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Crack Chicken Penne

Crack Chicken Penne is a 30-minute dinner where penne is tossed in a tangy ranch cream sauce with tender diced chicken, melted cheddar, and crispy bacon crumbles. Expect a smooth, glossy coating thanks to reserved pasta water and quick skillet melting.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 690
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta
  • 12 oz penne pasta
Chicken and seasoning
  • 1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 0.375 tsp kosher salt, divided
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper, divided
Ranch cream sauce
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1 1 oz packet ranch seasoning
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Toppings
  • 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 2 green onions sliced, for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the pasta
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne according to package directions. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and drain the rest.
Cook the chicken
  1. Season the diced chicken with half the kosher salt and half the black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken for 6–7 minutes, until golden and cooked through.
Make the ranch cream sauce
  1. Add the cream cheese, ranch seasoning, and chicken broth to the skillet. Stir until the cream cheese melts and the sauce is smooth.
Combine and coat the pasta
  1. Stir in the cheddar cheese until melted, then add the cooked pasta. Toss to coat, thinning with reserved pasta water if needed.
Add bacon
  1. Fold in half the crumbled bacon. Stir gently so the bacon is evenly distributed.
Finish and serve
  1. Top with the remaining crumbled bacon and the sliced green onions. Serve immediately while the sauce is hot and silky.

Notes

For the smoothest sauce, add the cream cheese to hot broth and stir until fully melted before adding cheddar. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of chicken broth or water to loosen the sauce. Freezing is not recommended because the cream sauce can separate. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese and reduced-fat cheddar while keeping the same seasoning amounts.