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All the cheesy, bacon ranch flavors we love come together in this Crack Chicken Pasta. It’s the kind of comfort food everyone gets excited to eat.
We make a pasta dish in the crockpot almost every week. If we aren’t making this pasta, we’re usually making Marry Me Chicken Pasta, or Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo.
Table of Contents
Why You Need to Try This
- The slow cooker does 90% of the work, leaving you with only the bacon and pasta to cook at the end.
- Crack Chicken is the most popular recipe on my site, this is my pasta version. (See my Crack Chicken Recipe here). You may also like my Crack Chicken Soup, or my cozy Crack Potato Soup.
- It really has all the craveable flavors (hence the name “crack”). It’s a decadent bowl of pasta.
- Makes a big batch – enough to feed a big family or crowd or have plenty of leftovers.
Key Ingredients
Chicken Breasts: Boneless chicken breasts are a great choice for pasta dishes. It will shred up perfectly so there is a little chicken in every bite.
Cream Cheese: We use cream cheese in crockpot recipes often – it not only makes the recipe creamy but also keeps the sauce thick without having to add flour or cornstarch.
Ranch Seasoning: It’s not that we need to add ranch to everything nowadays – it’s a great way to add onion, garlic and seasonings in one step.
Pasta: Penne pasta holds up well to the sauce in this recipe.
Sour Cream: This is an added ingredient from the standard crack chicken recipe. It helps make the pasta sauce smooth and creamy.
Bacon and Green Onion: These complete the dish, crisp bacon and fresh green onions bring the dish over the top.
How to Make Crack Chicken Pasta
- Place the chicken, cream cheese, broth and ranch mix into the crockpot.
- Cook until the chicken shreds up perfectly.
- Add the cooked pasta, bacon, sour cream, green onions, and cheese. Stir well.
- Add the toppings and let the cheese melt.
Tips & Variations
Make it Southwestern: Use a spicy ranch mix and add a diced jalapeno.
Pasta Swap: Penne works best, but you can also use rotini, rigatoni, cavatappi, or even spaghetti. I don’t recommend egg noodles, as they tend to become too soft and fall apart in this creamy recipe.
No Ranch Mix? You can use spices you have at home – use plenty of onion powder, garlic powder, parsley, and salt and pepper.
Add Vegetables: You may want to add some vegetables to this; mushrooms or green beans can be added at the beginning. Broccoli or zucchini, add the last hour.
What to Serve with Crockpot Crack Chicken Pasta
Toppings: Besides the cheese, bacon and onion, we often like to add a dollop of sour cream. A dash of hot sauce and freshly cracked black pepper are nice touches as well.
Sides: This is a complete meal, but if you want to round it off, add a side of steamed broccoli or salad. Breadsticks or garlic bread are always a great option as well.
Can you Cook Pasta in the Slow Cooker?
While you can cook pasta in a slow cooker, it often turns out chalky or mushy. For the best texture, cook the pasta on the stovetop before stirring it into the crockpot.
How to Store This Slow Cooker Pasta
Place in the fridge for up to three days (in airtight containers). This Crack Chicken Pasta also freezes and thaws well (tastes good), you can freeze for up to three months.
What other Crockpot Pasta Recipes to Make
If you loved this Slow Cooker Crack Chicken Pasta, be sure to try my Chicken Pasta Rosa, Slow Cooker Chicken Bacon Pasta, and Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Pasta.
You’ll also love my Olive Garden Chicken Pasta, Slow Cooker Million Dollar Spaghetti, and Crockpot Ravioli Lasagna for more easy family dinners.
If you tried this Crack Chicken Pasta recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Happy Slow Cooking!
Crack Chicken Pasta
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Ingredients
- 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 oz. ranch dressing packet
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 16 oz. cream cheese
This gets added at the end
- 16 oz. penne pasta, cooked according to package directions
- 1 cup sour cream
- 16 oz. cooked and crumbled bacon, (divided)
- 8 oz. shredded sharp cheese, (divided)
- 1 bunch green onion, sliced, (divided)
Instructions
- Add the chicken to the slow cooker. Sprinkle over the ranch packet. Add the 2 blocks of cream cheese on top, and then pour over the chicken broth.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.
- When the cooking time is near up, cook the pasta on the stove top according to package directions. I like to cook a touch more than al dente.
- Shred the chicken with 2 forks right in the slow cooker. Add the cooked and drained pasta, the sour cream, HALF the cheese, HALF the green onion, and HALF of the bacon. Stir and then smooth out the pasta for the toppings.
- Add the remaining cheese, bacon, and green onion. Replace the lid and let it sit for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese melts.
- Serve and enjoy!
Sarah’s Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Sounds and looks spectacular – can’t wait to make this when it gets a bit cooler!! Hubby is too grill-crazy right now to consider it…lol. More great inspiration from the magical slow cooker!!