Soup is a great comfort food any time of the year, but especially when the weather gets blustery and cold, and to me nothing beats a good chicken soup, especially when I’m feeling a bit under the weather as well. So, why is this called “Crack Chicken Noodle Soup”? It seems the term “crack” refers to using Ranch seasoning when cooking… how someone came up with that I have no clue, but I’ve found many other recipes that use Ranch seasoning and have “crack” in the name, so I’m going with it. It’s very rich and creamy thanks to the addition of both cream cheese and Cheddar cheese, and it’s absolutely delicious. My daughter (who doesn’t ordinarily like chicken soup) tried it and has declared it is the only chicken soup she will ever eat from now on… so I guess it’s a good thing I’m adding the recipe here!
Adapted from My Incredible Recipes
Crack Chicken Noodle Soup
Description
A rich and creamy chicken soup, called "crack" because of the Ranch seasoning mixed in. Perfect for cold weather or when someone is feeling under the weather.
Adapted from My Incredible Recipes
Ingredients
Instructions
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Cook bacon in large skillet or in oven until crispy, then remove from cooking and place on a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
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If raw chicken is used, cut into 1/2 to 3/4 inch cubes. In a large skillet, cook with a small amount of olive oil for about 3 minutes per side until cooked through. Remove from heat. (Note that depending on the size of the skillet the chicken may need to be cooked in batches.)
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In a very large (7-8 quart) stock pot or Dutch oven add the chicken, soup, milk, chicken broth, celery, carrots, Ranch seasoning, and cream cheese, and mix thoroughly. Chop the bacon into crumbles and stir into the mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Break the pasta strands into 3 pieces and add to the mixture. Allow pasta to cook to al dente, approximately 8-9 minutes. Add the Cheddar cheese and stir until melted. Serve immediately.
Serving Size 1 1/2 to 2 cups
Servings 16
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 427kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 20.8g32%
- Saturated Fat 10.9g55%
- Cholesterol 88mg30%
- Sodium 1112mg47%
- Potassium 569mg17%
- Total Carbohydrate 29.9g10%
- Dietary Fiber 1.8g8%
- Sugars 4.4g
- Protein 28g57%
- Calcium 217 mg
- Iron 2 mg
- Vitamin D 120 IU
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Notes
- The original version of this recipe makes half the quantity listed here, or about 8 servings. I doubled it as a standard because my family loves the taste and there never seems to be enough!
- Beware that a large (minimum 7 quart) stock pot or Dutch oven is required. If you do not have this size available or do not want this much soup, cut the recipe in half.
- Precooked chicken, including leftover roast chicken, canned chicken, or rotisserie chicken, can be used instead of preparing and cooking raw chicken. Note: extended prep time is included in case raw chicken needs to be prepared and cooked.
- Leftover soup will get very thick and almost paste-like when refrigerated due to the noodles absorbing more liquid during cooling. Before reheating, stir in small amounts of water, chicken broth, or milk until the desired consistency returns.
