Crack Chicken Penne Recipe
Crack Chicken Penne is a creamy, cheesy pasta dish featuring tender chicken strips cooked in a rich ranch-flavored sauce made with cream cheese, cheddar, and a hint of garlic and onion powder. The penne pasta is coated in this luscious sauce, making it a comforting one-pan meal perfect for weeknight dinners.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 chicken breasts, sliced into strips
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Pasta
- 2 cups penne pasta
Sauce
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning mix
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
Garnish
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the pan: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat to prepare for searing the chicken.
- Cook the chicken: Season chicken strips with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Sear them in the hot skillet until golden on all sides and thoroughly cooked, then remove and set aside.
- Cook the pasta: Boil penne pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water before draining the pasta.
- Prepare the sauce: Lower the skillet heat to medium and add chicken broth, heavy cream, cream cheese, and ranch seasoning mix. Whisk continuously until the cream cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth.
- Add cheese: Stir in shredded cheddar cheese until fully melted and incorporated into the sauce.
- Combine ingredients: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and add the drained penne pasta. Toss everything gently to coat the pasta and chicken evenly with the sauce. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes to meld the flavors.
- Adjust consistency: If the sauce is too thick, gradually stir in the reserved pasta water until you reach your desired sauce consistency.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley on top for color and freshness, then serve the Crack Chicken Penne warm.
Notes
- You can substitute penne with other short pasta like rigatoni or ziti.
- For a lower-fat version, use reduced-fat cream cheese and cheddar and substitute half-and-half for heavy cream.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop or microwave with a splash of broth or cream to loosen the sauce.
- Adding cooked bacon or green onions makes a delicious topping for extra flavor and texture.
Keywords: Crack Chicken Penne, creamy chicken pasta, ranch chicken pasta, cheesy penne recipe, one-pan pasta dinner
Find it online: https://spatulaqueen.com/crack-chicken-penne-recipe/
