Crack Chicken Noodle Soup

Crack chicken noodle soup is the ultimate comfort food that lives up to its name—it’s seriously addictive! This creamy, dreamy soup combines tender chicken, crispy bacon, ranch seasoning, and two types of cheese in a rich broth with perfectly cooked noodles.

Love More Soup Recipes? Try My Bacon Cheddar Gnocchi Soup or this Jalapeno Popper Soup next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This version takes everything comforting about classic chicken soup and kicks it up about ten notches with bacon, ranch, and gooey melted cheese. It’s the kind of soup that makes you go back for seconds… and thirds… and maybe even fourths. The best part? It comes together in one pot in under an hour, making it perfect for busy weeknights when you need something hearty and satisfying.

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Ingredient List

For the Soup Base:

• 3 cups cooked shredded or chopped chicken breast
• 1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or stock)
• 1 cup whole milk
• ½ cup chopped celery
• 2 medium carrots, sliced or diced
• 1 packet (approximately 1 oz) dry ranch seasoning mix
• 12 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1½ cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
• ¾ cup cream cheese, softened
• 8 oz thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta (uncooked)
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Optional Garnish:

• Extra crumbled bacon
• Chopped green onions

Why These Ingredients Work

Okay so that condensed soup can—I know everyone on Instagram’s making their own cream soup from scratch these days but I’ve got three kids and a full-time job. The can works. It’s thick, it’s creamy, it saves me from standing at the stove making a roux and honestly I can’t tell the difference when it’s all mixed together. Judge me if you want.

The ranch packet though, that’s where this whole thing gets its name. My mom used to put ranch seasoning on everything—vegetables, chicken, even popcorn one time which was actually not bad—and something about it in soup just works. Got all those herbs and the buttermilk powder and I don’t know what else but people always ask what’s in it.

Bacon because duh. I buy the thick-cut kind from Costco and freeze it so I always have some. Stays crunchier when you put it on top. The cheese situation is two-part—cheddar for actual cheese flavor, cream cheese for making it smooth and creamy instead of that stringy mess you get with just cheddar. But here’s the thing, and I learned this the hard way making dinner for my book club last year—if you dump cold cream cheese into hot soup, you’re gonna have lumps. Little white blobs floating around. Not a good look. So I literally set it on the counter when I get home from work and forget about it for an hour.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• Large pot or Dutch oven (at least 6-quart capacity)
• Large skillet for cooking bacon
• Wooden spoon or sturdy whisk for stirring
• Sharp knife and cutting board
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Paper towels for draining bacon

How To Make Crack Chicken Noodle Soup

Step 1: Cook the Bacon

Start with the bacon in your skillet, medium heat, and just let it do its thing for about 8-10 minutes. I flip it maybe once halfway through when I remember to. You want it crispy but not burned—there’s a fine line and I’ve crossed it more times than I want to admit. When it’s done, put it on paper towels because nobody wants to eat grease soup. Then break it up into chunks. Real talk—I always cook at least 14 slices because my son will come in and just eat bacon right off the paper towel and then I don’t have enough for the soup. Plan accordingly.

Step 2: Build Your Soup Base

Take your big pot and throw everything in—the chicken (shredded, I usually just use my hands), that condensed soup blob, your broth, milk, chopped up celery and carrots, ranch packet, and most of your bacon. Keep some bacon separate for putting on top later because nobody wants sad bacon that’s been swimming in liquid for 30 minutes. Turn the heat to medium-high and stir it all around. Make sure you really break up that condensed soup because otherwise you’ll have this weird gelatinous chunk floating around and it’s gross. Been there.

Step 3: Bring to a Boil and Simmer

Get everything bubbling—like actually boiling—then turn it down so it’s just gently simmering. This is when I set a timer for 20 minutes and go switch the laundry or help with homework or whatever crisis is happening. The carrots need time to soften and everything needs to get friendly with each other. Your kitchen’s gonna smell insane during this part. Like, my neighbors have texted me asking what I’m cooking. It’s that good. Don’t rush this step even though you want to because if you do, you’ll have crunchy carrots and nobody wants that.

