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Crack Chicken Penne

Crack chicken penne is a weeknight American pasta dinner with penne coated in a thick ranch cream cheese sauce. Shredded chicken, crispy bacon bits, and melted cheddar come together for a creamy, tangy, spoonable finish.
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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: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

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

Equipment

  • 1 large skillet

Method
 

Build the ranch cream base
  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the minced garlic for 1 minute, stirring until fragrant. Visual cue: the garlic should look lightly softened, not browned.
  2. Add chicken broth and cream cheese cubes, then stir over medium-low heat until the cream cheese melts completely. Visual cue: the mixture turns smooth and glossy.
  3. Stir in the ranch seasoning and heavy cream until smooth and combined, then simmer for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened. Visual cue: the sauce coats the spoon.
Combine and finish
  1. Add shredded chicken, most of the bacon, and the cooked penne, then toss to coat evenly in the sauce. Visual cue: every piece of pasta looks lightly slicked with sauce.
  2. Top with shredded cheddar, then cover the skillet for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted. Visual cue: cheddar should look fully melted and slightly bubbly at the edges.
  3. Garnish with the remaining bacon and fresh chives and serve. Visual cue: chives add bright green flecks across the top.

Notes

For the smoothest ranch cream cheese sauce, keep the heat at medium-low once the cream cheese goes in and stir until every cube disappears. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days in a sealed container; reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of chicken broth if needed. Freezing is not recommended because cream cheese and heavy cream can break slightly when thawed. For a lighter swap, use half-and-half in place of heavy cream while keeping the rest the same.