Name: Chicken Bacon Ranch Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 6 strips bacon (cut into small pieces); 1/2 medium onion (chopped); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 2 tablespoons flour; 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth; 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning (I used Hidden Valley); 1.5 cups uncooked fusilli/rotini pasta; 8 ounces cream cheese (a block of Philly) (softened); 2 cups cooked chicken (I used rotisserie); 2 cups (packed) fresh baby spinach

Why you'll love it

This soup is also known as crack chicken soup apparently because it's so addictive! I had to make my own version of this comforting soup. The tangy ranch and cream cheese combo is a crowd favorite. Add some crispy bacon, tender chicken, and pasta, and you've got one heck of a dish.

Here at S&L we believe that cozy soups shouldn't have to take much time and effort, so this chicken ranch soup is ready in just over half an hour, and it doesn't use any fancy ingredients that are hard to find. If you're looking for a Crack Chicken Recipe, I've got your covered. You'll like this Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole too.

What you'll need to make it

Bacon - one of our key ingredients. Fry it up nice and crispy!

Onion and garlic - two of my go-to bases for any soup to infuse flavor

Flour - a thickening agent

Chicken broth - we're using low sodium since the bacon and ranch seasoning will be salty enough

Ranch seasoning - you'll find them in packets at the grocery store. The classic ranch flavor is what makes this soup so tasty!

Pasta - I chose fusilli, but anything close to that size will work

Cream cheese - makes the broth ridiculously creamy. Use your favorite brand, but I always go for Philly

Chicken - for ease we're using leftover/rotisserie chicken

Spinach - to add a burst of freshness. Spinach and bacon go together so well.

How to make chicken bacon ranch soup

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

frying bacon and onions in a soup pot for chicken bacon ranch soup

Fry the bacon in a soup pot until crispy, then transfer it to a paper towel lined plate, leaving 2-3 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pot. Add the onion in and sauté for 3-4 minutes, then stir in the garlic and flour and cook for a minute or so.

adding in broth and pasta into the soup pot

Whisk in the chicken broth and ranch seasoning, then bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, stir in the pasta. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

adding in the cream cheese and the cooked bacon to the soup pot

Stir in the cream cheese, chicken, and most of the bacon (reserve some for topping bowls). Once the cream cheese has been incorporated, stir in the spinach.

Helpful tips

Bacon and ranch seasoning are both quite salty, so be sure to use low-sodium chicken broth if you're concerned the soup could be a bit salty for you. I don't add any extra salt. You can make a Homemade Ranch Seasoning mix if you need to further control salt.

You can use a different shape of pasta; just be sure not to add too much if it's a much smaller shape than fusilli. Then add less than the suggested amount.

I don't throw out bacon fat. I add it to a container that I keep in my fridge. You can cook with bacon fat instead of olive oil or butter or spread it on bread in place of butter for a delicious pop of savory, bacon-y flavor!

Leftovers and storage

Leftovers of this soup will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days in a sealed container.

Reheat on the stove over a low heat. You may need to add a splash more chicken broth to leftovers since the pasta will soak up the broth the longer it sits.

Since it's so dairy-rich, I don't anticipate it would freeze well.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Soup

Why you'll love it

What you'll need to make it

How to make chicken bacon ranch soup

Helpful tips

What to serve with this soup

Leftovers and storage

More recipes with ranch flavors