the oven. You can also bake them in the microwave if you’re short on time. Pierce them several times with a fork and microwave on high for anywhere from 3-12 minutes, depending on the amount and size of the potatoes. Don’t use the olive oil if you’re cooking in the microwave.
Stuff the baked potatoes: Once the filling is ready and the potatoes are fully cooked, split the baked potatoes open and season with salt and pepper. Use a fork to gently fluff the potato flesh, then scoop as much chicken as you can inside. Add more cheese on top and a few bacon crumbles, then broil for several minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Serving Suggestions
These stuffed potatoes are basically your main course and side dish all rolled into one! Add a copycat Olive Garden Salad, some Garlic Green Beans, or Oven Roasted Broccoli to make a complete meal.
These also make a great and super quick lunch if you have leftover Baked Potatoes and Slow Cooker Crack Chicken.
Add some garnishes; I like using fresh chives and blue cheese crumbles, but you do you.
Storage and Freezing
Storing leftovers: Store potatoes and crack chicken separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. If already using leftovers, make sure to count that time.
Freezing: Baked potatoes will keep in the freezer for up to 10 months. Just be sure to wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and then foil and place them in a freezer-safe container. The crack chicken can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 4 months. Always thaw in the refrigerator, then reheat in the microwave or oven. Do not freeze stuffed potatoes fully loaded.
Recipe
Crack Chicken Stuffed Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 pounds Large Russet Potatoes 4-6 potatoes
- 1 pound Boneless skinless chicken breast (2-3 breasts)
- 1 tablespoon Ranch seasoning mix
- 4 ounces Block cream cheese
- 3 slices Cooked bacon diced or crumbled
- 1 cup Freshly grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- Optional, for topping: Extra bacon, chopped chives, Ranch dressing drizzle, blue cheese crumbles
Instructions
Crack Chicken
- Add chicken to the slow cooker and sprinkle with Ranch seasoning mix. Place a block of cream cheese on top of the chicken. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2.5-3 hours or LOW for about 4-5 hours.
- When the chicken is done cooking, remove the lid and shred the chicken right in the pot using two forks. Stir in the ¾ of the chopped bacon and 1 cup of shredded cheddar.
Baked Potatoes
- Meanwhile, prepare baked potatoes using your preferred method (oven or microwave).
- Oven (45-60 minutes + cooling time): Preheat oven to 425℉. Wash potatoes and dry completely, then rub lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until potatoes are fork-tender. You could also skip the oil and seasoning and place directly on the center rack of your oven. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Set aside to rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Microwave (7 minutes + cooling time): Wash potatoes and dry completely. Place on a microwave-safe plate and microwave for 7 minutes on full power, turning over once about halfway through. Continue microwaving in 1-minute increments as needed until fork-tender. Set aside to rest for 5-10 minutes.
Assembly
- Line a baking sheet with foil and preheat your oven's broiler.
- Arrange potatoes on the baking sheet. Using a small, sharp knife, make a slit lengthwise across the top of each potato, careful not to cut the potato completely in half. Squeeze the ends gently to open the potatoes as much as possible without them falling all the way open.
- Fluff the flesh gently with a fork and season with salt and pepper. Add a small pat of butter to moisten the potato, then stuff with the chicken mixture. Top each potato with 1 tablespoon of shredded cheddar and a few bits of crumbled bacon.
- Broil potatoes for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Watch closely so they don't scorch. Remove from the oven and rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with fresh minced chives and a drizzle of Ranch dressing. Serve warm.
Notes
- The recipe is best enjoyed fresh. If you happen to have leftover assembled potatoes, wrap in foil and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Wrap in foil and reheat in the oven.
- Serving amounts in this recipe are approximate. Potatoes vary in size, so purchase according to how many people you need to feed. 3 pounds should feed about 5-6 people. For best results, select potatoes that are similar in size.
- This recipe works great with leftover shredded chicken! Eliminate the need for a slow cooker and just mix the shredded chicken in with the other ingredients on the stovetop just until warm, then top baked potatoes.
- Depending on how many potatoes you are using, you may end up with leftover chicken. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a saucepan.