Step 4: Add Pasta and Cheddar Cheese

After it’s been bubbling away for a while and the vegetables are soft, add your pasta and the shredded cheddar. Keep it simmering—not boiling, just simmering—and stir it every couple minutes because pasta will absolutely stick to the bottom if you ignore it. I know this because I’ve burned the bottom of this soup twice while trying to help my daughter with algebra. For angel hair it takes maybe 5-7 minutes to get soft, regular spaghetti takes longer. I start fishing out pieces and testing them around 5 minutes because mushy pasta is a tragedy and once it’s mush there’s no going back.

Step 5: Stir in Cream Cheese

This is where it transforms from regular soup into something magical. Take your cream cheese—which should be soft and squishy by now, not cold and hard—and plop it in. Stir it around until it disappears completely into the soup. Everything goes from looking kinda plain to looking like something you’d pay too much money for at a restaurant. If you see white chunks, keep stirring. They’ll melt eventually. Sometimes takes a minute or two but be patient. First time I made this I panicked about the chunks and turned up the heat which made everything separate and look weird. Don’t do that.

Step 6: Season and Serve

Actually taste the soup now. Don’t just assume it’s fine. Sometimes it needs pepper, sometimes it’s perfect as is. Depends on your ranch packet honestly because they’re not all the same. Ladle it into bowls—I use my big bowls, the soup bowls, because regular bowls aren’t big enough—and put bacon on top. Green onions too if you’re feeling fancy and remembered to buy them, which I usually don’t. Get it to the table while it’s hot because lukewarm soup is depressing and nobody will eat it.

You Must Know

Cream cheese temperature is everything. And I mean everything. It needs to be soft enough that you can stick your finger in it easily. If it’s cold, you’ll be fishing out cream cheese lumps for the rest of your life. I leave mine on the counter when I get home from work and it’s perfect by the time I need it. Or microwave it for like 10 seconds if you forgot. Not too long though or it’ll explode. Asked me how I know that.

That 20-25 minute simmering time is not a suggestion. I’ve tried to rush it. Doesn’t work. Your vegetables stay crunchy and the soup tastes flat. Just wait it out. Go do something else. It’s worth it.

Personal Secret: I stopped cooking bacon in a pan like three years ago. Now I just lay it all out on a sheet pan with edges and stick it in the oven at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes. It comes out perfect every single time, it’s flat so it crumbles easily, and I don’t have to stand there getting splattered with hot grease. Also the cleanup is so much easier. Just throw out the foil and you’re done. Changed my life honestly.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

Stop buying raw chicken breast and cooking it specially for soup. This is what rotisserie chickens are for. They’re already cooked, already seasoned, sitting right there in the deli section calling your name. Grab one on your way home, rip it up while it’s still warm, and you’re done. Takes two minutes. I’ve got a friend who still poaches chicken breast for soup and I don’t understand why she hates herself that much.

Your pasta’s gonna keep cooking in the hot soup even after you turn off the heat. So take it off when it’s still got a tiny bit of bite to it. Like 90% done, not 100%. Otherwise by the time everyone sits down to eat, it’s mush. I’ve served mushy soup more times than I want to admit and my kids complain every time.

Here’s a thing I learned—if you’re making this for meal prep or you know you’ll have leftovers, cook the pasta separate. Just boil it in a different pot, drain it, and add it to bowls when you serve. Because overnight in the fridge, the pasta turns into a sponge and sucks up all the broth and you wake up to thick glop instead of soup. Still tastes good but it’s not soup anymore. It’s like… pasta casserole or something.

