This easy Crack Chicken Pasta is super cheesy and creamy and comes together in a large skillet. Serve to a crowd any night of the week and they’re sure to be impressed.
Crack chicken has become a staple in my house, especially since there are so many variations and dishes to be made. Not to mention it is so delicious it feels addictive! This pasta dish is an easy dinner that is full of so much flavor. Your family is sure to be asking for seconds once this dish hits the table!
With its easy to find ingredients and delicious flavor combinations, there’s a reason this recipe goes viral every time I make it! This dish has 3 different types of cheese, making it so creamy and rich in flavors. This has the elements of classic comfort food that anyone can make. Perfect if you want to serve a crowd or feed your family a great dinner.
If you enjoy crack chicken, some of other most popular recipes with it include our Crack Chicken Garlic Bread and our Slow Cooker Crack Chicken Dip.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple preparation, just one pot and a skillet is all you need.
- Comfort food at its finest. Sure to become a family favorite!
- Easy to serve. Perfect for any crowd any night of the week.
“Really good and addicting. Easy to make and tastes good reheated.” – Kassidy S.
Ingredients:
- Rigatoni pasta – this is my favorite pasta to use but other types such as penne also work.
- Chicken breasts (cubed) – the main meat and the “crack’ part of the dish.
- Bacon – the additional meat component.
- Whole milk – this creates a smoothness in the sauce.
- Heavy cream – this will allow the sauce to be creamy and rich.
- Room temp cream cheese – the softer it is the easier it will be to mix.
- Sour cream – this can be substituted for greek yogurt if you would like a healthier option.
- Cheese dip – my favorite to use is Arbo’s, but any kind will work.
- Shredded Colby jack cheese – this cheese tastes great but other kinds work as well.
- Ranch seasoning – this is part of the “crack” flavor and adds a unique taste.
- Garlic powder – a classic yet important seasoning for any pasta dish.
- Smoked paprika – perfect for a hint of spice that isn’t overpowering.
- Black pepper – adds simple yet vital flavor and balances the taste.
- Onion powder – the final seasoning to top off the dish, adds richness and makes it even more delicious!
How To Make Crack Chicken Pasta:
Expert Tips:
- Brown the bacon first — when you’re done leave the bacon grease in the pan to cook the chicken in.
- Reduce the heat to medium low when you can add the cream and cheeses so that they melt nicely together.
- You can use leftover cooked chicken breast or rotisserie chicken for easier preparation.
- If you want some extra spice you can add red pepper flakes or use pepper jack cheese in your sauce.
What to Serve With Crack Chicken Pasta:
Just like any other pasta dish, it is the star of the show. It can be served by itself or with a simple salad. Garlic bread is also a great side dish for pasta, and feel free to pair it with our Crack Chicken Garlic Bread!
Storage:
This pasta tastes best when served immediately after cooking, however if there are leftovers they can be stored in the fridge and reheated. Just make sure the dish is in an air tight container and kept refrigerated for about 5 days maximum.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What can I use if i can’t find Arbo’s cheese dip? Any cheese dip works, Arbo’s is just my favorite!
How do I fix the cream sauce if it broke? You can try adding a msall amount of water or cream and whisking quickly until the sauce becomes together again.
What other cheese work well in this pasta? Sharp Cheddar, Pepper Jack , Parmesan, Mozzarella!
What is Crack Chicken? A type of chicken that is cooked a combination of flavors like ranch, e, and other seasonings. it is called “crack” chicken because it is so delicious people say its addictive!
More Easy Pasta Recipes To Try:
- Slow Cooker Tortellini and Cheese
- Creamy Lemon Chicken Tortellini
- Million Dollar Tortellini Bake
- Sausage Tomato and Pesto Pasta
Crack Chicken Pasta
Video
Ingredients
- 16 oz rigatoni
- 3 large chicken breasts (cubed)
- 12 oz bacon
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 oz room temp cream cheese
- 8 oz sour cream
- 4 oz cheese dip
- 4 oz shredded colby jack cheese
- 2 tbsp ranch seasoning
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
Instructions
- Cut up bacon and cook on med heat
- While bacon is cooking cube up your chicken and season with SPG, and paprika
- Remove bacon once crisp and cook chicken in remaining bacon grease until it reaches 165° internal then set aside
- Turn heat to med-low, add milk, heavy cream, cream cheese, and sour cream
- Stir until cream cheese melted then add cheese dip, seasonings, and shredded Colby Jack
- Once Colby Jack is melted add al dente pasta, chicken, and bacon
- Stir well and enjoy!
Now that’s my kind of dish. Love pasta.
🙌
Made this tonight for the first time and it definitely won’t be the last time. I used pepper jack cheese instead of colby jack. Thanks, Matt.
Awesome, thanks for the feedback!
You always make the best and easiest dishes any family can make. I love how simple the meals are and usually already in my kitchen. Keep sending great recipes for us to try.
Thank you so much!
Made this tonight for my girl and I and it was fireee definitely gunna try out more of your meals!!!
Love to hear it!
Don’t mean to sound Stu but, what is spg ??? I want to make this but I’m not sure what that is
Salt, Pepper, and Garlic
I made this tonight for me and my daughter. We loved it so much! Thank you for this wonderful recipe! 😊
Love to hear it! Thank you!
What is arbos cheese dip flavor? It’s not available where I am. Can I sub with queso or is it a totally different flavor?
I love the Arbo’s but if not available you can use queso or if you want a different flavor the Frito’s cheddar cheese sauce works well!
Hey, quick question, (relatively new “chef” here, so don’t laugh) I noticed that you used Arbo’s spicy in your crockpot crack chicken dip, but regular Arbo’s in this pasta dish. Is there a particular reason for this? (Like a seasoning conflict or something) Or does it make that big of a difference? I’m not super familiar with Arbo’s and I like a certain amount of spiciness, but don’t want my mouth on fire lol. Thank you!!
Just preference for the dish! The Arbo’s is great but if you can’t find it you can use reg cheese dip or queso in a pinch!
Only change I made was i used fire and smoke Bam bam season on the chicken instead of the spg. Turned out amazing.
Really good and addicting. Easy to make and tastes good reheated.
Don’t have a cast iron skillet. Can this be made on electric stovetop with regular frying pan?
Absolutely!
Which cheese dip did y’all use‽ There’s soooo many options!!! I want to make this tomorrow for dinner my whole family will love it!
I like Arbo’s if you can find it. Otherwise, I typically use the frito lay cheddar dip.
Made it once and kids love it and want it often
Wow! Very, very good. Thanks for sharing it!
I have a family of picky eaters, so finding something for dinner for five people that everyone can agree on, is a task. When I made this for them about a week ago, guess what, they’re already asking for it again! Everyone absolutely loved it. I wouldn’t change a thing! Thank you for an amazing recipe!