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Crack Chicken Penne

Crack chicken penne is an easy pasta dinner with tender shredded chicken, crispy bacon, and a thick ranch cream cheese sauce that clings to penne. Cook garlic in olive oil, melt cream cheese with broth and cream, then simmer until slightly thickened before tossing with pasta and topping with melted cheddar.
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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: 790
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and bacon pasta
  • 3 cups cooked chicken Shredded
  • 8 bacon Cooked crispy and crumbled; divided for topping
  • 12 oz penne pasta Cooked
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 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
  • fresh chives For garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Sauté garlic
  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then cook the minced garlic for 1 minute, stirring until fragrant and just beginning to turn golden.
Melt cream cheese into ranch base
  1. Add chicken broth and the cubed cream cheese, then stir over medium-low heat until the cream cheese melts completely and the mixture looks smooth.
Thicken the sauce
  1. Stir in ranch seasoning mix and heavy cream until combined, then simmer for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened with a glossy consistency.
Toss with chicken, bacon, and penne
  1. Add shredded chicken, most of the bacon, and cooked penne, then toss until everything is evenly coated in the thick ranch cream cheese sauce.
Melt cheddar on top
  1. Sprinkle shredded cheddar over the pasta, cover the skillet, and cook for 2-3 minutes until the cheddar is fully melted and bubbly around the edges.
Finish and serve
  1. Garnish with the remaining bacon and fresh chives, then serve immediately while the sauce is hot and creamy.

Notes

For the creamiest texture, soften the cream cheese fully before cubing so it melts without lumps. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of chicken broth or heavy cream to loosen the sauce. Freezing is not recommended because the cream cheese sauce can separate when thawed. For a lower-fat swap, use reduced-fat cream cheese and half-and-half instead of heavy cream (the sauce will be slightly thinner).