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Slow Cooker Chicken Bacon Ranch Mac ‘N Cheese

True comfort food is found in this simple, yet delicious, homestyle cheesy recipe that only takes a few minutes of effort to make because you can let your slow cooker (or CrockPot) do all of the actual work. Your family’s new favorite meal to add to the dinner rotation is sure to be this Chicken Bacon Ranch Macaroni and Cheese.

Slow Cooker/ Crock Pot Chicken Bacon Ranch Mac N Cheese. How to make this yummy pasta dish. lifeshouldcostless.com
Slow Cooker Chicken Bacon Ranch Mac ‘N Cheese. lifeshouldcostless.com

I have decided that the true test to see if I have gotten a recipe just right is to watch my family’s reaction when they ask me what we are having for dinner.

If there is little excitement, or worse, whining… then I know that I need to keep tweaking the recipe until I am able to get a better reaction. 

As you view this recipe, please excuse my mediocre (at best) photography skills…I do my best but I am in no way a professional, nor does this single mama of four have the budget to hire one.

I only share my favorite recipes ever, so please don’t skip past it because I failed to capture just how yummy it is.


  • To see all of my recipes, go here.
  • To see all of my slow cooker related articles, go here.
  • To see all of my main dish recipes, go here.

Well, this particular meal is one that I’ve been working on and not only were my kids happy about having it for dinner, but when I reheated the left-overs for lunch today, they were still pleased that it was what we were eating.

A “family tested” delicious meal is a great thing to have in ones back pocket, but the best part about this recipe is that it is just as easy as two of my other super-simple “one pot” slow cooker recipes (CrockPot Spaghetti & Easy CrockPot Buffalo Chicken Pasta).

These recipes appeal to people because they only take a handful or so minutes of prep, only use one dish (being the slow cooker itself so there are hardly any dishes), and are super tasty!

How to make Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta in the slow cooker:

I’m going to start out by showing you the ingredients, the process, and then share the recipe later on.

The chicken and some water are the only ingredients missing from this picture…everyone knows what a chicken breast looks like so I did not add it. 

I use Hidden Valley Bacon Flavored Ranch, Kraft Italian Five Cheese Blend, Real Bacon Pieces/Bits, and then whatever Macaroni noodles are on hand.

slow cooker bacon macaroni and cheese recipe

Here goes the process: I start by greasing my Seven Quart CrockPot. Then add the Chicken.

Then the Bacon Flavored Ranch.

Then the Bacon pieces.

bacon crockpot recipes

Then cook it until the chicken is done.

Once the chicken is done cooking, it’s time to chunk it up!

Next I add the Macaroni noodles…I love making it with shell noodles too.

Then the chunked up chicken and the water.

Then the cheese!!! I put the lid back on and let it cook the remaining time.

When it’s done,  it’s time to mix it all up and serve!

I added a tiny bit more cheese and bacon crumbles to the top to garnish.

Hungry yet? It’s a major comfort food and obviously not very healthy…but it’s Oh, so goooood!

The best bacon crockpot recipe! Crockpot chicken bacon ranch macaroni and cheese recipe.

Slow Cooker Chicken Bacon Ranch Mac 'N Cheese

Yield: 12+
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes

Quick and Easy dinner idea. It's comfort food at its finest. This dish is perfect for those days that you want a home-cooked meal but don't have the time or energy to spend hours cooking.

Ingredients

  • 4 Large Chicken Breasts
  • 1 C. Bacon Ranch Dressing
  • ½ to 1 C. Real Bacon Bits
  • 1 lb Elbow Macaroni
  • 3 C HOT Water
  • ½ C (4 oz) Kraft Italian Five Cheese (generic Italian cheese blend works too)

Instructions

  1. Grease a 7 quart CrockPot.
  2. Add the Chicken, Bacon Ranch Dressing, and Bacon Pieces. Cover and set on High 4-6 hours, or Low 7-8. You'll know it's ready when the chicken is done.
  3. Remove the chicken and chunk it to your desired size pieces. Add the Macaroni noodles to the bottom of the crock, place the chunked chicken on top, then add the HOT water(must be hot so you don't risk breaking your crock). Replace the lid and let cook for another 30 minutes. Add the cheese. Mix well. Should be ready to serve. Just check that the noodles are soft enough, if not replace the lid and give it a few more minutes to cook.

Notes

Can garnish with extra bacon pieces and cheese.

Occasionally you may need to add more hot water, if so, do it about ½ cup at a time then stir, let it cook a bit more, and check it again. Repeat as necessary.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

It’s seriously one of the best bacon Crockpot recipes!

I hope your family likes it as much as mine does! It’s not only a regular on our dinner meal rotation,

It’s also often requested as the special meal one of my kids want for their Birthday dinner, so that says something. 😉


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The best bacon crockpot recipe! Crockpot chicken bacon ranch macaroni and cheese recipe.
Slow Cooker Chicken Bacon Ranch Mac ‘N Cheese. lifeshouldcostless.com

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  • To see all of my recipes, go here.
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Other main dish recipes

*Reposts: Please note that this recipe was originally posted to this website on 07/23/2016, but it was in great need of a refresh so it now is more user friendly/shareable & has a free printable recipe card.

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