Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
This Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad is a creamy, flavorful dish with crispy bacon, juicy chicken, and ranch dressing, perfect as a side or main course.
Equipment
- large bowl
- Whisk
- pot for cooking pasta
- colander
Ingredients
Pasta and Protein
- 16 oz short pasta uncooked
- 8-10 slices thick cut bacon cooked and cut/crumbled
- 2 c chicken shredded or cubed
- 10 oz tomatoes quartered
- 2-3 T parsley chopped
- ¼ c onion thin sliced
- 1 c parmesan shredded
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Ranch Dressing
- ½ c mayonnaise
- ½ c sour cream
- ⅔ c whole milk plus up to ⅓ c or more as desired
- 1 packet ranch seasoning
- 1 teaspoon fresh parsley optional
- 1 teaspoon dill optional
Instructions
Cooking Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. When ready, drain and rinse with cool water to allow to cool off. Optionally toss in a touch of olive oil and set aside.
- Whisk all the dressing ingredients together and adjust the thickness as desired by adding a bit more milk to thin it.
- Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and toss with about ⅔ of the dressing. Chill for about 30 minutes or until ready to serve. Adjust the amount of dressing as needed just before serving, tossing and garnishing with extra parsley and parmesan.
Notes
Cook pasta al dente to avoid it becoming mushy. Don't make the pasta salad too far in advance to prevent sogginess. Salt to your liking, as bacon and dressing may provide enough seasoning.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 345kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 17gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 579mgPotassium: 323mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 361IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 135mgIron: 1mg
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