Description
Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad is a refreshing dish that combines tender chicken, crispy bacon, and creamy ranch dressing with pasta and fresh veggies, perfect for summer gatherings.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pound chicken breasts, diced
- 8 strips bacon, diced
- 8 ounce dry rotini or fusilli pasta
- 6 ounce cheddar cheese, shredded
- 7 ounce romaine lettuce, shredded
- 5 green onions, diced
- 3/4 cup ranch dressing
- 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
- 1/2 cup croutons, roughly chopped
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (optional)
- 1 teaspoon dried dill (optional)
- 1 teaspoon dried chives (optional)
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley (optional)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper (optional)
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (optional)
- 1 to 2 tablespoon buttermilk or milk (optional)
Instructions
1. Cook the bacon over low heat until crispy. Set aside and remove half of the drippings, leaving 2 tablespoon.
2. Rub the chicken with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with poultry seasoning. Cook the chicken in the skillet over medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until cooked through.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions. Rinse with cool water and drain well.
4. In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, diced chicken, shredded cheddar, bacon, and green onions. Pour over most of the ranch dressing and toss well. Sprinkle in Salad Supreme seasoning to taste.
5. When ready to serve, add the shredded romaine lettuce, croutons, and extra ranch dressing. Toss everything together and serve.
Notes
This salad is perfect for meal prep. Store components separately until serving to prevent sogginess. Enjoy within 5 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 70mg