Crock Pot Crack Chicken Casserole (Printable)

Creamy slow cooker chicken with bacon, ranch, and melted cheddar over tender pasta.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 8 oz bacon, cooked and crumbled

→ Dairy

03 - 8 oz cream cheese, cubed and softened
04 - 1 cup sour cream
05 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

→ Vegetables

06 - 1 cup frozen peas (optional)
07 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced

→ Pantry

08 - 1 (1 oz) packet ranch seasoning mix
09 - 10 oz uncooked rotini or penne pasta
10 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
11 - Salt and black pepper to taste

# Steps:

01 - Arrange chicken breasts in a single layer at the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.
02 - Sprinkle ranch seasoning evenly over the chicken, then arrange cream cheese cubes on top.
03 - Pour chicken broth around the chicken. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours or HIGH for 2 hours, until chicken is tender and easily shreddable.
04 - Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred using two forks. Return shredded chicken to the slow cooker. Stir in sour cream, cooked bacon (reserving some for topping), and 1.5 cups cheddar cheese until well combined.
05 - While chicken finishes cooking, boil pasta in salted water for 1-2 minutes less than package directions. Drain thoroughly.
06 - Add cooked pasta and frozen peas (if using) to the slow cooker. Stir everything together until pasta is evenly coated with the creamy chicken mixture.
07 - Sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese and reserved bacon over the top. Cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes until cheese is fully melted and bubbly.
08 - Top with thinly sliced green onions just before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one slow cooker, meaning minimal cleanup and maximum flavor development
  • The combination of ranch seasoning, bacon, and melted cheese creates that addictive crack chicken flavor everyone obsesses over
02 -
  • Don't add sour cream during the initial cooking phase or it might separate—stir it in after shredding the chicken
  • Undercooking the pasta by a couple minutes prevents it from turning mushy when it sits in the sauce
03 -
  • Let the cream cheese soften completely before cubing—it melts so much more evenly and you won't find any surprise chunks in your finished dish
  • Use low-sodium chicken broth since the ranch seasoning and bacon already bring plenty of salt to the party

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