Once the milk and cheese go in, keep the heat low. Not boiling. If you let it boil, the dairy breaks and you get this weird grainy separated mess that looks nasty even though it tastes okay. Low and slow is the move here.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Do not, I repeat, do not use regular sodium chicken broth. I did this exactly one time and we had to order pizza because nobody could eat it. It was like licking a salt block. The condensed soup has salt, the bacon has salt, the ranch has tons of salt. You need low-sodium broth or it’s game over.

Don’t let this bubble hard once the dairy’s in. My sister made this last month and had it boiling away and everything separated and looked gross. She called me all upset. Had to explain that dairy + high heat = bad time.

Chop your vegetables the same size. Seems obvious but I’ve messed this up. If your carrot pieces are huge and your celery’s tiny, you’ll have raw carrots and disintegrated celery in the same bowl. Nobody wants to crunch on raw carrot in the middle of creamy soup. Cut everything medium-ish size and call it a day.

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

Spicy Kick: My brother adds red pepper flakes to his and it’s actually really good. Maybe half a teaspoon, stir it in with the broth. Or just put hot sauce on the table and let people add their own because my youngest cannot handle any spice at all.

Different Cheese Options: I’ve used whatever cheese I had in the fridge before. Monterey Jack works, pepper jack if you like heat, even the Mexican blend with the four cheeses mixed together. It all melts, it all tastes good. Don’t overthink it.

Veggie Boost: Sometimes when I’m feeling guilty about feeding my kids too much cheese and bacon, I’ll throw in frozen peas or corn in the last few minutes. Or a big handful of baby spinach right at the end—it wilts down in like 30 seconds and suddenly there’s something green in the soup. Makes me feel better about my parenting choices.

Pasta Alternatives: My grandma makes this with egg noodles because that’s what she’s always done. I’ve used rotini when that’s all I had. Penne. Whatever’s in the pantry. It’s all pasta. Use what you’ve got and don’t stress.

Lighter Version: My mom’s on this whole health kick now and she makes it with turkey bacon and reduced-fat cheese. Says it’s fine. I remain skeptical but she seems happy about it. Won’t be as rich obviously but if you’re counting calories or whatever, go for it.

Buffalo Style: Okay so one time I was making this and realized I was out of ranch packets. All I had was buffalo sauce. Dumped it in instead, used blue cheese crumbles on top, and my husband literally said it was the best thing I’d ever made. I was kind of offended but also it was really good. Now I make it both ways depending on my mood.

Make-Ahead Options

You can make the whole soup up until the pasta and cream cheese part and just stick it in the fridge for a couple days. Then when you want to eat it, heat it back up and finish it off. Pretty handy for Sunday meal prep if you’re into that.

The pasta separate thing I mentioned earlier—that’s really the way to go if you’re planning leftovers. Cook it, drain it, keep it separate, add it to bowls when you serve. Yeah it’s an extra pot to wash but the alternative is sad mushy noodles tomorrow and honestly that’s worse.

I’ve also prepped everything on Sunday night before—cooked all the bacon, shredded the chicken, chopped the vegetables, measured everything into little containers. Then Wednesday night I just dump everything together and I’m eating in 30 minutes. Makes the whole week easier.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

This soup gets thick in the fridge. Like really thick. Almost solid sometimes depending on how much pasta you used. When you reheat it, pour in more broth or milk until it’s soup consistency again. I usually start with half a cup and see where I’m at. It’ll thin out as it heats up.

If your soup looks thin and watery, just let it simmer with the lid off for a few more minutes. It’ll reduce and thicken up. If it’s too thick while you’re making it, add more liquid. This isn’t rocket science.

You can make your own ranch seasoning mix if you want. I’ve got a coworker who’s really into that. She mixes up dried dill, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, and some other stuff. Says she likes controlling the salt content. More power to her but I’m buying the packet because I’ve got other things to do.

Use thin pasta. The angel hair or thin spaghetti cooks fast and doesn’t take over the whole bowl. When I’ve used thick pasta like penne it just feels heavy and weird. You want soup with noodles in it, not pasta with some broth.

