Description
Best Crack Soup is the kind of cozy comfort food that makes dinner feel easy and exciting at the same time. This creamy chicken soup is loaded with bacon, cheddar, ranch seasoning, tender vegetables, and noodles for a rich and hearty bowl that’s perfect for weeknight dinner, easy dinner ideas, cold weather meals, comfort food cravings, and family-friendly food ideas. If you love an easy recipe that tastes warm, creamy, cheesy, and satisfying, this soup delivers every single time.
Ingredients
8 slices bacon
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups chicken broth
3 cups cooked shredded chicken
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 ounce ranch seasoning mix
8 ounces spaghetti, broken into short pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon, crumble it, and set it aside.
2. Leave about 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings in the pot, then add the butter, onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes until softened.
3. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Pour in the chicken broth and add the shredded chicken, ranch seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.
5. Stir in the softened cream cheese and whisk until fully melted and smooth.
6. Add the broken spaghetti and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.
7. Pour in the heavy cream and stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until melted.
8. Add most of the crumbled bacon and stir to combine, saving a little for garnish.
9. Ladle into bowls and top with parsley and the remaining bacon before serving.
Notes
Do not boil the soup after adding the cream cheese, heavy cream, and cheddar, or the broth can turn grainy instead of staying smooth and creamy.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 1180mg
- Fat: 39g
- Saturated Fat: 19g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 135mg
Keywords: best crack soup, creamy chicken soup, bacon cheddar soup, ranch chicken soup, easy dinner, comfort food, weeknight dinner, family-friendly soup, cheesy soup, noodle soup