Comforting Crack Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Tender chicken and bacon in a creamy ranch cheese sauce over pasta—a rich, satisfying 40-minute meal.

# 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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped bacon and cook until crispy, about 5-7 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels, leaving about 1 tablespoon bacon fat in the skillet.
03 - Add butter to the bacon fat in the skillet. Once melted, add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
04 - Reduce heat to medium-low. Add softened cream cheese and stir until melted and smooth. Pour in chicken broth, heavy cream, and ranch seasoning mix. Whisk continuously until fully combined and sauce begins to thicken slightly, about 3-4 minutes.
05 - Stir in shredded cheddar and grated parmesan cheese. Continue stirring until completely melted and sauce is velvety and thickened, about 2 minutes.
06 - Add cooked chicken and half of the crispy bacon to the sauce. Stir gently to combine and heat through for 2-3 minutes.
07 - Add the drained pasta to the skillet. Toss thoroughly to coat every piece of pasta evenly with the creamy sauce. Cook for 1 minute to bind everything together.
08 - Divide the pasta among 4 plates. Top each serving with remaining crispy bacon, sliced green onions, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in minutes but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
  • Everything cooks in one pan besides the pasta, meaning minimal cleanup
  • Leftovers actually reheat beautifully for lunch the next day
02 -
  • The sauce will thicken as it stands, so if it seems too loose just give it a minute
  • Reserve a half cup of pasta water before draining in case you need to thin the sauce later
  • Do not let the garlic burn or it will turn bitter and ruin the whole dish
03 -
  • Shred your own cheese from blocks instead of buying pre-shredded bags for the smoothest sauce
  • Room temperature cream cheese incorporates much faster than cold from the fridge

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