Enjoy a delicious weeknight dinner with this Crock Pot Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta. Tender chicken, savory bacon, zesty ranch seasoning, filling pasta, extra cheese and more come together in this creamy chicken pasta recipe.
Looking for a stunning dinner you can make even on busy weeknights? This Crock Pot Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta is a recipe your whole family will want a second helping. It’s a creamy, cheesy pasta recipe – made with both cheddar cheese and cream cheese.
To get the juiciest chicken, let the slow cooker marinate the meat for a several hours. We’re infusing it with chicken broth, spices and cream cheese to get it extra tender. Once the chicken is cooked, you’ll easily bring together the rest of the flavors during the last 30 minutes of cooking time.
It’s a hearty pasta, perfect as a main dish. Serve it with with crunchy garlic bread, your favorite vegetable, or a family favorite side dish.
Looking for more easy dinner dishes? This comforting and cheesy Crockpot Cheeseburger Soup is always a winner or choose from any of these tasty dump-and-go slow cooker recipes.
Crock Pot Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
Simple Ingredients: All you need are simple everyday ingredients to create this creamy dish.
Tender Chicken: Cooking the chicken in the Crock Pot ensures it’s tender and juicy.
Rich and Creamy Sauce: The ranch seasoning mixed with cream cheese and cheddar cheese creates a rich and creamy sauce.
Easy to Make: It is so easy to throw together this chicken bacon ranch crock pot recipe – it practically cooks itself.
Since you’ve got your slow cooker out this week, make a deliciously tender Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwich.
Kitchen Equipment Needed
- 8 Quart Crock Pot
- Tongs
- Meat Shredders / Two Forks
Ingredients
Protein:
CHICKEN: Boneless skinless chicken breasts come out juicy in the crock pot. Once cooked, I shred the chicken to make sure there is chicken in every bite.
Seasoning:
DRY RANCH SEASONING PACKET: Adds tons of flavor and seasons both the chicken and the sauce.
BLACK PEPPER: Adds extra spice. You shouldn’t need to use salt, as the bacon will bring in the salty flavor.
Sauce:
CHICKEN BROTH: The broth ensures the cooked chicken stays moist while cooking and adds more flavor.
CHEESES: This is a cheesy chicken recipe (my favorite!). This recipe calls for both cream cheese and cheddar cheese.
HEAVY CREAM: To get this ultra creamy texture
Pasta:
ROTINI PASTA: Any type of noodle works for this dish, but I opted for rotini to really grab the sauce.
Additional Ingredients:
SPINACH: The spinach adds an earthy flavor to the chicken mixture.
BACON: I made this recipe with microwave bacon to speed up the process. You can always make crispy bacon in your skillet.
SCALLIONS (optional garnish): Scallions or diced green onions are optional for sprinkling on top of the finished pasta dish.
How to Make Crock Pot Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
1. Chicken:
Place chicken breasts in an 8-quart slow cooker and pour the chicken broth on top.
Season the chicken with the pepper and ranch packet. Place the cubed cream cheese on top of the chicken.
Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours (depending on thickness of chicken breasts), until the chicken is fully cooked.
Remove the chicken from the Crock Pot and set aside.
2. Sauce:
Add in the cheddar cheese, heavy cream, spinach, and bacon. Stir until well combined.
Shred chicken or cube it. Then place it back into the slow cooker and cover. Cook for another 30 minutes.
3. Pasta:
While that’s cooking, boil your pasta to al dente following the directions on the package and drain once it is cooked.
4. Combine:
Add cooked pasta into the slow cooker and stir well.
Top with extra shredded cheese and chopped scallions.
Tips
- Shred your own block of cheese as it holds up better than the recipe.
- Use meat claws or two forks to shred the cooked chicken. It should be tender and easy to shred.
- Cook the pasta to al dente, because it continues to cook a bit more once combined into the chicken mixture.
- Spray the crockpot with non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking as this dish cooks up.
Variations
- You can use any cut of chicken for this recipe. I prefer lean meat, but juicy boneless chicken thighs will work perfectly too.
- Add in broccoli, asparagus or green beans for extra veggies.
- Replace cheddar cheese with Parmesan cheese or mozzarella cheese.
- Top with parsley for a pop of color and skip the scallions if you are not a fan.
Can I use Other Types of Pasta?
Absolutely! Bowtie or Penne pasta will work perfectly in this recipe.
Can I use any Type of Bacon?
Yes, any type of bacon works such as turkey bacon, microwave bacon or regular bacon.
Simply cook your preferred bacon fully, then dice it up into small pieces.
Can I use Frozen Chicken?
I don’t recommended using frozen chicken in the slow cooker as it takes too long for the meat to thaw before it begins cooking.
Let your chicken thaw overnight in the refrigerator and it’ll be ready to make the next day.
How to Store Leftovers
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-4 days. To reheat, use the microwave or warm up this creamy past in a pan on the stovetop.
You can also freeze leftovers for 2 months. To serve, thaw in the fridge overnight, or defrost straight from the freezer. This makes for easy reheated weeknight dinners when you don’t have time to cook.
The next time you are craving the ultimate comfort food for dinner, grab this crock pot chicken bacon ranch pasta recipe. It is fully loaded with flavor, and the prep is a breeze. Easy recipes are always welcome in our home, and this one is just that!
Crock Pot Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
- 1/2 cup Chicken Broth
- 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 dry Ranch Dressing Seasoning Packet 1 ounce
- 8 ounces Cream Cheese
- 1 1/2 cup Cheddar Cheese
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 2 cups Spinach chopped
- 8 strips of Microwaveable Bacon or bacon of choice (cooked and chopped)
- 1 pound of Rotini Pasta
- Chopped Scallions for garnish optional
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts in an 8-quart slow cooker and pour the chicken broth on top.1 1/2 pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, 1/2 cup Chicken Broth
- Season the chicken with pepper and ranch packet. Place the cubed cream cheese on top of the chicken.1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper, 1 dry Ranch Dressing Seasoning Packet, 8 ounces Cream Cheese
- Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours (depending on thickness of chicken breasts), until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Remove the chicken from the Crock Pot and set aside.
- Add in the cheddar cheese, heavy cream, spinach, and bacon. Stir until well combined.1 1/2 cup Cheddar Cheese, 1 cup Heavy Cream, 2 cups Spinach, 8 strips of Microwaveable Bacon
- Shred chicken or cube it. Then place it back into the slow cooker and cover. Cook for another 30 minutes.
- While that’s cooking, boil your pasta to al dente following the directions on the package and drain once it is cooked.1 pound of Rotini Pasta
- Add cooked pasta into the slow cooker and stir well.
- Serve with garnishes with extra shredded cheese and chopped scallions for garnish.Chopped Scallions for garnish