Ultimate Allergy-Friendly Crack Chicken Noodle Soup: Dairy-Free & Gluten-Free (Instant Pot & Stove Top!)

Have you ever scrolled through Pinterest and stumbled upon the viral sensation known as “Crack Chicken Noodle Soup”? It’s a culinary phenomenon, tantalizing taste buds everywhere with its irresistible blend of chicken, bacon, ranch, and a rich, creamy base. However, for those navigating the complexities of food allergies, this popular dish often comes with a significant caveat: it’s typically loaded with gluten and dairy. But don’t despair! We’ve meticulously recreated this beloved recipe to be completely allergy-friendly, ensuring everyone can enjoy a bowl of this comforting, flavorful soup.

This post contains affiliate links.

Why You’ll Love This Dairy-Free & Gluten-Free Crack Chicken Noodle Soup

We all adore classic chicken noodle soup – it’s a timeless comfort food, a staple in many households, and a go-to for chilly days. However, this recipe takes everything you love about the traditional version and elevates it to an entirely new level. This is definitely NOT your grandma’s chicken noodle soup, and that’s a good thing!

The “crack chicken noodle soup” trend has been everywhere on Pinterest, captivating foodies with its unique flavor profile. I knew I had to take on the challenge: could I not only replicate its amazing taste but also make it truly inclusive for those with food allergies? I’m thrilled to report that this allergy-friendly adaptation is an absolute triumph. It offers a fantastic, savory twist that will pull you out of any soup rut. If you experience long, cold winters, like we do here in Idaho, having a variety of delicious and comforting soup recipes is essential to keep meal times exciting all season long. This soup is so flavorful and satisfying, it’s sure to be a hit with everyone, even the pickiest eaters in your family!

Beyond its incredible taste, this soup is a champion for allergy sufferers. It’s carefully crafted to be free of common allergens including gluten, dairy, egg, fish, shellfish, peanuts, and tree nuts. This means you can enjoy a creamy, savory, and truly comforting bowl of soup without worrying about adverse reactions. It’s not just a meal; it’s peace of mind in a bowl.

What Exactly is “Crack Chicken”?

The term “crack chicken” refers to a popular style of recipe that combines a few undeniably delicious ingredients: chicken, crispy bacon, a savory ranch seasoning, and a creamy base often made with cream cheese and cheddar cheese. It’s called “crack” because the flavor combination is incredibly addictive and hard to stop eating! This indulgent blend creates a rich, savory, and deeply satisfying experience that people absolutely rave about. Our dairy-free and gluten-free version captures all the essence of this beloved flavor profile, ensuring you don’t miss out on the magic.

How to Make This Crack Chicken Noodle Soup Dairy-Free

Transforming a traditionally dairy-heavy recipe like crack chicken noodle soup into a creamy, dairy-free delight might seem challenging, but it’s surprisingly simple with the right substitutions. The main dairy culprits are typically cream cheese and cheddar cheese. Here’s how we achieve that craveable creaminess without any dairy:

• FOR THE CREAM CHEESE: Dairy-free cream cheese has come a long way! I personally find Tofutti cream cheese to be an excellent substitute, providing a smooth texture and neutral flavor that blends beautifully into the soup. Another highly recommended option is Violife cream cheese. Both of these brands typically contain soy, so if you have a soy allergy in addition to dairy, I suggest using a coconut-based alternative like Daiya cream cheese. In a pinch, if I’m out of dairy-free cream cheese, I’ve successfully used Tofutti’s sour cream as a temporary stand-in, which also works wonders for creaminess. The key is to look for a thick, spreadable dairy-free cream cheese that melts and incorporates smoothly into your soup base.
• FOR THE SHARP CHEDDAR CHEESE: Replacing cheddar cheese effectively is crucial for that signature crack chicken flavor. You essentially have two main approaches here. You can opt for dairy-free cheese shreds, though honestly, I haven’t found a brand that truly melts and blends seamlessly into a soup, and they can be quite expensive. While some people enjoy them, I prefer a more reliable and flavorful alternative for this particular recipe.
• My secret weapon for cheese flavor without dairy is nutritional yeast. Don’t let the name intimidate you! It has a distinctly savory, umami flavor often described as nutty or cheesy. While some might be hesitant, I find it to be an excellent and remarkably close mimicker of cheese taste, especially in a savory dish like this where it’s complemented by bacon and ranch. As a bonus, its powdered form helps to naturally thicken the soup, creating a rich mouthfeel. If you’ve tried nutritional yeast before and weren’t a fan, I urge you to give it another chance in this recipe. The bold ranch flavor really shines through, and you might find the nutritional yeast’s contribution to be more subtle and harmonious than you remember.
• If you end up with extra nutritional yeast and need more ways to use it, be sure to explore my other delicious dairy-free nutritional yeast recipes for inspiration!
• FOR THE MILK/CREAM: Many traditional crack chicken noodle soup recipes call for half-and-half, heavy cream, or some other form of dairy milk to achieve extra richness. However, I’ve found that this recipe truly doesn’t need any additional liquid beyond the specified broth. Adding extra milk can dilute the intense flavors of the bacon and ranch, making the soup less flavorful and potentially too thin. If you genuinely prefer a thinner consistency, you can always adjust it with a little more chicken broth or a safe, dairy-free milk alternative (we particularly like rice milk for its minimal aftertaste).

A major advantage of this soup recipe is that it completely avoids canned cream of chicken soup, which often contains both milk and wheat. This allows for greater control over ingredients and ensures it remains truly allergy-friendly. If you enjoy our chicken soups, you’ll also love my popular gluten-free chicken and rice soup recipe, another fantastic option for a comforting meal.

Can I Use Pre-Cooked Bacon Bits for This Recipe?

In most recipes where bacon is merely a garnish, pre-cooked bacon bits can be a convenient shortcut. However, for this particular crack chicken noodle soup, I strongly advise against using them. The process of cooking the raw bacon is an integral and flavorful part of the recipe for a crucial reason: you’ll be utilizing the rendered bacon grease.

Instead of traditional olive oil or butter, the savory bacon grease forms the base for sautéing your vegetables, infusing them with an incredible depth of smoky flavor right from the start. This not only enhances the overall taste of the soup but also simplifies the ingredient list. While store-bought bacon bits can be handy, they lack the fresh, rendered fat that is so vital here. Plus, freshly cooked bacon simply offers a superior flavor and texture compared to often over-salted, pre-packaged alternatives. It doesn’t matter if you opt for thick-cut or regular bacon slices; just ensure you cook them until perfectly crispy to maximize flavor extraction for your soup base.

What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

This recipe is incredibly versatile when it comes to the chicken you choose. For maximum convenience, you can certainly use pre-cooked chicken, such as shredded rotisserie chicken or any leftover cooked chicken you might have on hand. If using pre-cooked chicken, simply add it towards the end of the cooking process, as it only needs to be warmed through. Alternatively, you can follow my recipe and use raw chicken breasts, which will cook directly in the soup, absorbing all those wonderful flavors. If you prefer, boneless, skinless chicken thighs can also be used for a slightly richer flavor and more tender texture. Just ensure the chicken is cooked through before shredding and incorporating back into the soup.

Choosing the Best Chicken Broth Base

The quality of your broth makes a significant difference in the overall flavor of your soup. I’m a strong proponent of using a high-quality bouillon or concentrated broth base, and then adding water, rather than relying on pre-packaged cartons of broth. This method allows for a much richer, deeper, and more customizable chicken flavor that truly elevates the soup. My go-to brand is Orrington Farms chicken bouillon base. It delivers an outstanding depth of flavor that’s hard to beat. You can often find it at stores like Walmart or conveniently order it online via Amazon.

Making Your Crack Chicken Noodle Soup Gluten-Free

Achieving a delicious gluten-free crack chicken noodle soup is, thankfully, one of the easiest parts of this recipe! The key lies in selecting the right gluten-free pasta. Simply swap in your preferred gluten-free dry spaghetti noodles. Angel hair pasta would also work beautifully if you prefer a thinner noodle. I’ve had great success with both the Jovial brand gluten-free spaghetti and the Barilla gluten-free spaghetti. Both are widely available on Amazon and at most Walmart locations, making them easy to find.

A crucial tip for cooking gluten-free noodles is to boil them in a separate pot of salted water, then drain them thoroughly. Only add the cooked noodles to the soup right before you plan to serve it. This is incredibly important because gluten-free noodles, even more so than regular pasta, can become overly soft, mushy, and gummy if they sit in hot liquid for too long. This method ensures your noodles maintain a pleasant al dente texture. Of course, if gluten isn’t a concern for you, feel free to use regular spaghetti noodles following the same principle of cooking them separately and adding them at the last minute for optimal texture.

Essential Ingredients for This Dairy-Free Crack Chicken Noodle Soup:

To whip up this incredibly flavorful and allergy-friendly soup, you’ll need the following:

• Uncooked bacon (do not substitute with bacon bits!)
• Yellow onion, diced
• Carrots, diced
• Celery, diced
• Minced garlic
• Dairy-free ranch dip mix (see my recommendation below)
• Water and a quality chicken broth base
• Chicken breasts (or your preferred chicken cut)
• Gluten-free spaghetti noodles, broken into thirds
• Dairy-free cream cheese (refer to options discussed above)
• Nutritional yeast (for that cheesy flavor without dairy)
• Fresh green onions for garnish (optional, but highly recommended)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Finding the Right Dairy-Free Ranch Mix for Your Creamy Soup

Identifying a truly dairy-free dry ranch seasoning mix can be a surprising challenge. Many brands, even those that seem innocent, often contain hidden dairy ingredients. This is why I was incredibly excited – truly, it was a very happy day – when I discovered a store-brand dry ranch mix packet that is genuinely free of all dairy. That discovery was the Kroger Ranch Dip Mix. I’ve personally found it at Kroger-owned stores, and many readers have also reported finding it at their various affiliates like Fred Meyer, Smith’s, and other grocery chains under the Kroger umbrella.

If you’re a visual shopper like me and want to know exactly what the packet looks like to easily spot it in stores, you can head over to my post on 3 Ingredient Dairy Free Ranch Dip. There, I provide clear images of both the front and back of the packet, along with its full ingredient list, to help you make an informed choice. Of course, if you have another trusted brand of dairy-free dry ranch seasoning that you prefer or know of, please feel free to use it! And if you do, I would love for you to share your recommendation in the comments below – helping our community discover more allergy-friendly options is always wonderful.

Storing and Reheating Leftover Dairy-Free Crack Chicken Soup

Proper storage is key to enjoying your delicious dairy-free crack chicken noodle soup for days to come. Once the soup has cooled down to room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh and flavorful for up to three days. When you’re ready to enjoy leftovers, simply microwave individual servings until they reach your desired warmth. If the soup has thickened slightly in the fridge, you can thin it out with a splash of extra chicken broth or your preferred safe dairy-free milk alternative before reheating.

A note on noodles: Remember our tip about cooking noodles separately? If you have leftover soup that already contains noodles, they might be softer upon reheating. For the best texture, if you anticipate leftovers, consider storing the cooked noodles separately from the soup base and adding them fresh when reheating. However, even with noodles stored in the soup, it’s still incredibly delicious!

What to Serve Alongside This Dairy-Free Crack Chicken Noodle Soup

Honestly, this dairy-free crack chicken noodle soup is so hearty and complete, it often stands alone as a perfectly satisfying meal. It cleverly combines your carbohydrates from the noodles, protein from the chicken, and even some essential veggies. However, if you’re hosting guests, have a particularly hungry crew, or simply believe that you can never have too many carbs (I’m with you on that!), adding a delicious side is always a welcome idea. For the ultimate comfort food experience, I highly recommend serving it with some warm, freshly baked bread. You can make my gluten-free dairy-free breadsticks or my homemade gluten-free dairy-free bread. Both are perfect for soaking up every last drop of that creamy, flavorful broth!

Discover More Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Soups

Living in Idaho, soup is a fundamental part of staying warm and nourished through the long, cold winters – and I believe it should be for you too! My kitchen is a haven for delicious, comforting soups, and you’ll find an extensive collection on my site. Every single soup recipe I share is naturally dairy-free and, like all recipes on my platform, also gluten-free. This commitment ensures that individuals with various dietary restrictions can always find something wonderful to enjoy.

For those who only need a dairy-free option but don’t require gluten-free, remember that you can easily substitute regular pasta or regular wheat flour/pasta back into any of my recipes at a 1:1 ratio. This flexibility makes my recipes adaptable to a wider range of dietary needs. Don’t let allergies limit your culinary adventures – explore these incredible options:

Dairy-Free Crack Chicken Noodle Soup (Instant Pot & Stove Top Directions)

Yield:
5-6 servings

Prep Time:
15 minutes

Cook Time:
24 minutes

Additional Time:
20 minutes

Total Time:
59 minutes

This dairy-free crack chicken noodle soup is a fun and delicious twist on the classic, featuring savory bacon, creamy texture, and zesty ranch for an extra tasty and entirely gluten-free meal!

Ingredients

• 6 slices uncooked bacon
• 1/2 large yellow onion diced
• 3 large carrots, diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 2 tsp minced garlic (4 cloves)
• 3 (1 oz each) packets dairy-free ranch dip mix*see note
• 10 cups water + 1/3 cup chicken base
• 2-3 large chicken breasts
• 12 oz gluten-free spaghetti noodles, broken into thirds
• 1 (8 oz) block of dairy-free cream cheese (see post for options)
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast (or other dairy-free substitute you prefer, see post)
• Green onions for serving, if desired

