Crockpot Million Dollar Chicken is about to become your new favorite slow cooker dinner! Tender shredded chicken cooks low and slow in a rich, creamy sauce with ranch seasoning, cream cheese, crispy bacon, cheddar cheese, and onions for a meal that’s packed with flavor and protein. Pile it onto sandwich buns, spoon it over rice, stuff it into baked potatoes, or grab a bag of chips and dig in. No matter how you serve it, this is one of those recipes everyone will be asking for again.
This slow cooker recipe is SO EASY to make and a lifesaver for nights when there’s simply not going to be enough time to cook! You know the nights; practice, carpool, homework, concerts, programs, all the things! I love that I only need to place three ingredients into the crockpot in the morning, set it on low and get on with my day! When I’m ready to serve dinner, I just add the remaining ingredients, stir to combine and serve it up. It couldn’t be easier! We love to put a couple of scoops onto sliders and serve with a yummy side salad and some chips. It’s definitely whole family approved!
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- Easy Crockpot Recipe – This is one of those recipes that’s SO EASY to make, but it looks and tastes phenomenal, so everyone will be highly impressed!
- High Protein Comfort Food – I mean… a comfort food that boosts my protein goals? Yes, please!
- Versatile – There are so many ways to serve this chicken! You can put a scoop on a bun, in a slider, over white rice, stuffed in a baked potato or really however you like! You can’t go wrong!
- Great for Meal Prep – It’s so easy to portion this recipe and place into individual containers for easy grab and go lunches!
Recipe Notes
This Crockpot Million Dollar Chicken recipe is as simple as promised! Just a a handful of simple ingredients for a family friendly flavor-packed dinner option.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make this Million Dollar Chicken Crockpot recipe to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Chicken breasts or thighs – Both of these cuts of chicken work great! Breasts will keep it lighter. Thighs will make it juicier and add a bit more flavor. Be sure to use boneless and skinless.
- Ranch seasoning – You can use a store bought packet or try making your own! I make this Homemade Ranch Seasoning and store the extra in a jar in my spice cabinet.
- Chicken broth
- Cream cheese – 8oz block
- Sharp cheddar cheese – If you have the time, I highly recommend shredding your own cheese, as opposed to buying a bag of pre-shredded. When you shred it yourself, it melts so much easier and is more creamy!
- Crumbled bacon– It’s so easy to prepare on your own!
- Green onions– sliced
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Jalapeño Million Dollar Chicken – For a fun kick, add diced jalapeño at the same step you add the bacon, cheese and onions. You can use either fresh or pickled jalapeños.
- Buffalo Million Dollar Chicken– Buffalo sauce, chicken and ranch are a favorite flavor combination in our home! To add this flavor combo into this recipe, add 1/4-1/2 cup of your favorite buffalo sauce when you’re mixing all ingredients together.
- MDC with Pickles!– It’s seems like pickle-flavored everything is all the rage these days. Dicing a few of your favorite type of pickles would be a great addition to this recipe, The vinegar would cut through the richness of the creamy sauce for a really lovely flavor. You could use sweet pickles, bread & butter pickles or even dill pickles.
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make this Crockpot Million Dollar Chicken.
Place the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker. Pour the broth over.
Sprinkle ranch seasoning over the top of the chicken, then turn on slow cooker.
Once done, shred the chicken.
Place the cream cheese on top of the chicken and close the lid again for 5-10 minutes to let it soften.
Add the cheddar cheese, bacon and green onions.
Mix all together until smooth sand creamy.
Recipe Tips
- Bouillon for broth – Since this recipe only calls for 1/4 cup of chicken broth, I recommend using a bouillon or chicken base that you mix in water. By doing this, nothing gets wasted. If you use canned broth, just store the remaining broth in a freezer-safe container in your freezer so you can use it another time.
- Shred chicken in slow cooker – There’s no need to dirty a cutting board and knife. Simply shred the chicken while it’s still in the crockpot by using two forks. The chicken will be tender and will come apart easily.
