Go Back
–+ servings
chicken ranch pasta salad in a beige bowl.
Print Recipe Add to Collection
4.79 from 14 votes

Chicken Ranch Pasta Salad

This Chicken Ranch Pasta Salad is creamy, hearty, and packed with flavor. Tender chicken, crispy bacon, fresh veggies, and pasta are tossed in a rich ranch dressing that coats every bite. It is easy to make, perfect for BBQs, potlucks, or meal prep, and tastes even better after chilling in the fridge for a few hours.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken, chicken ranch pasta salad, pasta salad, summer picnic
Servings: 8
Calories: 543kcal
Author: Joanna Cismaru

Ingredients

For Dressing

  • ¾ cup mayonnaise
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 1 cup ranch dressing
  • ¼ cup chives chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper or to taste

For Pasta Salad

  • 10 ounces pasta I used Rigati, which is a smaller version of Rigatoni
  • 6 slices bacon chopped and fried
  • 2 chicken breasts cooked and diced (about 2 cups), I used all the breast from a Rotisserie chicken
  • 1 stalk celery chopped
  • ¼ cup black olives sliced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a medium size bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
  • Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain in a colander and rinse it under cold water to stop it from cooking any further.
  • Transfer the pasta to a large bowl. Add the bacon, chicken breast, celery, black olives and cherry tomatoes then add the prepared dressing. Toss well. Refrigerate for a couple hours before serving.

Video

Notes

  1. I usually chop the bacon into small pieces before frying, I find it easier to fry this way vs frying the whole slices and then chopping it. Also I find it may fry faster this way.
  2. I used chicken breasts but feel free to use dark or white meat in this salad, totally up to you.
  3. I prefer chill this salad for a couple hours before serving. 
  4. You can only really store this dish in the fridge, so unfortunately freezing ahead of time won't work. Seal in an airtight container and this dish will keep for 3 - 5 days in the fridge.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 543kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 19g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 697mg | Potassium: 318mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 314IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg
QR Code linking back to recipe