Description
A tasty and creamy Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad featuring spiral pasta, rotisserie chicken, crisp bacon, fresh vegetables, sharp cheddar cheese, and a homemade ranch dressing. Perfect for a hearty side or light main dish, chilled to blend all flavors beautifully.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta Salad
- 12 ounce pack spiral pasta
- 3 cups chopped rotisserie chicken
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 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
- 1 pack Ranch Dressing mix
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Make Ranch Dressing: In a small bowl, combine ranch dressing mix, mayonnaise, buttermilk, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Mix well and set aside.
- Cook Chicken (if needed): If using uncooked chicken instead of rotisserie, season the chicken with salt and pepper, drizzle olive oil, place in a baking dish, and bake for 30 to 45 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Cut into small cubes.
- Cook Bacon: In a skillet over medium-low heat, cook diced bacon pieces until crisp, starting with a cold skillet for even cooking. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
- Cook Pasta: Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking and keep pasta loose. Place pasta in a large mixing bowl to cool.
- Combine Ingredients: Add chopped rotisserie chicken, shredded zucchini, chopped tomatoes, cooked bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, and ranch dressing to the pasta. Mix thoroughly to combine.
- Chill Salad: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours before serving to let flavors meld.
Notes
- Rinsing the cooked pasta with cold water stops it from further cooking and prevents clumping, ideal for cold pasta salads.
- Use a large bowl to mix all the ingredients before transferring to a serving dish after chilling.
- Start cooking bacon in a cold skillet to ensure even crisping. Drain excess fat by placing cooked bacon on paper towels.
- For a lighter version, consider using low-fat mayonnaise and reduced-fat cheese.
- Make the ranch dressing ahead of time to deepen the flavor in the salad.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
