Cheesiest Crack Chicken Bake is like no other mac and cheese you’ve ever had before. Mac and cheese isn’t quite this compelling or enticing; it doesn’t have tender, savory chicken or succulent crispy bites of bacon, or chicken flavor infused into the creamy and sharp cheese sauce. Cheesiest Crack Chicken Bake even increases the rich cheesiness with cream cheese and a hint of zesty ranch. Mmmm, you’ll be craving this dish long after you try it!
Ingredients
- 3 cups elbow macaroni
- 12 slices bacon, diced into 1-inch pieces
- 1 1/2-2 pounds chicken, cubed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups milk
- 1 (1-ounce) package dry ranch seasoning mix, optional
- 1 (10.75-ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 cups cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs, optional
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Step 2 –In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the macaroni to al dente, according to the package directions.
Step 3 –Drain the pasta and set it aside.
Step 4 –In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the bacon and cook, while stirring frequently, until crispy, about 5-8 minutes.
Step 5 –Transfer the bacon pieces to paper towels to drain.
Step 6 –Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings in the skillet, draining the remainder.
Step 7 –In the bacon drippings over medium-high heat, add the chicken, salt, the pepper, and the paprika and cook, while stirring frequently, until the chicken is golden and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 5-8 minutes.
Step 8 –Transfer the cooked chicken to a large bowl.
Step 9 –In the bacon drippings over medium-high heat, add the onion, the bell pepper, and the garlic and cook, while stirring occasionally, until the veggies are soft and tender, about 3-5 minutes.
Step 10 –Transfer the veggie mixture to the bowl with the chicken.
Step 11 –In the same skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.
Step 12 –Add the flour to the melted butter and cook, while stirring, until a golden paste forms, about 1-2 minutes.
Step 13 –Gradually add in the milk, while stirring, and cook, whisking constantly, until fully combined.
Step 14 –Add the ranch seasoning, the cream of chicken soup, and the cream cheese to the milk mixture and stir until fully combined.
Step 15 –Reduce the heat to low.
Step 16 –Add 3 cups of the cheddar cheese to the sauce mixture and stir until fully melted.
Step 17 –Transfer the skillet from the heat.
Step 18 –Add the cheese sauce and the cooked pasta to the bowl with the chicken-veggie mixture, stirring well to combine.
Step 19 –Transfer the chicken mixture to a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Step 20 –Top the chicken mixture with the remaining cheddar, the bacon, and the breadcrumbs.
Step 21 –Bake until the mixture is bubbly and the cheese is fully melted, about 20-30 minutes.
Step 22 –Let the bake cool for 10 minutes.
Step 23 –Serve.
