Over the last few decades, lunch has faded from the cultural view. Many of us speed through it to complete the deadlines we desperately need to hit or feed the kids. What if I told you there’s a quick, easy, and tasty meal that will change your routine forever?
This incredible bacon ranch chicken pasta is not only easy to make but surprisingly healthy. After all, chicken salad and pasta salad have been staples for years. Combining them into one power meal was an obvious move that only we would do!
Will kids love it? Does a bear live in the woods? Of course they will! We always try to meet the sweet spot between dishes that adults will love and that kids will enjoy.
Since our simple pasta salad can be thrown together in 15 minutes, it’s basically a no-brainer for meal planning! It lasts in the fridge for at least a few days, meaning you can skip your meal prep and simply eat seconds. We promise it’s great on the second day!
After trying this meal, you should check out our Deviled Egg Pasta Salad! It brings together the delightfully decadent attitude of deviled eggs with the rich taste of pasta. I’m not lying when I say it’s one of my favorite things ever!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Comes together surprisingly easily without a lot of difficult steps
- Ingredients go together perfectly and shouldn’t upset any stomachs
- Kids often love this meal, particularly as a baby’s first pasta salad
- Even the veggies (celery) are pretty inexpensive and easy to make
- Saves pretty well in the refrigerator with minimal preparation
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Corkscrew Pasta: This popular pasta variety pairs beautifully with this salad and is something you probably already have at home. Rotini should work well if you don’t have corkscrew noodles for any reason.
Rotisserie Chicken: Save yourself some time by buying a rotisserie chicken from your favorite supermarket. It already has the flavor that you need to succeed. If desperate, tofu and lentils can work as a healthy substitute.
Cooked Bacon: Bacon offers a sweet counter to the chicken’s rich rotisserie flavor and crumbles easily for baking. Mushrooms or even eggplant can substitute for it, if you like.
Muenster: Muenster is one of those cheeses that I personally don’t think get enough love. It’s a fantastic blend of flavors, and it goes well with this dish. Gouda or provolone can replace it, if you want.
Cherry Tomatoes: Rich cherry tomatoes add a little zest to your pasta salad and should be easy enough for even kids to tolerate. Grapes can also work if your kids revolt over the idea of eating tomatoes.
Tips for Success
- Use the al dente cooking method to get your noodles prepped properly
- Clean your noodles after they’re done cooking (use cold water) to remove any excessive grease
- Always let your salad chill out for at least two hours before serving to guests
- Extra dressing (on the side) may make your guests a little happier
- Use salad tongs to make this dish even easier to serve properly
Storage & Reheating
Don’t keep your pasta salad on the counter for too long. An hour or two is typically fine, but you’ll want to put leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three days. I honestly wouldn’t try freezing it because it rarely settles well.
The same goes for reheating this dish. Since it’s served chilled, there’s no reason to warm it back up. If you do freeze it (for up to two months), I suggest just letting it thaw out in the fridge. That usually works best.
Serving Suggestions
- Try serving cold turkey sandwiches to make this picnic meal even better
- Barbecued meat (chicken, in particular) slays with this pasta salad
- Planning on serving a steak soon? Make this pasta salad
- Fruit salad: has there ever been a better overall side dish?
- Lemonade and tea make a great drink for this meal
Notes
Do you have a picky eater in your family who’s never satisfied? I know I do! My daughter is one of those people who will only eat a few things: pasta and chicken. Well, I tapped into her love of the former to make a meal that even she will eat.
Amazingly, she’s started eating even more dishes after this and relaxed her iron-tight grip on her stomach. That amazing news has been big in our family, and I think it could change your picky eater’s life if you approach it properly.
Bacon Ranch Chicken Pasta: A Meal From the Cheeky Kitchen!
Ingredients
- 16 oz. Rotini or bowtie pasta
- 2 cups Cooked chicken breast shredded or diced (rotisserie chicken works great)
- 8 Slices thick-cut bacon cooked extra crispy and chopped
- 1 ½ cups Cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup Sharp cheddar cheese cubed or shredded
- 1 Large avocado pitted and diced
- ½ cup Red onion finely diced
- 1 cup Mayonnaise
- ½ cup Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 3 tbsp. Dry ranch seasoning mix about 1 packet
- 1 tbsp. Fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp. Garlic powder
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Drop in your pasta and cook according to the package directions for al dente (typically 8 to 10 minutes). It should still have a slight bite in the center so it holds its shape against the heavy mix-ins.
- Drain the pasta thoroughly in a colander, then instantly rinse it under a stream of cold tap water until the noodles feel completely cool to the touch. This halts the internal cooking process immediately and washes away loose surface starches that would otherwise turn the salad gummy. Leave it to drain completely.
- While the pasta cools, assemble your dressing base. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, dry ranch seasoning, fresh lemon juice, garlic powder, and a pinch of black pepper. Whisk firmly with a fork until the elements emulsify into a perfectly smooth, velvety sauce baseline.
- In a separate, very large serving bowl, layer the cooled and dried pasta, shredded chicken, chopped crispy bacon pieces, halved cherry tomatoes, cubed cheddar cheese, and finely diced red onion.
- Pour the creamy ranch dressing baseline directly over the pasta and toppings matrix.
- Using a wide rubber spatula or two large salad spoons, fold the ingredients together gently from the bottom up until every piece of pasta is uniformly coated in the dressing.
- Carefully fold in the diced avocado at the very end. Handling the avocado gently prevents it from mashing and clouding the rest of your salad presentation.
- Taste the salad and add an extra pinch of salt or pepper if preferred.
- Cover the serving bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place it into the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 to 60 minutes before serving. This cooling window allows the flavors to settle and marry into the noodles beautifully. Stir gently right before dishing it out cold.
