This Crack Chicken Chili has the irresistible flavors of cream cheese, bacon, cheddar, and ranch in a rich, creamy chicken soup. Make it in the Crock Pot, Instant Pot, or on the stovetop!

spoonful of crack chicken chili above a crock pot.

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Today, I thought we'd turn my Crack Chicken recipe into a warm, comforting soup! My family absolutely loved this one - it's definitely getting added to the permanent dinner rotation.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Insanely flavorful. I'm not kidding when I tell you this is one of the most flavorful soups I've ever had in my life. It's absolutely delicious!
Easy dump-and-go meal. This takes less than 10 minutes to prep.
Great way to sneak in veggies. This soup has tomatoes, corn, beans, and bell peppers, but doesn't seem like a veggie-heavy meal at all.

Ingredients & Substitutions

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1lb)- You can leave these whole when you add them to the pot to cook - we'll shred the meat towards the end. If you'd like, you can use about 3 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken instead of chicken breasts.
½ yellow onion - Any onion is fine, but the yellow variety will add a great sweet element to your chili. Make sure to chop into bite-sized pieces!
2 cloves garlic - Same idea - make sure this is finely diced so you don't get a huge garlic chunk bite.
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper - If you don't have red bell pepper, you can always add an additional green bell pepper.
10oz canned Rotel - these are canned tomatoes & green chiles that will add a delicious kick to your chicken chili.
15.25oz canned corn - I don't drain my corn; that liquid gives a really yummy element to the soup.
15.25oz canned black beans - You don't even have to drain or rinse the beans! By leaving them as-is, you'll thicken your chili a little bit and give it even more flavor.
spices - We're going to add 1tsp salt, 1tsp pepper, and 2tsp chili powder to this soup. This will give it a great smokiness.
2 cups chicken broth - If you have chicken stock on hand, it's even better in this soup.
12oz bacon - Make sure your bacon is cooked and crumbled before adding to this soup. You could also use bagged real bacon pieces (about 2.5oz would be perfect).
1 pack ranch seasoning mix - You can either use a pack of mix or about 3 tablespoons from one of the bigger shakers.
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese - I prefer to grate my own from a block...it melts much smoother, making your soup even creamier.
8oz cream cheese - We'll add this at the end - it helps if it's at room temperature, but no big deal if it's still cold.

Additions & Variations

Change up the cheese. You could use Pepper Jack, Colby Jack, Gouda, or queso cheeses.
Change up the meat. Chicken thighs work just as well as chicken breasts in this chili. You could also use shredded beef or cooked sausage in place of chicken. Or, leave the chicken out altogether!
Add some heat. Add ½ a tablespoon of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to make this chili super spicy. Even adding a diced jalapeno at the beginning of cooking would give it a kick!

Topping Ideas

I have shredded cheddar cheese as a topper in this recipe, but there are really so many different elements you could add that would make this delicious soup even better! A few great toppers...

Tortilla chips or corn chips
Sour cream
Chopped green onions
Diced jalapeno peppers
Red pepper flakes
Diced avocado
Salsa or pico de Gallo
Chopped cilantro
Chopped green onions

Looking for more chili recipes? You'll love this easy turkey & chickpea chili!

How to Make Crack Chicken Chili

Crock Pot Method

ingredients for crack chicken chili in a crock pot.

All all ingredients (except for cream cheese and shredded cheddar) to a Crock Pot. Set the slow cooker to low heat for 8 hours.
About an hour before serving, shred the chicken with 2 forks. Add the cheeses (reserving half of the cheddar) and stir until blended.
Top soup servings with remaining cheddar cheese.

Stovetop Method

Add all ingredients (except for cream cheese and cheddar) to a large stock pot over medium heat.
Bring to a simmer (small bubbles forming around the sides of the pot), then reduce the heat to low. Let soup simmer for at least an hour (2-3 hours makes it even better), stirring occasionally.
About 30 minutes before you're ready to serve, shred the chicken with 2 forks. Add the cheeses (reserving half of the cheddar) and stir until blended.

Instant Pot Method

Add all ingredients (except for cream cheese and cheddar) to the Instant Pot.
Lock on the lid and set your pressure cooker to manual, high pressure, 13 minutes.
Once the cooking cycle is over and pressure is released, remove the lid. Shred the chicken with two forks. Add the cheeses (reserving half of the cheddar) and stir well until blended.

Helpful Tips & Tricks

If the cream cheese looks a little lumpy at first, give it time. It can take up to 30 minutes for the cream cheese to fully mix into the chili.
It's totally fine to use frozen chicken if using my slow cooker or Instant Pot methods! No adjustment in cook time is needed. If you're cooking on the stovetop, make sure your soup simmers for at least 2 hours before shredding the chicken.
You can use a Crockpot liner to make cleanup even easier.
Leftovers: Store in an airtight container in the fridge; enjoy within 3–4 days. Reheat in the microwave, stirring halfway through.
Pairings: This soup is hearty enough to serve on its own, but is also great with a side salad, garlic breadsticks, cheddar bay biscuits, or cornbread.

More Delicious Soups

I hope you love this slightly delicious chicken chili recipe! If you give it a try, I'd love for you to rate ⭐️ and review 💬 the recipe in the comments below. And before you go, follow along for my latest recipes!

Crock Pot Crack Chicken Chili

Why You'll Love This Recipe