Crack Chicken Noodle Soup

Made with cheddar cheese, bacon, and ranch seasoning, this Crack Chicken Noodle Soup is creamy, cheesy, and downright addicting. Just 10 minutes of prep and it’s 100% kid-approved!

The Most Addicting Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

This crack chicken noodle soup is the combination of two classic recipes – homemade chicken noodle soup and crack chicken.

Crack chicken is one of my favorite dishes, made with shredded chicken, ranch seasoning, cream cheese, bacon, and lots of cheddar cheese. This recipe takes those ingredients, adds some noodles, milk, and broth, and turns it into the creamiest, cheesiest chicken noodle soup you’ve ever tried.

This recipe was a HUGE hit with the whole family. It’s definitely as addicting as the name implies! With all the cream, cheese, and bacon, it really is comfort food at its finest.

Recipe Ingredients

This easy soup recipe combines the ingredients from the two recipes that inspired it. Be sure to check the recipe box for the measurements.

• Chicken – Any cooked, chopped chicken will work. Boneless skinless breasts and thighs are both perfect.
• Chicken broth – I always opt for low-sodium broth so I can control the final flavor of the soup.
• Condensed chicken soup – This is my shortcut for adding lots of that traditional chicken soup flavor and a bit of saltiness to the soup.
• Whole milk – Adds a creaminess to the broth. If you use low-fat milk, your soup will not be as rich or creamy and the broth will be thinner.
• Carrots & celery – Traditional chicken noodle soup ingredients that add a pop of color to the soup.
• Ranch dressing mix – Gives this soup some of the addicting flavor!
• Bacon – I cooked and crumbled my own bacon but “real” bacon bits would work here too.
• Cheddar cheese – This chicken noodle soup is EXTRA cheesy and I love it!
• Cream cheese – Thickens the soup and makes it ultra-creamy.
• Dried fine egg noodles – These are my preferred noodles to use, as they’re the ones you traditionally find in chicken noodle soup. Plus, they cook super quickly!

How to Make Crack Chicken Noodle Soup

This crack chicken soup is beyond easy to make. Just a few minutes of hands-on prep, 25 minutes on the stovetop, and dinner is ready.

• Combine the ingredients. Combine all ingredients except for the noodles and shredded cheddar in a large Dutch oven.
• Simmer. Bring the ingredients to a boil then reduce the heat. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.
• Add the noodles. Stir in the noodles and cheddar cheese. Cook for an additional 5 to 6 minutes, until the noodles are soft. Enjoy!

Tips & Variations

Here are a few tips for making this crack chicken noodle soup, along with a couple of variations.

• Use rotisserie chicken. Grab a rotisserie chicken at the store to make this soup even easier or use leftover chicken breasts from another dinner.
• Thin the soup out. This soup is creamy and cheesy. If it’s a bit too thick for your liking, you can add another splash or two of chicken broth to thin it out.
• Cut veggies to the same size. Try to cut everything to roughly the same size so that everything finishes cooking at the same time.
• Can I use different noodles? Yes, you can use pretty much any noodle that you want. Thin pasta, like angel hair, is ideal as they cook quickly.

Serving Suggestions

I like to top each bowl of soup with a final sprinkle of cheddar cheese and a few bacon crumbles.

Since this cheesy chicken noodle soup is so rich and creamy, I like to pair it with something light and bright -think a big green side salad or roasted or steamed vegetables.

How to Store & Reheat Leftovers

Crack chicken noodle soup leftovers will last in the fridge for up to 3 days. Note that it may thicken as the noodles absorb more liquid, so you may want to add a splash of chicken broth when reheating.

The best way to reheat this soup is on the stovetop over medium-low, stirring frequently.

You can also reheat it in the microwave.

Since this soup contains so much cheese and dairy in general, it’s not the best option for freezing but if you do freeze it, allow it to thaw completely then reheat slowly, stirring frequently. Dairy tends to separate when frozen so it may not have the same smooth, creamy texture but it will still taste great!

More Chicken Noodle Soup Recipes:

• Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
• Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
• Asian Chicken Noodle Soup
• Ramen Chicken Noodle Soup