Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
A delightful pasta salad that combines marinated chicken, crispy bacon, and tangy ranch dressing, making it a perfect dish for summer barbecues or family meals.
Ingredients
Pasta and Protein
- 1 lb pasta
- 6 strips bacon Cook until crispy
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts chicken breasts Seasoned with salt and pepper
Vegetables
- 1 green bell pepper Diced
- 1/4 red onion Finely diced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley Chopped
Seasonings
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Dressing
- 1 1/2 cups ranch dressing To taste
Instructions
Preparation
- Boil pasta in heavily salted water until cooked. Drain and rinse the pasta in cold water until it is room temperature.
- While the pasta cooks, cook the bacon in a frying pan or on the stove top until crispy. Reserve the bacon grease and cut the bacon into bite-size pieces.
- Slice the chicken breasts horizontally into two pieces each. Season with salt and pepper. Heat bacon grease over medium heat in a frying pan and cook the chicken over medium for 4 minutes on each side. Slice chicken into thin strips.
- Dice the green bell pepper, finely dice the red onion, and chop the parsley.
Assembly
- Add the cooked and cooled pasta, chicken strips, crispy bacon, pepper, onion, and parsley to a large mixing bowl.
- Pour the ranch dressing into the mixing bowl and toss to combine thoroughly.
- Serve immediately or chill and serve chilled.
Notes
For added flavor, consider marinating the chicken in ranch dressing before cooking. Use pasta shapes that hold sauce well, like rotini or penne.