Comforting Crack Chicken Pasta (Printable)

A rich, creamy pasta featuring tender chicken, bacon, cheddar, parmesan, and ranch seasoning. Ready in 40 minutes for a comforting dinner.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta & Chicken

01 - 12 oz penne or rotini pasta
02 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
03 - 5 slices bacon, chopped

→ Sauce

04 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
07 - 3/4 cup chicken broth
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - 1 packet ranch seasoning mix (1 oz)

→ Cheese

10 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
11 - 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

→ To Finish

12 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
13 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions; drain and set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook until crispy; remove and set aside, leaving about 1 tbsp bacon fat in the skillet.
03 - Add butter to the skillet. Once melted, sauté garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Lower heat to medium-low. Stir in cream cheese until softened, then add chicken broth, heavy cream, and ranch seasoning. Whisk until smooth and creamy.
05 - Add cheddar and parmesan cheese, stirring until melted and sauce is thickened.
06 - Add the cooked chicken and half the bacon to the sauce; stir to heat through.
07 - Combine the cooked pasta with the sauce, tossing to coat evenly.
08 - Divide among plates, then top with remaining bacon, green onions, and black pepper. Serve warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything comes together in one skillet while the pasta boils, meaning minimal cleanup and maximum satisfaction
  • The ranch and cream cheese sauce creates this velvety richness that makes you wonder why you ever bothered with jarred Alfredo
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully, and the flavors actually deepen overnight
02 -
  • Do not skip softening the cream cheese first or you will end up with tiny lumps that refuse to melt no matter how long you whisk
  • The sauce thickens rapidly as it cools, so if it seems too thin just give it a minute off the heat before adding more cheese
  • Salt your pasta water generously because the sauce itself is not heavily salted and you want that base seasoning throughout
03 -
  • Pasta continues absorbing sauce as it sits, so if you are reheating leftovers you might need a splash of cream or broth to loosen it up
  • The ranch seasoning packet varies by brand, so start with less and taste before adding more if you are sensitive to salt

Go Back