Delicious chicken bacon ranch pasta salad packed with juicy tomatoes, sweet corn, zippy red onion, and creamy avocado. This wonderful, easy chicken bacon pasta salad is perfect for customizing and will be a hit all season long! The best side or main dish for BBQs, parties, and potlucks.
Please talk about the best of both worlds: this might be my new favorite meal prep for lunch. Bacon, ranch, chicken, and pasta. What more could one possibly need in a meal?Â
This loaded pasta salad has it all: crispy cooked bacon, ranch-seasoned chicken, roasted red onions, pasta, and ranch dressing. This is the perfect meal prep for the summertime, or quite frankly, year-round, plus macro and WW friendly. Light bacon ranch chicken pasta salad is a must-make!
Perfect for meal prep lunch
This chicken pasta salad makes for the perfect lunch meal prep. It is easy to portion into six large servings (2 cups each!) and is packed with all of the key macronutrients: protein, fiber, carbs, and fat!
This salad is built to keep you full and satisfied. At just under 400 calories per serving and 6 WW points, it is a great meal to fit into your day and lifestyle.
How to grill perfect chicken
Another addition to this recipe Good news: I have an amazing tutorial for grilling perfect chicken breast every time! Head to the post to learn all of my tips and tricks, then use the chicken for this amazing pasta salad recipe.
Looking for even more ways to cook chicken? Try any of these four great methods for cooking chicken and add them right to the recipe.
What you’ll need to make bacon ranch chicken pasta salad
- orecchiette or small shell-shaped pasta
- to keep this gluten-free, I use this chickpea based pasta Shells (eatbanza.com)
- center cut bacon
- chicken breast
- cherry tomatoes
- red onion
- scallions
- ranch seasoning
- I used a ranch seasoning that is dairy-free and salt-free:Â dairy-free
- If you use a traditional ranch seasoning with salt, you will have to cut back on the amount
- ranch dressing
- for dairy free, I recommend this one:Â Ranch Dressing
- for a lower fat option, macro and WW-friendly, I recommend this one:Â Ranch Dressing
- plain non-fat yogurt
- for dairy free, I used cashew yogurt:Â Dairy Free Yogurt
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS CHICKEN BACON RANCH PASTA SALAD
- Easy to Make
- Can Prepare Ahead of Time
- Perfect for BBQs, picnics, potlucks, and more
- A great way to use up any leftover grilled meats (feel free to change it up from just chicken)
- Can be served warm OR cold
INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR CHICKEN BACON RANCH PASTA SALAD
- Pasta– I use Rotini, any short pasta works
- Bacon– cooked/crumbled
- Ranch Dressing– store-bought salad dressing or homemade works (see homemade recipe below), I typically use Buttermilk Ranch Dressing from my local grocery store
- Cheese– sharp cheddar cheese is my favorite, shredded
- French Fried Onions
- Chicken– cooked/diced, Rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut for this pasta
VARIATIONS AND ADD IN’S TO TRY
- Green Onions/Chives- these add a great color boost and freshness to the pasta salad
- Grape or Cherry Tomatoes- sliced
- Diced Red Onion
- Cucumbers- diced
- Black Olives
- Bell Peppers- diced
- Hard Boiled Eggs- check out this Instant Pot method
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN BACON RANCH PASTA SALAD
- Boil water in a large pot and cook the Barilla Rotini until al dente.
- While pasta is cooking, cook chicken and sprinkle with desired seasonings. (I used garlic powder and about 2 tablespoons of Ranch dressing)
- Once pasta is cooked, drain and rinse with cold water until pasta is no longer warm.
- Add pasta to a large bowl and combine with cooked chicken and crumbled bacon.
- Mix in the cheese and onions.
- Pour the Ranch dressing on top and toss to coat thoroughly.
- Place the bowl in your refrigerator until ready to serve!!
TIPS :For Success of Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
- To save on time, use Rotisserie chicken. Leftover meat from a previous meal works great too!
- Save time by using store-bought Ranch dressing (Hidden Valley is a great option). If making homemade, you can prepare the dressing up to 4 days in advance and use it when needed.
- Save additional Ranch dressing once you’ve prepared this pasta salad as the noodles tend to absorb a bit of the dressing and you’ll want to add additional just before serving.
- Enjoy this cold pasta salad as a main meal or side dish. It fits any occasion! You can even serve this dish warm if desired!
- Short noodles such as Ziti, Penne, Rigatoni, or Rotini work best for this recipe because they hold onto the dressing a bit easier and are all the same size.
- Crispy Chicken Strips work great in this recipe too. Cook in the air fryer to save time.
Storages of Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Leftovers should be covered in an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezing is not recommended for this pasta salad recipe due to the fact the textures will change and end up mushy.
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE BUTTERMILK RANCH DRESSING
You’ll need the following ingredients:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill weed
- Â Ground black pepper (to taste)
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT CAN I SERVE WITH THIS PASTA SALAD?
Some great options served with this would be Mexican Corn Casserole, Easy BBQ Baked Beans, Loaded Cornbread, or Chopped Caprese Salad.
DO I HAVE TO ENJOY THIS COLD OR CAN I SERVE IT WARM?
I typically serve this chilled since it’s a Summer staple in my house, however, it can also be served warm!
HOW CAN I KEEP THE PASTA SALAD FROM GETTING DRY?
Since pasta salad is known to get dry if served later than when prepared, I recommend keeping some Ranch dressing aside and adding it to the dish just before serving. This will give it an added flavor boost and re-moisten the pasta.
IS COLD PASTA SALAD SAFE TO EAT?
Yes! As long as you have kept the pasta salad chilled in the refrigerator for no longer than 3 days, this is safe to eat and everyone will enjoy it!
Recipe!
Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Trifle bowls
Ingredients
- 1 ib rotini pasta
- 1/2 ib bacon cooked crumbled
- 3/4 cup ranch dressing
- 8 oz cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup french fried onions
- 2 cup chicken cooked diced
Instructions
- Boil water in a large pot and cook the Barilla Rotini until al dente.
- While pasta is cooking, cook chicken and sprinkle with desired seasonings. (I used garlic powder and about 2 tablespoon Ranch dressing)
- Once pasta is cooked, drain and rinse with cold water until pasta is no longer warm.
- Mix in the cheese and onions. Pour the Ranch dressing on top and toss to coat thoroughly.
- Place the bowl in your refrigerator until ready to serve!
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