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Crack Chicken Noodle Soup

Crack chicken noodle soup with a creamy ranch-flavored broth, shredded chicken, and tender egg noodles. The soup simmers, then gets rich with melted cream cheese and cheddar for a smooth, spoonable finish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken breast
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast (raw) Use boneless skinless for even cooking.
Bacon
  • 6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled Reserve some for the top.
Vegetables
  • 4 carrots, sliced
  • 3 celery, sliced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
Broth and seasonings
  • 6 cup chicken broth
  • 1 packet (1 oz) ranch dressing mix
  • 0.25 salt and pepper to taste Season gradually and adjust at the end.
Creamy base
  • 8 oz cream cheese, cubed Cube so it melts smoothly on low heat.
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 1.5 cup shredded cheddar Plus more for topping if desired.
Noodles and garnish
  • 8 oz egg noodles
  • 1 Green onions for garnish Use for serving, not in the boil.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Simmer the chicken and vegetables
  1. In a Dutch oven, bring the chicken broth, ranch dressing mix, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic to a simmer over medium heat; stir well to combine.
  2. Add the raw chicken breast to the pot and simmer at a gentle boil for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center, with visible bubbles around the edges of the pot.
Shred and cook the noodles
  1. Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it, then return the shredded chicken to the broth.
  2. Add the egg noodles and simmer for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender and cooked through with soft, flexible noodles.
Make it creamy with cheddar
  1. Reduce heat to low, then stir in the cubed cream cheese until melted and smooth, watching for the broth to thicken and look glossy.
  2. Stir in the heavy cream and shredded cheddar until smooth and uniform, continuing to stir until no melted cheese streaks remain.
Finish and serve
  1. Fold in most of the bacon, then taste and season with salt and pepper as needed, until the flavor balances.
  2. Ladle into bowls and top with the remaining bacon, green onions, and extra cheddar, with the cheese visibly melting at the surface.

Notes

For best texture, keep the heat at low when melting the cream cheese so it doesn’t separate. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; freeze is not recommended because noodles may soften too much. If you want a lighter option, use half-and-half in place of heavy cream (keep cheddar and cream cheese for that classic creamy ranch profile).