Serving Suggestions

This is dinner. That’s the whole meal. You don’t need anything else but my kids like bread for dipping so I usually grab a baguette from the bakery section and call it a day. If I’m feeling ambitious I’ll make garlic bread but that’s like twice a year.

Sometimes I’ll make a salad if I’m trying to balance out all the cheese and bacon, but the soup’s got vegetables in it so I don’t feel that guilty usually. Life’s short, eat the creamy soup.

This is great for when people come over because you can double it easy and it feeds a crowd. Brought it to a potluck at my daughter’s school once and three different moms asked for the recipe. Felt like a celebrity for a minute. They don’t need to know how easy it actually is.

You can do the bread bowl thing if you’re trying to impress someone. Did that for a dinner party last year and everyone took pictures of their soup. It’s not hard—just buy those round bread loaves, cut the tops off, scoop out the middle, and pour the soup in. Very Instagram-worthy.

How to Store Your Crack Chicken Noodle Soup

Refrigerator: Stick it in any container with a lid and it’ll keep for 3-4 days. The noodles are gonna absorb a bunch of liquid so when you reheat it, you’ll need to add more broth or milk to thin it back out. Start with half a cup and add more if you need to.

Freezer: You can freeze it but do it before the pasta and cream cheese go in. Those get weird when they thaw—the pasta gets mushy and the cream cheese separates. Freeze just the soup base up to 2 months, then when you want to eat it, thaw it overnight, heat it up, and add fresh pasta and cream cheese. Works way better.

Reheating: I just put it back in a pot on the stove and heat it slowly over medium-low, stirring it around and adding broth as I go. Takes maybe 10 minutes. Or microwave individual bowls—one minute, stir, another minute if it needs it. Easy.

Allergy Information

Common Allergens Present:

• Dairy (milk, cheese, cream cheese, condensed soup)
• Wheat/Gluten (pasta, condensed soup)

Substitution Options:

For dairy-free: This is tough because like half the soup is dairy. You’d need to use coconut milk or almond milk, dairy-free cream cheese (they make it, it’s fine), and maybe nutritional yeast for the cheesy flavor. Never tried it myself but I’ve got a friend with a dairy allergy who says she’s made it work.

For gluten-free: Use gluten-free pasta—the brown rice kind is pretty good. Check your condensed soup and ranch packet to make sure they’re gluten-free. Most brands have GF versions now, just gotta look for the label.

For lower sodium: Get the no-salt-added broth, make your own ranch seasoning without dumping in a ton of salt, and maybe skip the condensed soup altogether and just thicken it with a flour paste or something. Gonna take some experimenting but it’s doable.

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

My soup is too thick—what do I do?

The pasta sucks up all the liquid when it sits. Happens every time. Just pour in more broth or milk, like half a cup at a time, and stir it while it heats up. Keep adding until it looks like soup again instead of paste. Pretty easy fix.

Can I make this in a slow cooker?

Yeah I’ve done it a few times when I knew I’d be gone all day. Put everything except the pasta and cheeses in the slow cooker, turn it on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3. Then like half an hour before you’re ready to eat, turn it to high and add the pasta and cheese. Works pretty well. Not quite as good as stovetop but close enough.

Why did my cream cheese get lumpy?

Either it was too cold when you dumped it in or your soup was boiling instead of simmering. Maybe both. Make sure it’s room temperature—like squishable—and keep the heat lower. If you do end up with lumps just keep stirring them for a while and they’ll eventually melt. Might take a few minutes but they’ll get there.

Can I leave out the bacon?

I mean technically yes but also why would you do that to yourself? The bacon’s like half the point. If you don’t eat pork then turkey bacon works fine. Not as good but it’ll do the job. You could also add smoked paprika for a little smoky flavor but it’s not the same as actual bacon.

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I genuinely want to know how it turned out and if you changed anything or messed anything up. We’ve all been there.