Crack Chicken Soup Recipe
This Creamy Crack Chicken Soup is loaded with shredded chicken, crisp bacon, cooked pasta, ranch seasonings, and all of your favorite creamy crack-inspired ingredients, like cream cheese and heavy cream. It takes just 45 minutes to make and will have the whole family begging for seconds!
Servings: 5 servings
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon chopped into bits
- 1-2 tablespoon butter salted or unsalted
- 1 large white onion diced
- ½ cup celery diced
- ½ cup carrots diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon ranch seasoning mix homemade or store-bought
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 8 ounces rotini or any other short-style pasta
- 3 cups cooked chicken shredded
- 1 cup heavy cream at room temperature
- 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese softened and cut into pieces
- cheddar cheese freshly shredded, for serving
- green onions chopped, for serving
Instructions
- Add the chopped bacon to a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the bacon is hot and sizzling, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook low and slow, stirring occasionally. Once the bacon pieces are golden and release their grease, remove the lid and allow them to cook until the desired doneness is reached. Remove from heat.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a clean plate lined with paper towels. Set the bacon aside and discard all but one tablespoon of leftover bacon grease.
- Return the pot to medium heat. Melt the butter, then stir in the onion, celery, and carrot. Sauté for 5-8 minutes or until softened.
- Return the bacon to the pot. Stir in the garlic, dry ranch seasoning, salt, and pepper, and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant, then add the chicken broth.
- Increase the heat to high heat and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, stir in the pasta and cook for the time indicated on the package for al dente pasta, usually about 7-9 minutes for rotini pasta (see notes).
- Add the cooked chicken, heavy cream, and cream cheese (see notes). Stir until fully incorporated and melted.
- Serve with sliced green onions, reserved bacon bites, and shredded cheddar cheese.
Notes
- Optional additions: Kale, spinach, zucchini, mushrooms, and butternut squash.
- Optional: Set aside some of the cooked bacon for serving.
- Can you cook the pasta separately? Yes. Cooking separately avoids soggy pasta and allows each person to determine how much pasta they'd like. Expect the soup to be slightly ‘thinner’ since it won’t be thickened from the starch of the pasta.
- Bring the heavy cream and cream cheese to room temperature before adding to the hot soup.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Freezing is not recommended.
Nutrition
Calories: 842kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 54g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 186mg | Sodium: 1201mg | Potassium: 805mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 3235IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 128mg | Iron: 3mg
