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Crack Chicken Noodle Soup is a creamy, cheesy bowl that comes together in one large pot, with diced chicken breast, thin spaghetti, carrots, celery, and crisp bacon simmered in a broth built from chicken stock, condensed cream of chicken soup, milk, and cream cheese. Ranch dressing mix and cheddar cheese stir in near the end, giving the broth its rich flavor and thick texture, and this soup is guaranteed to become a family favorite. You can even use leftover chicken if you want to.
Quick Breakdown
Why You’ll Love This Crack Chicken Noodle Soup
- A thick, creamy base. Cream cheese, condensed cream of chicken soup, and whole milk combine into a thick base that clings to the noodles and chicken in every bowl.
- Layers of texture. Bacon, cheddar cheese, and ranch dressing mix bring extra bite and a tangy kick on top of the broth.
- Simple, familiar ingredients. Diced chicken breast, carrots, celery, and thin spaghetti keep the ingredient list straightforward and easy to shop for.
- Flexible with your chicken. You can use leftover chicken instead of starting from raw, whichever is easier for you that day.
Why This Soup Feels Like Such a Comfort
This is a stick-to-your-bones type of soup that leaves you feeling satisfied, with the chicken, noodles, and cream cheese making every spoonful rich and filling.
It works for chilly nights, busy weeknights, or anytime you are just in the mood for something truly satisfying, since it comes together in one large pot without much fuss.
Even picky eaters went back for seconds, which says a lot about how well the cheddar, bacon, and ranch dressing mix come together in this bowl.
Ingredient Notes
- Diced Chicken Breast. Use 3 cups of raw, diced chicken breast, since it goes into the pot uncooked and simmers directly in the stock along with the vegetables.
- Low-Sodium Chicken Stock. Six cups of low-sodium chicken stock form the base of the broth that everything else simmers in.
- Thin Spaghetti or Angel Hair. Eight ounces of uncooked thin spaghetti or angel hair go in toward the end of cooking and need a bit longer in the broth than the package suggests.
- Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup. One 10.5 ounce can adds body to the broth alongside the milk and cream cheese.
- Carrots and Celery. Two medium diced carrots and half a cup of diced celery go in raw and soften as the soup simmers.
- Thick-Cut Bacon. Twelve slices of thick-cut bacon are cooked crisp, chopped into crumbles, and stirred in, with some set aside for garnish.
- Cheddar Cheese and Ranch Dressing Mix. A cup and a half of shredded mild cheddar and a packet of ranch dressing mix stir in near the end to flavor the broth.
- Whole Milk and Cream Cheese. One cup of whole milk and three quarters of a cup of room-temperature cream cheese thicken the broth so it turns out creamy instead of watery.
How To Make Crack Chicken Noodle Soup
STEP 1 – First, heat a medium to large searing pan over medium to high heat, add a bit of vegetable oil, and cook the bacon until slightly crisp, or really crisp, whichever you prefer.
STEP 2 – Next, remove the cooked bacon and allow it to cool over a kitchen towel to absorb excess fat, then set it aside.
STEP 3 – Once it has cooled, roughly chop the bacon into crumbles.
STEP 4 – Then, in a large pot over medium heat, mix the chicken stock, diced chicken, carrots, celery, condensed chicken soup, milk, cream cheese, bacon (keep some for garnish), and ranch dressing mix, and bring everything to a boil.
STEP 5 – After that, bring down the temperature and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.
STEP 6 – Add the spaghetti and grated cheese, and simmer until the pasta is cooked, usually a little bit more than the package instructions state.
STEP 7 – Serve while warm.
STEP 8 – Finally, garnish with chopped parsley or chives and the leftover crispy bacon.
Tips for the Best Crack Chicken Noodle Soup
- Bring the Cream Cheese to Room Temperature. Room-temperature cream cheese blends into the broth much more smoothly than cold cream cheese, so pull it out ahead of time rather than adding it straight from the fridge.
- Keep the Broth at a Gentle Simmer. Once the pot comes to a boil, drop the heat down so it only simmers, since a hard boil can make the dairy separate instead of staying smooth.
- Add the Pasta Near the End. Stir in the spaghetti or angel hair after the broth has simmered, and watch it closely since it tends to cook a little slower in broth than it does in plain boiling water.
- Stir Often Once the Cheese Goes In. Shredded cheddar melts best with regular stirring, so keep the spoon moving to help it blend into the broth instead of clumping at the bottom of the pot.
- Save Some Bacon for Garnish. Set aside a bit of the crumbled bacon before stirring the rest into the pot, then sprinkle it on top along with parsley or chives right before serving.
- Adjust the Broth Thickness to Taste. If the soup looks thicker than you like after the pasta and cheese are in, stir in a little extra stock to loosen it up to the consistency you prefer.
Common Crack Chicken Noodle Soup Mistakes to Avoid
- Boiling Instead of Simmering. Keeping the pot at a hard boil the whole time can break the cream cheese and milk, leaving the broth looking curdled instead of smooth. Lower the heat once everything comes to a boil and let it simmer gently instead.
- Overcooking the Pasta. Thin spaghetti or angel hair can turn mushy fast since it finishes cooking right in the hot broth. Check it a little before the package time is up and pull the pot off the heat as soon as it is tender.
- Adding Cold Cream Cheese. Cream cheese straight from the fridge takes longer to blend in and can leave small lumps in the broth. Let it come to room temperature before it goes into the pot so it melts in smoothly.
