This creamy crack chicken noodle soup is loaded with shredded chicken, ranch seasoning, bacon, and cheddar. Hearty, comforting, and packed with flavor, it’s the perfect comforting soup for cozy nights.
Ingredients
- 8 cups low sodium chicken broth (64 oz)
- 2 ½ cups egg noodles
- 3 Tablespoons butter divided
- 1.5 - 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 packet ranch seasoning mix (1 oz), divided
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 slices bacon
- 1 cup diced onion about 1 small onion
- 1 ½ cups sliced carrots about 4-5 carrots
- 1 cup sliced celery about 3 stalks
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 green onions sliced
Instructions
- Add chicken broth to a large pot or dutch oven and bring to a boil. Add noodles and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Using a pasta spoon, remove noodles and set aside. Keep the broth covered and on a low simmer.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 Tbsp butter. Add chicken thighs and season with garlic powder and half the packet of ranch mix (reserving the rest). Brown chicken on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to the pot of simmering broth and cover. Return to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer.
- While chicken is cooking, cook bacon in the skillet. Once cooked, set aside on a paper-towel lined plate. Add onion to the skillet and saute in the bacon grease (add butter if not enough bacon grease), stirring often, until translucent - about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Once chicken cooked for 20-25 minutes, add the onions, carrots, and celery. Recover and allow to simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
- Once the chicken has cooked through, remove, shred, and return to the pot.
- In a clean skillet over medium heat, melt 2 Tbsp of butter. Stir in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add ½ cup of broth (from the pot) and cream cheese. As the cream cheese melts, whisk to remove lumps. Gradually whisk in another ½-1 cup of broth, whisking until smooth. Then add your creamy soup base to the pot and stir to combine.
- Return the noodles to the pot along with the remaining ranch seasoning and ¾ of the cheddar cheese. Add salt and pepper, to taste (you may not need any salt, depending on salt content of the ranch mix). Stir to combine.
- Serve soup topped with crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, and green onion.
Notes
Shortcut: Use 2½ cups shredded rotisserie or leftover chicken and skip the simmering step.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of broth or water to loosen.
Nutrition
Calories: 561kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 171mg | Sodium: 1103mg | Potassium: 696mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4957IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 274mg | Iron: 2mg
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