Description
Crack Chicken Penne is a creamy, flavorful pasta dish featuring tender chicken breasts, penne pasta, and a rich ranch-seasoned cream cheese sauce topped with melted cheddar. This easy-to-make recipe is perfect for busy weeknights and family dinners, delivering a satisfying comfort meal with minimal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 3–4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Pasta
- 8 ounces penne pasta
- Salt for boiling water
Sauce
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 packet ranch seasoning mix
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne pasta and cook for 10-12 minutes or until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Cook the Chicken: While the pasta cooks, heat a skillet over medium heat. Dice the chicken breasts and season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 6-8 minutes until browned and fully cooked through.
- Prepare the Sauce: Reduce the heat to low. Stir softened cream cheese and ranch seasoning mix into the cooked chicken. Gradually pour in the chicken broth, stirring continuously until the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked penne pasta to the skillet. Toss everything together until the pasta is thoroughly coated with the creamy ranch sauce.
- Add the Cheese Topping: Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the pasta mixture. Cover the skillet and let it sit for 2-3 minutes until the cheese melts.
- Serve: Serve the crack chicken penne hot, optionally accompanied by garlic bread or a fresh side salad.
Notes
- Use freshly cooked, diced chicken for best flavor and texture.
- For a lower-fat version, substitute cream cheese with light cream cheese and use reduced-fat cheddar cheese.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stove or microwave.
- Adding chopped green onions or crispy bacon can enhance the dish further.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sautéing and boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 920mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 37g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
Keywords: crack chicken penne, creamy chicken pasta, ranch seasoning pasta, easy chicken pasta recipe, comfort food
