This hearty Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad will quickly become your go-to pasta salad! Tender pasta, juicy chicken, crispy bacon, crisp veggies, and shredded cheese tossed in a creamy Ranch dressing.
Try my easy Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Casserole for a simple dinner idea!
CHICKEN BACON RANCH PASTA SALAD
Tired of the same, boring pasta salads? Try this flavor-packed chicken bacon Ranch pasta salad! This pasta salad is creamy, hearty and loaded with all the right flavors. Tender pasta, chicken, bacon, crisp veggies, cheese and green onions tossed in the creamy Ranch dressing sauce. Enjoy this hearty pasta salad as a side dish during your weeknight dinner, for lunch or make it for your next summer BBQ.
WHAT YOU NEED-
- Pasta– You want to use short pasta for this salad. Short pastas like elbow, rotini, penne, fusilli, farfalle, medium shells, or cavatappi pasta will work! I used the fun radiatori short pasta for this salad.
- Chicken– Any of your favorite seasoned, cooked chicken will work for this salad! I love using my blackened air fryer chicken or my Greek chicken. You can either cube or shred the chicken for this salad.
- Bacon– The added bacon brings this pasta salad to a whole new level! You want to use classic bacon for this recipe. Check out my how to cook bacon post for the perfect bacon bits.
- Tomato– I love using cherry tomatoes for this pasta salad, either full or halved cherry tomatoes will work.
- Cucumber– The fresh cucumbers in this salad gives every bite a fresh, crisp addition that you don’t want to miss! Either long English cucumbers or mini cucumbers will work, chopped or sliced cucumbers.
- Cheese– For the best flavors, I recommended freshly shredding your cheese! I love using block colby jack cheese or mild cheddar. Pre-shredded cheese will also work.
- Green Onion– You cannot forget the freshly chopped green onions in this pasta salad!
- Dressing– Either store-bought Ranch or homemade Ranch dressing can be used for this chicken bacon ranch pasta salad. Classic, buttermilk or light Ranch can be used.
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN BACON RANCH PASTA SALAD
You can have this hearty, flavorful pasta salad recipe in no time, the perfect salad no matter the occasion!
- Cook the chicken with your desired cooking method, chop, cube or shred the chicken and allow to cool.
- Using your desired method to cook bacon bits. Add the cooked bacon to a paper towel line plate, allowing them to cool and grease to drain.
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Once cooked, drain and rinse with cold water and cool. (You can cook your pasta ahead of time so that your pasta is cool and ready to use.)
- In a bowl, mix the ingredients for the Ranch salad dressing until well combined.
- Prep the rest of the ingredients: shred the cheese, half to tomatoes, slice the cucumbers and chop the green onions.
- In a large salad bowl, add the prepared ingredients for the chicken bacon ranch pasta salad.
- Pour the Ranch dressing over the salad ingredients and toss until fully combined.
- Serve with desired sides and enjoy.
SALAD VARIATIONS
Load up this creamy pasta salad with different ingredients for a heartier chicken bacon ranch pasta salad! Here are some other great things you can add:
- Red Onion
- Chopped Celery
- Sweet Peas
- Broccoli & Cauliflower Florets
- Chopped Pickles
- Pickled Onions
- Sliced Olives
- Chopped Boiled Eggs
QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE:
Yes! You can totally make this pasta salad ahead of time! Prepare ahead of time by cutting all the ingredients and when ready to enjoy, toss and serve! You can make this up to 2-3 days ahead of time, just store it in the fridge.
If you want to make this vegetarian pasta salad, you can totally leave out the chicken and bacon.
Yes, either cubed or shredded cheese will work for this salad.
Store this leftover salad in an airtight container or covered in the fridge for 3-4 days. When ready to enjoy again, I recommended adding a little more dressing to the salad, since the pasta tends to absorb the dressing as it sits.
This salad is great and doesn’t get soggy fast, a great make ahead salad and perfect for week day lunches or meal prep.
Yes! Leftover rotisserie chicken is GREAT for this pasta salad.
I love using homemade Ranch dressing, but you can also use your favorite store-bought Ranch salad dressing.
OTHER PASTA SALADS TO TRY-
Check out all my other hearty pasta salads!
Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 10 oz short pasta cooked and cooled
- 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken cubed
- 8 oz cooked bacon chopped
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 1/2 cups cucumber sliced
- 3 Tbsp fresh green onion finely chopped
- 1/2 cup shredded colby jack cheese or cheddar cheese
Ranch Dressing-
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 3 Tbsp whole milk or half and half creamer
- 3 Tbsp Ranch powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta, rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking, and let it cool completely.
- In a bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the Ranch salad dressing until well combined. Set aside.1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/3 cup sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt, 3 Tbsp whole milk, or half and half creamer, 3 Tbsp Ranch powder, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper
- While the pasta cools, prepare the remaining pasta salad ingredients. Dice the cooked chicken, cook the bacon bits, halve the tomatoes, dice the cucumbers, and chop the green onions.
- In a large salad bowl, add the cooked pasta, cubed chicken, bacon bits, shredded cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, and green onions.10 oz short pasta, cooked and cooled, 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, cubed, 8 oz cooked bacon, chopped, 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved, 1 1/2 cups cucumber, sliced, 3 Tbsp fresh green onion, finely chopped, 1/2 cup shredded colby jack cheese, or cheddar cheese
- Pour the Ranch dressing over the pasta salad and gently toss until everything is evenly coated.
- If desired, top with additional green onions, shredded cheese, and bacon bits. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
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