Creamy Crack Chicken Soup
, Updated Oct 15, 2026
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This Creamy Crack Chicken Soup recipe is everything the name promises – crispy bacon, tender shredded chicken, ranch seasoning, cream cheese and plenty of melty cheddar, all in one pot and on the table in 40 minutes. Add noodles to make it a meal, or leave them out and it is naturally low carb.
If you love my Slow Cooker Crack Chicken, this is the soup version – the same addictive bacon ranch flavor, just as easy, and the perfect thing to make the minute the weather turns chilly.
What Is Crack Chicken Soup?
“Crack chicken” is the nickname for the combination of chicken, cream cheese, ranch seasoning, crispy bacon and cheddar. It started life as a slow cooker dip and sandwich filling, and the name stuck because the mix is so hard to stop eating. This soup takes those exact flavors and turns them into a creamy bacon ranch chicken soup – nothing fancy, just a lot of flavor from a handful of everyday ingredients.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One pot, 40 minutes: the bacon, vegetables, chicken and noodles all cook in the same pot – no separate poaching, no extra pans.
- Ranch flavor without the packet: a quick homemade ranch seasoning from dried herbs you already have, or use a store-bought ranch mix if you prefer.
- Creamy without heavy cream: softened cream cheese melts straight into the broth for a silky, rich soup.
- Make it your way: add noodles, orzo or rice to make it hearty, or skip them for a low carb crack chicken soup that is keto friendly.
- Freezer friendly: freeze it without the noodles and add them when you reheat.
Here’s What You’ll Need
You will need a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven (I use my Greenpan Dutch Oven), two forks for shredding the chicken and a ladle.
- Bacon: bacon lardons or 4 slices of streaky bacon, diced. Cook it first so the soup base starts with the bacon fat, and save half the crispy bits for the top.
- Butter: for sautéing the vegetables.
- Onion, celery and carrots: the classic soup base. Dice them small so they soften in 5 minutes.
- Garlic: 2 cloves, minced.
- Ranch seasoning: I make my own from garlic powder, onion granules, dried dill, dried parsley and dried chives, plus salt and pepper. A 1 oz (28g) packet of dry ranch dressing mix works just as well – if you use one, hold back the salt until you taste the soup.
- Chicken broth (stock): 6 cups (1.4 liters), hot. Low-sodium is a good idea if you are using a ranch packet.
- Chicken: 1 pound (450g) chicken tenders (mini chicken breasts) – they poach in the broth in 25 minutes and shred easily. Boneless thighs work too and stay juicier. Or skip the poaching and stir in 3 cups (about 400g) shredded leftover roast or rotisserie chicken at the end.
- Noodles (optional): 1 cup (120g) broken vermicelli, or small pasta shapes, orzo or egg noodles. Cooked rice also works. Leave them out for a low carb soup.
- Cream cheese: 1 cup (225g) full fat, softened. This is what makes the soup creamy – take it out of the fridge before you start so it melts in smoothly.
- Baby spinach (optional): a couple of handfuls stirred in at the end wilt in a minute and add a little color and freshness.
- Fresh parsley: a tablespoon, chopped.
- Shredded cheddar: for serving, as much as you like. Sharp (mature) cheddar has the most flavor.
How to Make Crack Chicken Soup
↓ For the full ingredients and detailed method, jump to the recipe card.
- Cook the bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crispy, about 5 minutes. Lift it out with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.
- Add the butter and heat until foaming. Add the onion, celery and carrots and sauté over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring, until softened.
- Stir in the garlic and the ranch seasoning (or the garlic powder, onion granules, dried dill, parsley, chives, salt and pepper) and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the hot broth and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the chicken tenders and simmer over medium-low heat for 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (165°F / 74°C in the thickest piece).
- Shred the chicken with two forks, either straight in the pot or by lifting it out onto a board and returning it.
- Add the noodles, if using, and simmer until just tender – broken vermicelli takes under 4 minutes; adjust the time for other pasta shapes.
- Turn the heat down low. Add the softened cream cheese, half the crispy bacon and the chopped parsley and stir until the cream cheese has melted into the broth and the soup is creamy. If using spinach, stir it in now and let it wilt for a minute.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning, then ladle into warm bowls. Top with the remaining bacon and plenty of shredded cheddar.
- Serving suggestions: This is a meal in a bowl, so it only needs something to mop up the broth. Warm crusty bread or my Easy Air Fryer Bread are perfect, and a simple green salad on the side turns it into a proper dinner.
