Crack Chicken Casserole Recipe

Crack Chicken Casserole is loaded with cheese, bacon and chicken. Creamy and delicious casserole with tons of flavor. The perfect weeknight meal.

Crack Chicken Casserole Recipe:

I love serving casseroles for an easy weeknight flavor. All the ingredients of this crack chicken recipe is baked in a baking dish for a creamy and delicious meal. Bacon, chicken, cheese, and pasta is the perfect combination.

There are many ways to enjoy the ingredients of Crack Chicken. You can make Instant Pot Crack Chicken Sandwiches, Slow cooker Crack Chicken, Crack Chicken Dip, Crock Pot Crack Chicken Soup or Crack Chicken Sliders. Simple ingredients makes crack chicken recipes a family favorite.

Make this casserole that the entire family will enjoy. It is even better the next day for lunch. Add a salad or some roasted vegetable for an easy dinner idea.

You may also love King Ranch Chicken Casserole.

Why is it called Crack Chicken?

You may be wondering what exactly is crack chicken and why does everyone go crazy over it. It is the best chicken recipe! Crack chicken combines delicious chicken, cream cheese, bacon and ranch to make a mixture so tasty.

The combination of these ingredients make an addicting casserole dish that everyone will be combing back for more. Creamy and delicious casserole that can be made easily in the slow cooker, instant pot or in a casserole form.

We like to add pasta to give Crack Chicken a twist. Crack Chicken is hearty, filling, quick and easy and the best comfort food.

Ingredients:

• Dry Elbow Macaroni
• Chicken Breast, Cooked & Diced into 1 inch pieces
• Bacon, cooked and diced
• Cream Cheese, softened at room temperature
• Sour Cream
• Milk
• Ranch Seasoning Packet (1 oz)
• Black Pepper
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese, divided
• Green Onions, thinly sliced

How to Make Crack Chicken Casserole:

• Step 1 – Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and spray a 9X13 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.

• Step 2 – Cook the pasta based on the package instructions to al dente.

• Step 3 – In a large size bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sour cream, milk, ranch seasoning mix and pepper with a hand held mixer until creamy.

• Step 4 – Then gently mix in the cooked chicken, pasta, half of the cheddar cheese and half of the chopped bacon. Stir by hand carefully until the ingredients are completely combined.

• Step 5 – Then pour chicken, bacon mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.

• Step 6 – Top with the remaining shredded cheddar cheese, bacon and the sliced green onions.

• Step 7 – Baked for 35-40 minutes until the cheese is melted.

What to Serve with Crack Chicken Casserole:

Crock Pot Crack Chicken Casserole is a hearty meal, so we tend to make sides that are light. Here are some of our favorites.

• Roasted Vegetables – We love to roast broccoli or asparagus for an easy side. They come out tender and the texture is crispy.
• Simple Side Salad – A simple green salad is easy to make and it is a great side to this casserole. It is light but healthy and it is a good balance.
• Garlic Bread – Anytime we make a pasta dish, we always make garlic bread.

Tips for Best Crack Chicken Casserole:

• Cheese – When adding in the cheese, make sure you shred your own. Pre-shredded cheese contains added ingredients.
• Chicken – We used chicken breast, but you can easily chicken thighs or chicken tenderloins. We have even used rotisserie chicken for an easy option. This is a great recipe to use your leftover chicken in.
• Shredded Chicken – If you make chicken ahead of time, it needs to be shredded for this recipe. We recommend shredded chicken with a hand mixer or a stand mixer to easily shred the chicken.
• Ranch Dressing Mix – You can purchase a ranch seasoning mix at the store but you can also make Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix. It is easy to make and there is no ingredients that you can’t pronounce.
• Cooked Bacon – Make sure to cook bacon before adding to the casserole mixture.

Variation Ideas:

• Change the Pasta – We used elbow macaroni pasta, but you use penne, rigatoni or even spaghetti.
• Add in Vegetables – Mix in some broccoli, bell peppers, or anything that you have on hand.
• Use Rice – Instead of using pasta, mix in some white rice or cauliflower rice.
• Cheese Variations – We used Cheddar Cheese but you can also use other types. Colby Monterrey Jack Cheese or Pepper Jack Cheese is a great option.
• Ranch Seasoning – You can use the dry seasoning packet or you can make Homemade Ranch Seasoning.
• Bacon – We used regular bacon in this recipe, but you can easily use turkey bacon. You can also buy the already cooked bacon for a easy addition to this casserole.

How to Store:

Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. We think it taste best the next day as all the ingredients have really marinated together.

Topping Ideas:

There are many ways to top this amazing meal. The melted cheese is delicious on top but we like to add a few toppings to add more flavor.

• Cheese
• Sour Cream
• Green Onions
• Bacon Bits

How to Reheat:

You can place the casserole in a sauce pan to reheat or in the microwave. We like heating in the sauce pan so you don’t get hot spots from heat in the microwave.

Heating in the microwave works great too. I usually just heat in 30 second intervals.

Can I Freeze Crack Chicken Casserole?

Yes, you can freeze this crack chicken pasta, but the pasta texture may be slightly different. If you plan on freezing it, you may make the mixture without the pasta. Then mix in the cooked pasta when you are ready to serve.

Store the crack chicken mixture in a freezer safe container. Place in the freezer and it will be good for up to 3 months.

Easy Chicken Casserole Recipe:

Growing up we ate a lot of casseroles. They are great way to feed a large family that is filling and they are usually budget friendly. This Crack Chicken Casserole is one of those recipes that is better than the casseroles you grew up on.

If you are looking for a crowd pleaser, this recipe for Crack Chicken is a must try. It is loaded with easy, simple ingredients that my kids all like. This casserole can be served as a weeknight meal or for a game day gathering.

Print Recipe here for Crack Chicken Casserole:

More Easy Chicken Casserole Recipes:

• Crock Pot Pesto Chicken Casserole Recipe
• Ultimate Chicken Casserole Recipe
• Easy Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole Recipe
• Chicken Hashbrown Casserole Recipe