This crack chicken pasta is a one-pan stovetop dinner with penne cooked right in a savory, cheesy ranch sauce, topped with crispy bacon and a gooey layer of melted Colby Jack. The second it comes off the stove, the whole kitchen smells like warm ranch, smoky bacon, and melted cheese. Everyone starts hovering, asking if it’s ready yet.
I tested this recipe twice before publishing because my first batch was too salty. Bacon brings sodium, ranch seasoning brings sodium, and I was using regular chicken stock on top of both. Once I switched to unsalted stock and cut the added salt from ½ teaspoon down to ¼ teaspoon, it clicked.
This became a go-to weeknight dinner without me ever planning it that way. It’s a full meal in one pan, my family goes quiet the second I serve it, and somehow there are still kids fighting over the leftovers for lunch the next day.
I always warm up a loaf of French bread to serve alongside. Once you’ve dragged a piece through that sauce, it’s non-negotiable.
What Is Crack Chicken Pasta?
Crack chicken penne is a pasta dinner built around the combination of cream cheese, ranch seasoning, bacon, and shredded cheese. It started as a slow-cooker shredded chicken recipe that spread fast, and the flavor combination has been applied to casseroles, sliders, chili, and pasta ever since. This version uses penne cooked directly in the skillet with seasoned chicken stock, so the pasta absorbs flavor from the inside out as it cooks.
Key Ingredients
- Smoked bacon: Smoked bacon brings a deeper, meatier flavor than regular bacon and crisps up well in a skillet. Cook it in the same pan you’ll use for everything else. That reserved bacon grease is where the chicken and onion cook next.
- Ranch seasoning packet: This is what makes it crack chicken. It’s the primary flavor driver and it also carries a significant amount of sodium on its own. That’s exactly why keeping the other sodium sources controlled matters so much in this recipe.
- Unsalted chicken stock: Use unsalted, not regular or low-sodium. With bacon and ranch seasoning already in the pan, regular stock is what pushed the first test over the edge. Unsalted stock gives you control without sacrificing any of the flavor the stock adds to the pasta.
- Cream cheese: This is what makes the sauce thick and coating, clinging to every piece of penne instead of pooling at the bottom. Pull it from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before you start cooking so it softens. Cold cream cheese doesn’t incorporate smoothly and you’ll end up stirring out lumps.
- Cream of chicken soup: This adds body and a savory depth that fills out the sauce. Combined with the cream cheese, it creates that thick, stick-to-the-pasta consistency.
- Colby jack cheese: Shred it from the block. Pre-shredded bags have a starch coating that prevents smooth melting. A freshly grated block makes a noticeably creamier sauce, and you’ll use it two ways in this recipe. Sharp cheddar works well as a tested substitute if Colby jack isn’t available.
How to Make Crack Chicken Pasta
Step 1: Cook the Bacon Add the diced bacon to a large 12-inch skillet over medium heat and cook for 9-11 minutes, until the fat has fully rendered and the pieces are crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving ¼ cup of cooked bacon for garnish. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of bacon grease from the skillet.
Step 2: Brown the Chicken and Onion Raise the heat to medium-high and add the cubed chicken, diced onion, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is lightly browned on the outside. It doesn’t need to be fully cooked through at this point. The chicken will finish cooking with the pasta.
Step 3: Add Ranch, Stock, and Pasta Once the chicken is lightly browned and the onion is tender, add the ranch seasoning and unsalted chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then add the penne. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and cook for 15-20 minutes until the pasta is tender.
Step 4: Stir in Cream Cheese and Soup Remove the lid and add the softened cream cheese and cream of chicken soup. Stir until both are fully incorporated and no lumps remain. The sauce comes together quickly when the cream cheese is properly softened.
Step 5: Add Cheese, Bacon, and Parsley Add 1½ cups of the shredded Colby jack, all of the cooked bacon except the reserved ¼ cup, and 1 tablespoon of the chopped fresh parsley. Stir to combine.
Step 6: Top and Melt Scatter the remaining ½ cup of shredded Colby jack evenly on top. Do not stir it in. Cover the skillet with the lid for 3-4 minutes, only until the cheese has melted into a gooey layer on the surface.
