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Crack Chicken Penne

Crack chicken penne is a weeknight chicken pasta with penne coated in a thick ranch cream cheese sauce, loaded with shredded chicken and crispy bacon bits. Melted cheddar finishes the top so every bite is creamy, savory, and saucy.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 730
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Crack chicken penne
  • 3 cups cooked chicken shredded
  • 8 strips bacon cooked crispy and crumbled
  • 12 oz penne pasta cooked
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 packet (1 oz) ranch seasoning mix
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened and cubed
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 fresh chives for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Build the ranch cream sauce
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then cook the minced garlic for 1 minute while it smells fragrant.
  2. Add the chicken broth and cubed cream cheese, stirring over medium-low heat until the cream cheese melts completely into the liquid.
  3. Stir in the ranch seasoning mix and heavy cream until smooth and combined.
  4. Simmer the sauce for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and glossy.
Toss and melt the toppings
  1. Add the shredded chicken, most of the crumbled bacon, and the cooked penne, then toss until every piece is evenly coated.
  2. Sprinkle shredded cheddar over the top, cover the skillet, and cook for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is fully melted.
  3. Garnish with the remaining bacon and fresh chives, then serve immediately.

Notes

For the smoothest sauce, make sure the cream cheese is softened before cubing so it melts quickly on medium-low. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; rewarm gently on the stovetop with a splash of chicken broth to loosen the sauce. Freezing is not recommended because the cream sauce can separate when thawed. For a lower-fat swap, use reduced-fat cream cheese and half-and-half instead of heavy cream (texture will be slightly thinner).