Crack Chicken Casserole

5 from 20 votes

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

Prep Time15

Cook Time35

Total Time50

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Cost: $19.86, $3.31 per Serving

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and spray a 9X13 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Cook 1.5 cups dry elbow macaroni according to package instructions until al dente, then drain.
In a large bowl, beat together 8 oz cream cheese (softened), 1 cup sour cream, ½ cup milk, 1 ranch seasoning packet (1 oz), and ½ teaspoon black pepper with a hand mixer until smooth and creamy.
Gently stir in 3 cups cooked chicken breast (diced into 1-inch pieces), the cooked pasta, 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, and half of the cooked bacon (6 slices, diced). Mix carefully until well combined.
Then pour this mixture evenly into the baking dish.
Top with the remaining 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, the remaining bacon (6 slices, diced), and 2 green onions (thinly sliced).
Baked for 35-40 minutes until the cheese is melted.
Serve warm and enjoy!

Pro Tips

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.

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.