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Crack Chicken Penne

Crack chicken penne is a creamy bacon ranch chicken pasta with a thick ranch cream cheese sauce that clings to every penne bite. Cook garlic and melt cream cheese into a smooth sauce, then toss with chicken, ranch seasoning, and penne before melting cheddar on top.
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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: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Crack chicken penne
  • 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded Use shredded, cooked chicken.
  • 8 strips bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled Cook until crisp; crumble before adding.
  • 12 oz penne pasta, cooked Cook al dente; drain well.
  • 1 tbsp olive oil For sautéing garlic.
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced Minced for quick browning.
  • 1 packet (1 oz) ranch seasoning mix Use the full packet for classic flavor.
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened and cubed Softened cubes melt smoothly.
  • 1 cup chicken broth Warm helps cream cheese melt evenly.
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream Adds richness to the sauce.
  • 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese For melting over the top.
  • fresh chives for garnish Chop finely for scattering.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the sauce
  1. Heat a large skillet with olive oil over medium heat, then cook the minced garlic for 1 minute until fragrant and lightly softened.
  2. Add the chicken broth and cubed softened cream cheese, then stir over medium-low heat until the cream cheese melts completely and the mixture looks smooth.
  3. Stir in the ranch seasoning mix and heavy cream, then simmer for 3-4 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened and glossy.
Toss and melt
  1. Add the shredded chicken, most of the crumbled bacon, and the cooked penne, then toss until every piece is coated in the ranch cream cheese sauce.
  2. Top the pasta with shredded cheddar, cover, and cook for 2-3 minutes until the cheddar is fully melted and slightly bubbly.
  3. Garnish with the remaining bacon and fresh chives, then serve hot.

Notes

For the smoothest sauce, keep the heat at medium-low once the cream cheese goes in and stir steadily until fully melted. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove with a splash of chicken broth or cream to loosen. Freezing is not recommended because the ranch cream cheese sauce can break. For a lighter option, use light cream cheese and half-and-half instead of heavy cream (expect a slightly thinner sauce).