Meet your new favorite easy-to-make summer side: Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad. Loaded with Rotini noodles, rotisserie chicken, crispy bacon, cheese, and vegetables, all tossed together in a homemade creamy Ranch dressing, this cold salad recipe is the perfect way to feed your friends at your next warm weather gathering.
Creamy Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Our Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad recipe has been a staple since 2014, when we first started food blogging, and readers have been raving about it ever since.
This pasta salad could be the greatest summer side dish, even hearty enough to be served as the main meal. It combines the convenience of cooked chicken with the flavor of smoky bacon and coats all of the components in a creamy homemade Ranch dressing.
Grab a rotisserie chicken the next time you are at the grocery because this may become your go-to pasta salad recipe!
Ingredients Notes
- Rotini pasta: I used Wacky Pack Veggie Spiral Pack for this recipe, but any type of small-shape pasta will work. Bow-tie pasta, shells, rigatoni, or penne are other great options. Use conventional or gluten-free pasta. I also sometimes use this tri-colored pasta from Whole Foods.
- Rotisserie chicken: I love the convenience of using a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken from my local grocery store in this recipe. Feel free to cook your chicken breast if you prefer. Leftover meat from a previous meal works great!
- Sharp cheddar cheese: You can also use a different type of shredded cheese if you prefer. Pepper jack, Colby jack, provolone, or mild cheddar would all be great options.
- Tomato: You can also use a handful of cherry tomatoes chopped in half.
- Bacon: If you want to save a step or don’t have a lot of time, you could use store-bought bacon bits instead of cooking your own bacon and chopping it into pieces. However, fresh-cooked bacon will have a much better flavor after you’ve fried it yourself! Feel free to use turkey bacon for a lower-fat option.
- Zucchini
- Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix: You are using the dry mix from the Ranch seasoning packet.
- Mayonnaise: You can make the creamy dressing a bit healthier by substituting the mayo for plain Greek yogurt.
- Buttermilk
- Ground black pepper
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
- Make the Ranch Dressing: Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Cook The Bacon: Cook the diced bacon on med-low heat until crisp. Drain on a paper towel and set aside.
- Prepare The Pasta: Cook the pasta according to the box directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- Combine and Coat: Add the chicken, zucchini, tomatoes, cooked bacon, cheese, and ranch dressing to the bowl of pasta. Mix to combine and coat.
- Chill: Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving.
- Serve: Enjoy!
How To Prepare Uncooked Poultry
You can use uncooked chicken instead of pre-cooked chicken if you prefer. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil, then place it in a baking dish. Cook at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees internal temperature. Cut the chicken into small cubes and follow the remaining steps above.
Serving Suggestions
Cool food is meant for warm-weather meals! That’s why I love pasta salad recipes because they’re easy to prep or make at the last minute. Serve your cold salad as a side dish with dinner, enjoy leftovers for lunch, or make it for the main meal.
A bacon chicken pasta salad is travel-friendly and perfect for taking to potlucks, picnics, barbecues, and summer parties.
Tips & Variations
- Begin cooking the bacon: When crisping the bacon, start cooking it in a cold skillet to ensure that it cooks evenly. Drain on a paper towel and set aside.
- Cut The Contents: This Ranch chicken recipe makes a large bowl of pasta salad. If you are serving to a smaller crowd, you can cut the ingredients in half.
- Prepare The Pasta: Rinse the pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process and prevent it from sticking together and becoming mushy.
- Cut the Carbs: If you’re looking to cut your carbs, you can easily prepare this salad without the pasta and bulk it up with lettuce and extra veggies. My Big Mac Salad and Sub Sandwich in a Bowl are both low-carb, keto-friendly meals made with your favorite sandwich ingredients, minus the bread!
- Buy A Bottle: You can substitute the Ranch dressing ingredients for a bottle of store bought Ranch dressing in this recipe.
- Customize The Contents: Pasta salad recipes are completely customizable. You can adjust the ingredients based on personal preferences or dietary needs. Pick a different protein, add a variety of other vegetables (like red onion, bell pepper, and cucumber), or use a lighter dressing. Check out my Italian Pasta Salad, Caprese Pasta Salad and Antipasto Pasta Salad recipes for inspiration.
Proper Storage
- To Store: Leftovers should be covered in an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More of Our Favorite Pasta salad Recipes
If you tried this Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!!!
Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Video
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 pieces 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 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Make Ranch dressing ahead by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.1 pack Ranch Dressing, 1 cup mayonnaise, ¾ cup buttermilk, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 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.6 pieces thick sliced bacon
- 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.12 ounce pack spiral pasta
- Add chicken to the bowl of pasta. Then add the shredded zucchini, tomatoes, cooked bacon, shredded cheddar and ranch dressing. Mix everything to combine.3 cups chopped rotisserie chicken, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1 chopped tomato, 1 zucchini
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving.
Jenn’s 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.
Nutrition Info
Post & Recipe Update: Original post August 21, 2014
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.
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
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://princesspinkygirlcom.bigscoots-staging.com/pasta-salad/2/
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!
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 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
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
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
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,
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