Creamy Chicken Bacon Pasta Salad (View Print Version)

Cold pasta dish with chicken, bacon, veggies, and creamy ranch, ideal for gatherings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded
02 - 6 slices bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled

→ Pasta

03 - 12 ounces rotini or penne pasta

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
06 - 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
07 - 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed

→ Dairy & Dressing

08 - 3/4 cup ranch dressing
09 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
10 - 1/3 cup sour cream
11 - 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

→ Herbs & Seasonings

12 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
13 - Salt, to taste
14 - Black pepper, to taste

# Method:

01 - Cook rotini or penne in a large pot of salted boiling water according to the package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold water to halt cooking and cool completely.
02 - Place bacon slices in a skillet or bake in the oven until crisp. Once cooled, crumble the bacon and set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine ranch dressing, mayonnaise, sour cream, salt, and black pepper. Whisk until smooth and well blended.
04 - Add cooled pasta, cooked chicken, crumbled bacon, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, peas, shredded cheddar, and chopped chives to the bowl with the dressing. Gently toss until all components are evenly coated.
05 - Taste and adjust salt or pepper as needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
06 - Garnish with additional chives or cheddar cheese if desired. Serve chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The kind of rich, creamy flavor that makes everyone ask for seconds is easier than you might think to achieve.
  • It holds its own on a picnic table even on the hottest days, so you can serve up smiles with zero fuss.
02 -
  • Once I tried skipping the rinse step after draining the pasta, and ended up with a sticky salad that didn’t mix well, so don’t skip it.
  • Switching to freshly grated cheddar instead of the bagged kind made everything taste sharper and the dressing smoother.
03 -
  • Letting the salad chill at least 30 minutes guarantees the creamiest texture and fullest flavor—don’t rush it if you can help it.
  • Using cold water to rinse the pasta is truly key for keeping things light and non-clumpy, especially for next-day leftovers.
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