Cook’s tip
Stop the cream cheese from splitting
Cream cheese that goes into boiling soup straight from the fridge can turn grainy. Let it soften at room temperature and keep the soup at a gentle simmer rather than a boil. For extra insurance – and always if you are using reduced-fat cream cheese – whisk it with a ladle of the hot broth in a bowl until smooth, then stir that back into the pot.
Substitutions and Variations
- Dried herbs: no dill? Use double the parsley and chives. No chives? Use the green part of a scallion (spring onion), finely chopped.Variations
- Bacon: turkey bacon or back bacon with the fat trimmed for a lighter soup; pancetta for a richer one.
- Cream cheese: reduced-fat cream cheese works but is more likely to split – loosen it with a ladle of hot broth before adding it. Mascarpone or a splash of heavy cream can replace some of it.
- Chicken broth: stock cubes dissolved in hot water are fine, and so is bouillon paste but watch out for the salt!
- Keto variation: leave out the noodles, or use shirataki (miracle or konjac) noodles, which have no carbs. Rinse them well in cold water before adding – the ramen or rice shapes work best here.
- Extra vegetables: sweetcorn, peas or diced potato all work – add potato with the broth so it has time to cook.
Storing, Freezing and Reheating
- Fridge: cool and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The noodles keep soaking up broth, so add a splash of hot water or stock when you reheat.
- Reheat: gently on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring now and then – do not let it boil, or the cream cheese can split. Or microwave single portions in 1-minute bursts, stirring between each.
- Freeze: this soup freezes well without the noodles and cream cheese. Cool completely, then freeze in bags or containers for up to 3 months, leaving a little space for the liquid to expand. Thaw overnight in the fridge. When you reheat it, stir in the noodles and softened cream cheese and the bacon fresh – it will be just as creamy as the day you made it.
More Soup Recipes You’ll Love
- The original: Slow Cooker Crack Chicken – the dip-turned-dinner that started it all.
- Craving more chicken and bacon? My Chicken and Bacon Pasta Bake is the oven-baked cousin of this soup.
- Sicilian Chicken Soup for a lighter, tomato-based bowl, on the stove or in the slow cooker.
- Low carb and cozy: Keto Chicken Soup.
- Air Fryer Butternut Squash Soup if you want something smooth and vegetarian.
Have you made my crack chicken soup recipe? Post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #supergoldenbakes. I can’t wait to see your take on it!
Crack Chicken Soup
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup (130g) bacon lardons or 4 slices bacon, diced
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 large yellow onion , diced
- 2 ribs celery , finely diced
- 2 carrots , cut into small cubes
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion granules
- ½ tsp dried dill
- ½ tsp dried parsley
- ½ tsp dried chives
- 6 cups (1.4 litres) hot chicken broth (chicken stock)
- 1 pound (450g) chicken tenders (mini chicken breasts)
- 1 cup (120g) broken vermicelli noodles or small pasta shapes
- 1 cup (225g) full fat cream cheese softened
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- shredded cheddar cheese , as much as you like
- salt and fresh ground pepper , to taste
Instructions
Stovetop Method
- Cook the bacon in a large pot (I used my Greenpan Dutch Oven) until crispy and set aside.1 cup (130g) bacon lardons
- Add the butter in the same pot and heat until foaming. Sauté the onion, celery and carrots, stirring over medium-low heat for 5 minutes or until softened.1 tbsp butter, 1 large yellow onion, 2 ribs celery, 2 carrots
- Stir in the minced garlic and add the Ranch seasoning or garlic, onion granules, dried dill, parsley, chives, salt and pepper. Pour in the stock and bring to a low simmer.2 cloves garlic, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp ground pepper, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion granules, ½ tsp dried dill, ½ tsp dried parsley, ½ tsp dried chives, 6 cups (1.4 litres) hot chicken broth
- Add the chicken tenders and simmer for 25 minutes over medium-low heat or until the chicken is cooked through.1 pound (450g) chicken tenders
- Shred the chicken using two forks in the soup or remove it with tongs and shred in a bowl before adding back to the pot.
- Add the noodles if using and stir into the soup. I used broken up vermicelli which cooks in under four minutes. Adjust the cooking time depending on the type of pasta used.1 cup (120g) broken vermicelli noodles
- Add the softened cream cheese, half the crispy bacon and fresh parsley and stir well.1 cup (225g) full fat cream cheese , 1 tbsp fresh parsley
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed then spoon into warm bowls. Top the remaining bacon, shredded cheddar cheese and prepare to swoon!shredded cheddar cheese, salt and fresh ground pepper
Slow Cooker Method
- Cook the bacon and sauté the vegetables and seasoning on the stove as in steps 1 to 3, then tip them into the slow cooker.
- Add the hot broth and the raw chicken tenders. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or HIGH for 2 to 3 hours.
- Shred the chicken in the pot, then stir in the softened cream cheese, half the bacon and the parsley. Cook on HIGH for a further 15 to 20 minutes until the soup is creamy.
- Cook the noodles separately and add them to each bowl so they do not turn mushy in the slow cooker.
Instant Pot Method
- Use the Sauté setting to cook the bacon, then the vegetables and seasoning, as in steps 1 to 3.
- Add the broth and chicken tenders. Seal and cook on Manual (high pressure) for 8 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before opening.
- Shred the chicken, switch back to Sauté and add the noodles. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until tender, then turn off the heat.
- Stir in the softened cream cheese, half the bacon and the parsley until creamy.
Notes
You can keep this soup low carb and suitable for the Keto diet by leaving out the noodles or by replacing them with shirataki noodles (also known as Miracle noodles / Zero noodles / Konjac noodles) which contain no carbs or calories. Shirataki noodles need to be rinsed well in cold water before being added to your soup. Miracle noodles come in several shapes – the ramen or rice ones are best for this recipe. SLIMMING WORLD CRACK CHICKEN SOUP Believe it or not it IS possible to make a slimming friendly variation of this soup! You will need to use back bacon or turkey bacon (fat removed), a low-calorie cooking spray and fat-free or reduced fat cream cheese. Mix the cream cheese with some of the soup broth first before adding to the pot to prevent the cream cheese from splitting. STORING AND FREEZING
- Store any leftover chicken soup in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. You might need to add a little hot water to thin the soup before reheating on the stove over medium heat.
- This soup is suitable for freezing without the noodles. Pour the cooled soup in freezer bags or suitable containers making sure to allow a little space as the liquid will expand when it freezes. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove – adding the noodles then if desired.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.
Frequently Asked Questions
“Crack chicken” is a nickname for the mix of chicken, cream cheese, ranch seasoning, bacon and cheddar – it is meant to say the combination is addictive. The name comes from the original slow cooker crack chicken, and this soup uses the same flavors.
Yes. Skip the poaching step: shred 3 to 4 cups (400 to 500g) of cooked chicken and stir it in just before the noodles and cream cheese, so it heats through without overcooking.
Use softened, full fat cream cheese and keep the soup at a gentle simmer, never a rolling boil. The safest method is to temper it: whisk the cream cheese with a ladle of the warm broth in a bowl until smooth, then stir it back into the pot.
Yes – both methods are in the recipe card below. In the slow cooker, cook the bacon and vegetables first, cook the chicken in the broth on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, then stir in the cream cheese at the end. Cook the noodles separately so they do not go mushy.
Yes. One 1 oz (28g) packet of dry ranch dressing mix replaces the garlic powder, onion granules, dill, parsley, chives, salt and pepper. Packets are salty, so use low-sodium broth and taste before adding more salt.
Leave the noodles out altogether, or use shirataki (miracle or konjac) noodles, which have no carbs – rinse them well in cold water first and choose the ramen or rice shapes. Zucchini noodles (courgetti) or chopped cauliflower stirred in for the last few minutes also work.
Yes, without the noodles. It keeps for up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the fridge, reheat gently on the stove and add freshly cooked noodles if you like.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Soup is grainy or has specks of cream cheese | Cream cheese went in cold, or the soup boiled | Soften the cream cheese first, keep the soup at a gentle simmer, and whisk it with a ladle of hot broth before adding |
| Too salty | Ranch packet plus regular broth plus bacon | Use low-sodium broth and hold the salt until you taste at the end; a squeeze of lemon or a splash of water helps |
| Noodles are mushy the next day | They keep absorbing broth | Cook noodles separately and add to each bowl, or add a splash of hot stock when reheating |
| Soup is thin | Cream cheese alone does not thicken much | Stir 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (plain flour) into the butter before the vegetables go in, or add ½ cup extra cheddar |
| Chicken is dry and stringy | Simmered too hard or too long | Keep the broth at a gentle simmer and shred as soon as it reaches 165°F (74°C), or use thighs |
