Smothered Slow Cooker Bacon Ranch Chicken. Need I say more? Really just print the recipe and thank me later! 😉 Have a busy day ahead? Put the chicken and sauce in the slow cooker in the morning and dinner in the evening only takes about 30 minutes! It will taste like you’ve been cooking all day, which of course you have, but without working all day. Ha!
Now we have a big family and I’m a huge fan of left overs so my ingredients that you see up there are a double recipe, but since most of the population only has 1.2 children or some such size family the ingredients I’m listing below is for the single batch. I’m making it so easy on you!
What you need:
- 1 pound chicken breasts (about two small)
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed
- 1 package Ranch Dressing Seasoning mix (or 3 tablespoons if you buy in bulk)
- 1 can (10.75 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup water
- 8 ounces of bacon cooked, drained, and crumbled
- 8 ounces Penne Pasta cooked and drained
In a large mixing bowl add the garlic, Ranch seasoning, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, pepper, and water.
Mix until it is smooth and creamy. Place the chicken in the slow cooker and smother with the sauce. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours. When I do a double batch, I use frozen chicken breasts and cook for 8 hours. The first two hours one high then turn it on low for the rest of the time.
About 30 minutes before the chicken is done fry the bacon and cook the pasta.
Without removing the chicken, use two forks to shred the chicken in the sauce. The chicken just falls apart. This is so yummy!
Add the crumbled bacon. Can all the bacon lovers in the room stand up and sing with me? Mmmm!
Next add the cooked pasta and stir gently.
Just like that supper is ready! Call the family. You’ll wish you had leftovers of this dish because it’s just as good left over. The Penne noodles make all the difference. Other pastas don’t hold up well when smothered in sauce. They absorb the liquid and become mushy but the Penne Pasta is still delicious!
Serve and enjoy. And you might as well pin this for later and make a list. You’re welcome! 😉
This looks so good I am going to make it Sunday. Do you cook this in the crock pot on high or low?
Great question! I’ve updated the post.
I’ve loved eating carbonara for years, and something that looks similar to it (like this) must be super yum as well! I suddenly feel hungry…oh dear. 🙂
You’ve got to try it. So good. 🙂
Can the chicken be frozen when placed in the crock pot?
Yes! I almost always start with frozen chicken. It’s just so much easier!
This looks incredible! I have a big family as well, when you doubled the recipe does it still fit in a large crock pot?
Yes!
How many people does one batch serve?
Hi EstherIrish. This looks delicious and I can not wait to fix this for my son and his girlfriend who loves anything pasta ( they just got engaged). But I do have a question. When you doubled it for your family, how many chicken breasts did you use? I see it calls for 2 small ones for a regular family. Thanks so much for any help you can give me. Have a blessed day.
Hi Joann! Yes, I use 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds).
Hi EstherIrish. This looks delicious and I can not wait to fix this for my son and his girlfriend who loves anything pasta ( they just got engaged). But I do have a question. When you doubled it for your family, how many chicken breasts did you use? I see it calls for 2 small ones for a regular family. Thanks so much for any help you can give me. Also was wandering if you could use chicken stock/broth instead of the water? Thanks for any help you can give me. Have a Blessed Day.
Is the 2885 calories for one serving right? It sounds like too many.
I did this in the oven because I didn’t plan ahead and it turned out great! Definitely a keeper! thanks!
How did you make this in the oven?
This sounds so yummy. I love chicken, bacon, ranch and penne so having all three in one dish is awesome
We love it! Let me know if you try it!
Does this work with a slow cooker as well?
Yes, this is a slow cooker recipe. It works great in an Instant Pot too.
What temperatures and how long would you do this in the oven? Thanks!
I’ve never made this in the oven. Did you try it?
If you make a smaller batch, and the chicken is frozen, how long does it need to be in the crockpot total?
The time on the directions is for the smaller batch. When I double it I just add two hours on low or one hour on high.
Just finding this recipe, and cant wait to make it. You said you doubled the chicken for the family, but do you double all the ingredients too? I am making it for a church pot luck, and will put it in an aluminum cake size pan. Thank you.
Yes! The list serves about 6 people, so I always double the entire recipe. The leftovers are delish too.
Thank you for the quick answer. I am making some for my daughter & myself today. I will make a double batch for the church pot luck.
I hope you enjoyed it as much as we do!!
This looks so delicious 🙂 With cooler weather coming up I tend to do more crockpot and oven meals. Have to try this one!
Can this be used with precooked diced white meat chicken? I cook for a Fraternity and they love anything with pasta. Of course they love anything ranch too, so thought this looked good. I thought about doing 5 x recipe using a 50 oz. can of cr. of chicken soup and 5# of thawed diced chicken.
Will be baking it. Will let you know how they like it.
Hi Denise! You’ve changed this up in a way that I’ve never tried. I’m so curious to know how it turned out!
We love this dish, is there a way to make it freezer friendly?
Hi Jenna! We love it too. I’ve never actually tried to make it and freeze it. I do use frozen chicken often, and if I know I’ll be in a hurry the next morning I mix the other ingredients the night before, so it’s ready to just turn on in the morning. I’d love to know how it comes out if you try to freeze it!