Instructions

1. INSTANT POT DIRECTIONS:
2. Turn your Instant Pot to sauté. Cut your bacon into bite-sized pieces and add it to the hot Instant Pot. Stir with a wooden spoon every few minutes until the bacon is crispy.
3. Remove the crispy bacon, leaving the rendered grease in the pot. (You don’t have to leave all of it, but ensure there’s enough to prevent the veggies from sticking and to infuse flavor.)
4. Add the diced onion to the bacon grease and stir occasionally until the onion is softened and translucent.
5. Turn off the sauté function. Add the carrots, celery, minced garlic, ranch seasoning packets*, water, chicken broth base, nutritional yeast, and chicken breasts. Close the lid and ensure the valve is sealed.
6. Select “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” (depending on your Instant Pot model) and set the cook time to 10 minutes for fresh chicken or 20 minutes for frozen chicken.
7. Allow the Instant Pot to come to pressure. Once cooking is complete and it beeps, let it naturally release pressure for 10 minutes (displayed as “L:10”). This natural release method helps ensure the chicken is incredibly tender. After 10 minutes, you can do a quick release of any remaining pressure if you’re in a hurry.
8. Open the lid and carefully remove the chicken breasts. Add the broken gluten-free spaghetti noodles to the soup. Change the cook time to 4 minutes on “Manual” or “Pressure Cook.” Close the lid. Once cooking is done, perform a quick release of the pressure.
9. While the noodles cook, shred the chicken and set aside. Once the noodles are done, stir the dairy-free cream cheese into the soup. (Dairy-free cream cheese sometimes doesn’t blend perfectly smoothly on its own. For a creamier result, you can remove 1-2 cups of hot broth from the pot, blend it with the cream cheese until smooth, then pour it back into the soup.)
10. Return the shredded chicken to the soup.
11. Taste the soup and adjust salt and pepper as needed. If you prefer a thinner consistency, you can add more broth or a safe dairy-free milk (we prefer rice milk for a neutral flavor).
12. Serve hot, garnished with the reserved crispy bacon bits and fresh green onions, if desired.
13. This soup pairs wonderfully with my gluten and dairy-free bread as a delicious side dish!
14. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

STOVE TOP DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large Dutch oven or stock pot, set your heat to medium. Cut your bacon into bite-sized pieces and add it to the pot. Stir with a wooden spoon every few minutes until the bacon is crispy.
2. Remove the crispy bacon, leaving the rendered grease in the pot. (Leave enough grease to cook the veggies without sticking and to build flavor.)
3. Add the diced onion to the pot and stir occasionally until the onion is softened and translucent.
4. Add the carrots, celery, minced garlic, ranch seasoning packets*, water, chicken broth base, nutritional yeast, and fresh chicken breasts. (Note: For stove top, fresh chicken is highly recommended over frozen.)
5. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low-medium, cover with a lid, and cook for 20-30 minutes, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and the vegetables are tender.
6. While the soup is simmering, bring a separate pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broken gluten-free spaghetti noodles and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
7. Carefully remove the cooked chicken breasts from the soup and shred them. Set aside. Stir the dairy-free cream cheese into the hot soup. (For a smoother blend, you can take 1-2 cups of broth, blend it with the cream cheese until smooth, then return it to the pot.)
8. Return the shredded chicken to the soup.
9. Add the drained, cooked gluten-free noodles to the soup just before serving.
10. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your preference. If you desire a thinner soup, stir in additional broth or your preferred safe dairy-free milk (such as rice milk).
11. Serve hot, garnished with the crispy bacon and fresh green onions.
12. This delicious soup is excellent served with my gluten and dairy-free bread!
13. Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

Notes

*My husband prefers only two packages of the ranch mix in the soup for a slightly milder flavor. So, feel free to start with only two, and taste to see if you prefer more before adding the third.

Check out my other comforting soups. Or, explore my full winter meal plan for more allergy-friendly dinner ideas!

*Our allergies, while severe and re-tested yearly, are such that we can go strictly by what’s on the label. I do not call companies to inquire about ingredient derivations or potential cross-contact with manufacturers. If your allergies require such precautions, please perform your own due diligence. I cannot assure you of any ingredient’s safety; only you can determine that for your specific needs. I simply share what works safely for our family.

**If you are preparing this dish for someone with food allergies, and you do not have food allergies yourself, I HIGHLY recommend that you have them verify every single brand and ingredient you plan to use. This ensures they are comfortable with each component of the recipe. Additionally, it’s vital to discuss with them how to effectively avoid cross-contamination in your kitchen during preparation.

Adapted from: Show Me the Yummy Crack Chicken Noodle Soup

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 5
Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 547Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 107mgSodium: 490mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 7gSugar: 3gProtein: 38g

DON’T FORGET TO PIN IT, SO YOU DON’T LOSE IT. WHILE YOU’RE THERE, BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY OTHER DIETARY SPECIFIC BOARDS FOR MORE ALLERGY-FRIENDLY RECIPES AND INSPIRATION!