- Don’t skip the softening step! – Allow your cream cheese to sit in the crockpot for 5-10 minutes so it will soften. This will make it so much easier to combine. If you skip this step it will be clumpy and just so much more difficult to get to mix with the other ingredients.
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Pre-chopped green onions – You can find a container of pre-chopped green onions in the produce section of most grocery stores. This definitely makes this recipe even faster since no chopping would be involved!
- Bacon bits – I love cooking and crumbling my own bacon for recipes, but I’m also not above buying a bag of bacon bits when there is simply no time! It’s a great shortcut!
- Bagged shredded cheese – Grab a bag of shredded cheddar cheese, instead of shredding the cheese on your own, to save time.
Can you freeze this recipe?
Unfortunately, this recipe won’t freeze well. Once thawed, the texture of the cream cheese can become slightly grainy, crumbly or separated. But you can store leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days.
What to Serve with Crockpot Million Dollar Chicken
Since this protein based dinner has the delicious flavors of cheese, bacon and ranch, it will pair well with many of your favorite classic side dishes.
Choose one or several of these side dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
Side Dish Ideas
- Baked Potato Wedges
- Salad with Jalapeno Ranch Dressing
- Chips & Dips! Choose my Homemade Salsa, Southwest Corn Dip, or Blackbean and Corn Salsa
- Ranch Smashed Potatoes
- Oven Roasted Vegetables
Million Dollar Chicken Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this recipe, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
Leftover Recipes
Here are a few ways to repurpose those leftovers and give them a delicious makeover!
- Avocado Stuffed Bowl– Fill half of an avocado with leftover chicken. The avocado serves as an edible bowl and provides a great low-carb option!
- Million Dollar Chicken Lettuce Wrap– This is the best combo! The crunch of the bibb lettuce with this creamy chicken recipe is so delicious!
- Chicken and Crackers– This is SO simple! Think of the warmed, leftover chicken as a high protein dip! Serve with crackers or even fresh veggies as the vehicle.
- Million Dollar Chicken Taquito– Add 1/4 cup of the creamy leftover chicken onto a tortilla. Spread it down the middle and roll the tortilla. Repeat this step with several tortillas. Place the rolled tortillas into a pan with 1 tablespoon of hot oil. Allow to cook and crisp up for 2 minutes, then turn over and crisp the other side.
Recipe FAQ’s
Where does the name “Million Dollar” come from?
There is a famous dip called Million Dollar Dip, also known as Neiman Marcus Dip (from the cafe at Neiman Marcos). It’s a rich and savory appetizer that has cream cheese, shredded cheese, bacon, green onions and toasted almonds. Many chefs have put their own spin on this recipe over the years.
Where can I find other Million Dollar recipes?
I really love the Million Dollar flavor combinations! I’ve turned it into recipes with chicken, spaghetti, deviled eggs and dips! Here are some of those to check out: Million Dollar Baked Spaghetti, Million Dollar Ravioli, Million Dollar Chicken Salad, Million Dollar Chicken Bake, Million Dollar Deviled Eggs, Million Dollar Dip and Million Dollar Baked Pork Chops.
More EASY Shredded Chicken Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy shredded chicken recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
- Shredded Mexican Chicken Casserole
- Crockpot Chicken Nachos
- Cheesy Broccoli Chicken Rice Casserole
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Sliders
- Smothered Shredded Chicken Burritos
- Southwest Chicken Chili
Crockpot Million Dollar Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, or thighs
- 2 tablespoons ranch seasoning, (1 packet)
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup crumbled bacon, (or bacon bits)
- 3 green onions, chopped
Instructions
- Place the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Pour the broth over the chicken, then sprinkle the ranch seasoning over the top.Cook on high for 2.5-3 hours or low for 3-3.5 hours.
- Once done, shred the chicken, then place the cream cheese on top of the chicken and close the lid again for 5-10 minutes to let it soften.*You can skip the softening if your cream cheese is already soft.
- Add the cheddar cheese, bacon, and green onions, and mix into the chicken until it is smooth and creamy.
- Serve with veggies, on rolls, or over rice or baked potatoes. Enjoy!
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