Step 7: Garnish and Serve Remove the lid and top with the reserved ¼ cup of crispy bacon and the remaining tablespoon of fresh parsley. Serve immediately. A warm loaf of French bread alongside for dipping is a strong recommendation.
Tips for the Best Results
- If you only have a large container of ranch seasoning, use about 2 tablespoons in place of the 1-ounce packet.
- If you’re using previously frozen chicken, pat it dry with a paper towel before adding it to the skillet. Thawed chicken releases moisture, and excess moisture in the pan prevents it from browning properly.
- Do not walk away during the pasta cook. Check at the 15-minute mark. You’re looking for tender pasta that has absorbed most of the liquid. Overcooked penne turns mushy in a sauce this thick and can’t be rescued.
- Serve it while it’s hot. The sauce keeps thickening as the dish cools. It reheats well the next day with a splash of chicken stock to loosen things up, but the texture straight off the stove is the best it will be.
Proper Storage
Store crack chicken penne in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave, adding a small splash of chicken stock to loosen the sauce.
I don’t recommend freezing this dish. The cream cheese in the sauce tends to separate when frozen and thawed. It loses its smooth, thick consistency and turns grainy.
Crack Chicken Penne
Ingredients
- 6 slices smoked bacon cut into ½-inch pieces, divided, reserving ¼ cup of the cooked bacon for the final garnish with the remainder to be added to the main dish
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts approximately 1 pound, cut into 1-inch cubes
- ½ cup chopped yellow onion
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ounce packet of Ranch seasoning
- 4 cups unsalted chicken stock
- ½ pound penne pasta
- 6 ounces of cream cheese
- 10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup
- 8 ounce block of Colby jack cheese shredded, divided into 1½ cups and ½ cup
- 2 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley divided in half
Instructions
- In a large 12-inch skillet, on medium heat, add the diced bacon and cook for 9-11 minutes or until the fat has been rendered and the bacon pieces are crispy. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve ¼ cup of the cooked bacon for garnish. Set aside all the bacon. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease from the skillet.6 slices smoked bacon
- On medium-high heat, add the cubed boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced yellow onion, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Cook the chicken for 5-6 minutes or until lightly browned. The chicken may not be all the way cooked through. That is fine because the chicken will continue to cook with the pasta.2 boneless skinless chicken breasts,½ cup chopped yellow onion,¼ teaspoon salt,¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Once the chicken has been lightly browned and the onions are tender, add the ranch seasoning and chicken stock. Bring the chicken stock to a boil, then add the penne pasta. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet with the lid, and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the pasta is tender.1 ounce packet of Ranch seasoning,4 cups unsalted chicken stock,½ pound penne pasta
- Remove the lid from the skillet and stir in the cream cheese and cream of chicken soup until fully combined and no lumps remain.6 ounces of cream cheese,10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup
- Add 1½ cups of the shredded Colby jack cheese, the cooked bacon pieces (except for the reserved ¼ cup), and 1 tablespoon of the chopped fresh parsley. Stir to combine.6 ounce block of Colby jack cheese,1 tablespoon Fresh chopped parsley
- Top the crack chicken penne with the remaining ½ cup shredded Colby jack cheese (do not stir in) and cover the skillet again with the lid for 3-4 minutes or just until the cheese has melted on top.2 ounce block of Colby jack cheese
- Remove the lid and garnish the melted cheese with the reserved ¼ cup of bacon and the remaining 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley.1 tablespoon Fresh chopped parsley
Notes
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- To Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- To Freeze: I do not recommend freezing this dish.
- To Reheat: Reheat on the stovetop or microwave until heated through.
- This crack chicken penne should be served while warm. As this dish cools, the sauce will continue to thicken.
- You can place your package of bacon in the freezer for about an hour to firm up and make it easier to dice it into smaller pieces.
- If you only have a larger container of the ranch seasoning mix, you will use about 2 tablespoons for this recipe.
- I prefer to use full-fat cream cheese for this recipe. You can use reduced-fat cream cheese, but it won’t be as thick or creamy.
- Use freshly shredded cheese instead of packaged pre-shredded cheese. They have additives in the bags to prevent clumping, and they do not melt as well as a block of cheese that you shred yourself.
- You can make this dish in a slow cooker or an Instant Pot. Simply saute your bacon first and then dump all ingredients, including the uncooked pasta, in the crock pot and cook.