- Skipping the Bacon Drain. Bacon that goes into the pot straight from the pan brings extra grease along with it, which can leave the broth looking oily. Let the cooked bacon rest on a kitchen towel first to absorb the excess fat before chopping it into crumbles.
- Soup Too Thin or Thick. If the finished soup looks thinner than you like, a splash of extra chicken stock stirred in while it is still warm will loosen it back up. For a thicker bowl, let it simmer a few extra minutes uncovered so some of the liquid cooks off.
How To Tell When Crack Chicken Noodle Soup Is Done
You will know this soup is ready once the diced chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, and the carrots and celery have softened enough to pierce easily with a fork.
The pasta is the other marker to watch, since it needs to simmer until tender, usually a little longer than the package instructions suggest because it cooks directly in the broth.
Once the cheese and cream cheese have fully melted into the broth and the soup looks thick and creamy rather than watery, it is ready to come off the heat and get ladled into bowls.
Make It Ahead
You can get a head start on this Crack Chicken Noodle Soup by cooking the bacon in advance and chopping it into crumbles, then keeping it in the fridge until needed.
When you are ready to cook, combine the stock, chicken, vegetables, condensed soup, milk, cream cheese, bacon and ranch dressing mix in the large pot and bring everything to a boil as the recipe directs.
Add the spaghetti and cheddar cheese closer to serving time, so the pot finishes with the broth thick and the noodles freshly cooked.
Storing Crack Chicken Noodle Soup
- Reheating on the Stovetop. Warm portions in a pot over medium heat, stirring now and then so nothing sticks. Add a little extra stock or milk while it warms to loosen the broth back up.
- Leftover or Pre-Cooked Chicken. Diced chicken that is already cooked can go straight into the stock along with the carrots, celery, and the rest of the ingredients, simmered the same way the recipe describes.
Variations and Substitutions
- Rotisserie Chicken Shortcut. Shredded rotisserie chicken or frozen pre-cooked chicken works in place of raw diced chicken breast, cutting down prep time since there is no need to cook the chicken separately. Stir it in with the stock and let everything simmer together as the recipe directs.
- Egg Noodles Instead of Spaghetti. Egg noodles make a suitable pasta alternative for this soup if you prefer a thicker bite than thin spaghetti or angel hair. Add them at the same point in the method and simmer until tender.
- Other Pasta Shapes. Small shapes such as shells or elbow macaroni can stand in for the spaghetti too, just keep an eye on the pot since cooking time may run a little longer or shorter than the package instructions.
- Slow Cooker Method. For a hands-off version, this soup can be adapted to a slow cooker. Chicken in a slow cooker should be cooked on the high setting for 3 to or on the low setting for 6 to 8 hours, so plan to add the noodles and cheese near the end so they do not overcook, according to Illinois.
- Pair It With Other Chicken Dishes. If you like easy weeknight swaps like these, our Easy Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole and our Chicken With Pasta Casserole use similar pantry shortcuts and are worth trying alongside this one.
What to Serve with It
A basket of warm bread or crackers is handy for scooping up the last bit of broth once the bowl is nearly empty.
A simple green salad on the side balances out the richness of the cheese and cream cheese in the bowl. If you want another noodle-based option for the rest of the week, our creamy chicken noodle soup or our Instant Pot chicken noodle soup are worth keeping in the rotation too.
Top each bowl with extra shredded cheddar or a few more bacon crumbles right before serving, since that little bit of garnish makes the soup feel freshly finished at the table.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this crack chicken noodle soup recipe all about?
It is a creamy chicken soup made with diced chicken breast, chicken stock, thin spaghetti, carrots, celery, bacon, cheddar cheese, ranch dressing mix, and cream cheese, all simmered together in one large pot.
How do you make crack chicken noodle soup?
Cook the bacon until crisp, then chop it into crumbles.
What is the step-by-step method for making this soup?
First cook and crumble the bacon, then combine the remaining ingredients except the pasta and cheese in a large pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, stir in the spaghetti and cheddar cheese, and simmer until the pasta is cooked through before garnishing with parsley or chives and the reserved bacon.
This recipe calls for 3 cups of diced, uncooked chicken breast, which simmers directly in the broth along with the vegetables and other ingredients.
Ingredients
- 3 cups diced chicken breast
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 8 oz 225g thin spaghetti or angel hair - uncooked
- 1 10.5 oz. (295g) can condense cream of chicken soup
- 2 medium carrots diced
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 12 slices of thick-cut bacon
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
- 1 1 oz. (28g) packet Ranch dressing mix
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup cream cheese room temperature
Instructions
- STEP 1: Heat a medium to large searing pan over medium to high heat. Add a bit of vegetable oil and cook the bacon until slightly crisp (or really crisp, whichever you prefer).
- STEP 2: Remove the cooked bacon and allow to cool over a kitchen towel to absorb excess fat. Set aside.
- STEP 3: Once cool, roughly chop the bacon forming crumbles.
- STEP 4: In a large pot, over medium heat, mix the chicken stock, diced chicken, carrots, celery, condensed chicken soup, milk, cream cheese, bacon (keep some for garnish) and ranch dressing. Bring to a boil.
- STEP 5: Bring down the temperature and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
- STEP 4: Add the spaghetti and grated cheese and simmer until the pasta is cooked (usually a little bit more than the package instructions).
- STEP 5: Serve while warm.
- STEP 6: Garnish with chopped parsley or chives and the leftover crispy bacon.
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