Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Servings 12 servings
Calories 433kcal
Ingredients
- 12 ounces elbow macaroni (About 3 cups)
- 2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken
- 1/2 lb bacon cooked and chopped
- 3 medium Roma tomatoes diced
- 1 small red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 small green bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 small red onion diced small
- 3 medium green onions thinly sliced
- 1 8 ounce block sharp cheddar cheese small cubes
- 1 1.0 oz packet dry Ranch dressing mix
- 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 Tbsp fresh chopped dill
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tsp lemon pepper
- shredded cheddar cheese, bacon and green onion for garnishing
Instructions
- Cook macaroni in salted water per the package instructions until al dente. Drain well.
- In a large mixing bowl add cooked pasta, rotisserie chicken, bacon, tomatoes, bell peppers, red onion, green onion and cheese. (reserve some bacon and green onion for garnishing)
- Whisk together Ranch dressing mix, mayonnaise, buttermilk, dill, garlic salt and lemon pepper. Add to the pasta and toss to evenly coat.
- Chill in an airtight container for at least 4 hours before serving garnished with cheese, bacon and green onions.
Notes
- Pasta - This pasta salad uses elbow macaroni as the base. That said, you could use any pasta or noodles such as a medium shell pasta, penne pasta, rotini pasta or even twisted macaroni (cavatappi pasta).
- Protein - You can use any kind of chicken to make this entrée salad. I typically use rotisserie chicken, but grilled chicken breasts, chicken poached in chicken broth or roasted chicken will all work.
- Should I make this chicken bacon ranch pasta salad in advance? Yes, it's best to give it ample time in the refrigerator for the salad to chill so the flavors can marry and become even more robust.
- What's the best brand of ranch seasoning mix to use? You can use Hidden Valley or any private label brand that you enjoy.
- When to Add the Bacon - Please note, the bacon will soften a bit when you stir it into the mix. If you want to maintain the crunch of the bacon, mix it in just before serving and wait until then to garnish the top.
- How to Make Using One Pound of Macaroni? You can, just be prepared to adjust the dressing adding more mayonnaise and ranch seasoning to your taste.
- Cheese - While the flavor of cheddar cheese is my favorite for this kind of salad, you could use colby jack cheese, monterey jack, white cheddar or mozzarella cheese, if that's your preference or what you have on hand.
- Mayo - You can use your favorite brand of mayonnaise or light mayonnaise. You could also replace part of the mayo with sour cream.
- Dressing Shortcut - In a pinch, you can replace the homemade dressing for your favorite ranch dressing like Marzetti's or similar.
- Lighter Options - To lighten-up this salad you may opt to use low fat mayonnaise, low fat buttermilk and turkey bacon.
- Vegetables - You could add celery or grape tomatoes in place of roma tomatoes.
- Try My Viral Recipe! Another way to enjoy these same flavors is my recipe Chicken Bacon Ranch Pull Apart Rolls which remains a viral Pinterest sensation.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 433kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 704mg | Potassium: 289mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 448IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg