Loaded with bacon, rotisserie chicken, cheese, tomatoes and mixed with a creamy ranch dressing, this Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad will be a side dish staple!
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Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad will soon become your favorite summer salad! This easy-to-make side dish is loaded with rotisserie chicken, chunks of bacon, cheese, tomatoes all mixed together with rotini pasta and our creamy ranch dressing.
Table of Contents
Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad – The Best Summer Salad
Pasta salad is a staple at every summer barbecue. This Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad really packs a punch when it comes to flavor and it couldn’t be any easier to make!
Grab some rotisserie chicken next time you are at the grocery, some bacon and a few other ingredients and this easy pasta salad will come together in no time!
Ingredients
- 12-ounce pack rotini pasta ( I used Wacky Pack Veggie Spiral Pack)
- 3 cups of chopped rotisserie chicken
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, sharp
- 1 chopped tomato, or a handful of cherry tomatoes chopped in half
- 6 pieces THICK sliced bacon, diced and cooked well done
- 1 zucchini, shredded (about 2 cups)
- 1 recipe of Copycat Ranch Dressing (below)
Dressing Ingredients:
- 1 pack Ranch Dressing (the original recipe called for 1 teaspoon dry Ranch dressing Buttermilk Recipe)
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
SEE FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD BELOW
How to Make Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
- Make Ranch dressing ahead by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl.
- Cook bacon pieces on med-low heat until crisp.
Pro-Tip: When cooking the bacon, start bacon pieces in a cold skillet to ensure that your bacon cooks evenly. Drain on a paper towel and set aside. - Cook pasta according to box directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
Pro-Tip: Rinsing the cooked pasta in cold water after draining is best when doing a cold pasta salad recipe. It stops the pasta from cooking, and it keeps the pasta loose for the salad. - Add chicken, pasta, tomatoes, cooked bacon in a large bowl.
Pro-Tip: You need a large bowl to mix everything together but then can transfer to a serving dish after chilling.
- Add the shredded cheddar and shredded zucchini.
- Pour the ranch dressing into the bowl and mix to combine.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving.
More Easy Pasta Salad Recipes
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Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Serves — 8
Loaded with bacon, rotisserie chicken, cheese, tomatoes and mixed with a creamy ranch dressing, this Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad will be a side dish staple!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes
Ingredients
- 12 ounce pack spiral pasta ( I used Wacky Pack Veggie Spiral Pack)
- 3 cups chopped rotisserie chicken
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese sharp
- 1 chopped tomato or a handful of cherry tomatoes chopped in half
- 6 pcs thick sliced bacon diced and cooked well done
- 1 zucchini shredded (about 2 cups)
Copycat Ranch Dressing Ingredients:
- 1 pack Ranch Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Make Ranch dressing ahead by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
- If you are using uncooked chicken instead of pre-cooked chicken, proceed with this step: Season chicken with salt & pepper, drizzle with olive oil, then place in a baking dish. Cook for 30 to 45 minutes until chicken reaches 165* internal temperature. Cut the chicken into small cubes.
- Cook bacon pieces on med-low heat until crisp.
- Cook pasta according to box directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Then place into a large mixing bowl to cool while preparing other ingredients.
- Add chicken to the bowl of pasta. Then add the shredded zucchini, tomatoes, cooked bacon, shredded cheddar and ranch dressing. Mix everything to combine.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving.
Jenn’s Notes
Important Notes:
- Rinsing the cooked pasta in cold water after draining is best when doing a cold pasta salad recipe. It stops the pasta from cooking, and it keeps the pasta loose for the salad.
- You need a large bowl to mix everything together but then can transfer to a serving dish after chilling.
- When cooking the bacon, start bacon pieces in a cold skillet to ensure that your bacon cooks evenly. Drain on a paper towel and set aside.
Video
Nutrition Info
Calories: 609kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 115mg | Sodium: 943mg | Potassium: 310mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 337IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 159mg | Iron: 1mg
Post & Recipe Update: Original post August 21, 2014
Jenn,
Thank you so much for sharing my Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad. I am finding myself making this copycat Ranch Dressings constantly. My family is eating it on everything including their sandwiches, salads, and more. It is really terrific in this Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad and so easy to make.
Blessings,
Diane Roark
I cannot wait to make it! Thank you SO much for sharing, Diane!
I am looking forward in trying this with my family. But need to now how much zucchini I need you said 1 but I would like to now in cups after it is shredded
Diane, so happy to see you here today and totally sounds like a yummy pasta salad and can’t wait to try it now!! 😉
Janine,
Thank you for taking the time to visit me at Princess Pinky Girl. If your girls enjoy Ranch dressing they will love this Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad. I hope you have a wonderful Thursday.
Blessings,
Diane Roark
Jenn, thanks for having Diane guesting at your blog today- I am a big fan of her beautiful recipes, and now I’m a fan of your blog, too! 🙂
Diane, this pasta salad looks incredible- you’ve done it again. I love that you used your wonderful homemade ranch dressing in it, and that you tucked some veggies in there, too! PINNING because I want to eat this salad Every. Day. 🙂
I LOVE having Diane as a guest poster!! She makes such amazing recipes!! I am so lucky to have her!! <3
Joy,
Thanks Joy for your sweet comments about my Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad. I hope you enjoy it. It would be quick and easy for your grandkids. I am a big fan of your great blog as well. You are the best!
Blessings,
Diane Roark
I love this recipe. Anything with bacon, chicken and ranch dressing is always a winner. Thank you to Diane for sharing today.
Blessings,
Shari
Shari,
I am so glad you like the combination of bacon, chicken, and ranch. I thought about you when I was making this pasta. Your huge beautiful garden homegrown zucchini would have been perfect in this pasta. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Blessings,
Diane Roark
Also wondering how much zucchini in cups since they vary in size so much. And the recipe calls for “1 tomato chopped or a handful of cherry tomatoes cut in half” twice I wasn’t sure if I was putting the second cup on top before serving or if it was a misprint. Either way this sounds so good. I was going to make plain old chicken salad one night this week but this is going to be dinner that night 🙂
I found this recipe on pinterest literally a week ago and I have made it 3 times since! This is delicious salad! I actually cheated a little and used canned chicken and canned diced tomatoes but still turned out perfectly. Huge hit with my boyfriend. Thank you for sharing!
SO glad you loved it!
looks good ,but couldn’t find recipe
Hi Barb, So sorry you couldn’t find the recipe – try this link and please let me know if you still don’t see it:
http://princesspinkygirl.com/pasta-salad/2/
Just made this recipe for the first time for our 4th of July picnic. Definitely a keeper. Everyone loved it. I made it with no changes. Will be making this again real soon!! Thanks so much
Have just stumbled across this pasta recipe on Pintrest while trawling for easy… make-ahead recipes that I can use for entertaining after a Bible Conference at the end of the month.
I love pasta, so hope this recipe is enjoyed by my guests.