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This irresistible Crack Chicken Casserole is the very best weeknight comfort food. Creamy, cheesy, bacon-filled, and loaded with juicy chicken and pasta, the whole family will love this easy weeknight dinner.
Cheesy Crack Chicken Casserole
It’s hard not to love a good casserole recipe – am I right? And this this crack chicken casserole is one of my favorites. The ultimate quick and easy weeknight dinner, it will have the whole family begging for seconds – or thirds. Filled with tender cooked chicken and pasta in a cream cheese ranch sauce and topped with gooey melted cheese and crispy cooked bacon, it is the very definition of comfort food.
Table of contents
If you love these flavors, be sure to check out my original Crack Chicken recipe for another crowd-pleasing favorite!
Ingredients
Find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
- Cream Cheese: In this casserole version, I chose to include cream cheese as part of the creamy sauce rather than cream of chicken soup. If you prefer a more liquid cream sauce, mix up to one cup of chicken broth or milk with the cream cheese.
- Sour Cream: For added creaminess and tang. If sour cream isn’t available, substitute with plain Greek yogurt.
- Ranch Seasoning Mix: Adds a tangy, herby flavor.
- Chicken: In this recipe, I used boneless chicken breast, but chicken thighs also work. If you’re short on time, you can use any leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken.
- Cheese: Sharp cheddar and mozzarella cheese are perfect for this dish, but Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, or a sprinkle of crumbled feta would be great.
- Cooked Pasta: Shell pasta, penne, bowtie, elbow macaroni, etc.
- Bacon: Provides a smoky, salty flavor. Use oven-baked bacon or Air Fryer bacon cooked until crispy, then finely dice or crumble.
Optional Additions: Sautéed garlic and onions, mushrooms, peas, or broccoli.
How to Make Crack Chicken Casserole
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a large oven-safe skillet or baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Beat the cream cheese using an electric mixer until easily whipped and easily spreadable, then add the sour cream, ranch dressing mix, salt, and black pepper and continue to mix until fully combined.
3. Add the chicken to the cream cheese and ranch mixture and mix until coated. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish and bake for 20 minutes.
4. As the chicken bakes, boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
5. Remove the chicken from the oven and stir gently. Stir in the pasta and cooked bacon, then add half of the shredded cheese and stir until melted. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
6. Bake for 5-10 minutes, then broil on high for 3 minutes or until the top is golden and bubbly.
7. Garnish with sliced green onions if desired.
What to Serve with Easy Crack Chicken Casserole
I highly recommend serving this family favorite with a fresh green salad or yummy roasted veggies like broccoli, roasted asparagus, or roasted zucchini.
Storage
Transfer the leftover casserole to an airtight container. If you have a large amount, consider dividing it into smaller, portion-sized containers for easier reheating. Place in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Can You Freeze Crack Chicken Casserole?
Yes. To freeze, first allow the leftovers to cool completely before transferring them to freezer-safe airtight containers and place them in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. When ready to reheat, first allow the casserole to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven until it’s heated through. If the casserole looks a little dried out, stir in a few tablespoons of chicken broth or milk before reheating.
More Amazing Casseroles
- Hashbrown Casserole
- Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole Recipe
- Butternut Squash Casserole
- Chicken Noodle Casserole
- The Best Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe
- Zucchini Casserole
- Chicken and Rice Bake
If you try making this Crack Chicken Casserole Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.
Crack Chicken Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 (1-ounce) package Ranch Seasoning Mix
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon Ground black pepper
- 2 pounds chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 8 ounces shell pasta
- 6 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and chopped
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, freshly shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a large oven-safe skillet or baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until easily spreadable, then add the sour cream, ranch dressing mix, salt, and pepper and continue to mix until fully combined.
- Add the chicken to the cream cheese mixture and mix until coated. Transfer the chicken to the prepared oven-safe casserole dish and bake for 20 minutes.
- In the meantime, boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and stir gently. Fold in the pasta and cooked bacon, then add half of the shredded cheese and stir until melted. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
- Bake for 5-10 minutes, then broil on high for 3 minutes or until the top is golden and bubbly.
- Garnish with sliced green onions if desired.
Notes
- Short on time? Swap uncooked chicken for shredded rotisserie chicken (approximately 3 cups).
- Leftovers: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
You don’t give the amounts
Please see the Crack Chicken Casserole Recipe at the bottom of this post 🙂
Thinking that some green chile salsa would go well here, along with Jack cheese instead of the mozzarella. I have half a rotisserie chicken in the fridge that will go in to this. Thanks for the inspiration!
That sounds delicious! Green chile salsa and Jack cheese would add a great kick, and using rotisserie chicken is such a smart, easy shortcut. I hope you enjoy your version—thanks for sharing your tasty ideas!
I see this with onion soup powder instead of ranch. Sounds good but just not a fan of ranch seasoning.
Thanks for your feedback! Onion soup powder is a great alternative if you’re not a fan of ranch seasoning—feel free to swap it in for a different but equally delicious flavor.
So confused on how 20 minutes at 375° was to cook the chicken completely, i had about 6-7 minutes left on time and chicken was still pink and raw as i put it in, what did i do wrong? 🙁
Hi Karrah, was this before adding the cooked pasta and cheese? After adding the pasta and shredded cheese, the recipe instructs cooking for 10 more minutes plus a few minutes to broil the cheese, up to 33 minutes. The chicken should be cooked within this time, but all ovens vary, so perhaps yours just needed a few minutes longer.
Very pleased with the results!
This sounds delish! What is the serving size for this?
1/6 of the total dish 🙂
I’m making this for friends who just had a baby. Planning to put it in their fridge so they just take it out and pop it in the oven to “cook” when they want it. Would you recommend doing all the steps except the last 10 minutes, letting it cool then covering it with foil to take it over?
That sounds like a thoughtful and practical plan for your friends!
They can store the casserole in the refrigerator until they’re ready to heat it. Be sure to include instructions for them to bake it, but they will need to fully heat it up from the refrigerator temperature which will take significantly more time than the directions above 🙂