This tasty and filling chicken and bacon pasta salad recipe with homemade ranch dressing is perfect for BBQs, summer picnics, or an easy al fresco lunch!
The hearty salad combines tender pieces of chicken, crispy bacon, and perfectly cooked pasta, all tossed in a creamy homemade ranch dressing.
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It's a real crowd-pleaser, loved by both children and adults. It's perfect for lazy summer days, and best of all, it can be made in advance and stored in the fridge until needed.
👩🍳 Have you seen my creamy tuna pasta salad? Another delicious summery pasta salad recipe to try!
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✔️ Why should you try it?
- This recipe is perfect for using up leftover chicken.
- You can prepare this dish up to two days in advance. Simply make the salad, store it in an airtight container, and keep it in the fridge until needed.
- Perfect for summer BBQs and picnics.
🥘 Ingredients
Pasta - any short pasta would work well. I used conchiglie but penne or fusilli could also be used.
Cooked Chicken Breasts - cut into chunks. Buy them ready-cooked to save time or why not try this quick air fryer chicken recipe!
Smoked Streaky Bacon - grilled and chopped. You could use back bacon if you prefer.
Spring Onions - outer layer removed and chopped finely. You could use a red onion instead.
Cherry Tomatoes - halved, or use 2 large vine tomatoes cut into chunks.
Red Pepper - chopped into chunks (or use a yellow or orange pepper).
Cucumber - halved and diced. I keep the skin on but feel free to peel it if you want to.
Grated Cheddar - use extra mature cheddar for the best flavour.
For the homemade ranch dressing:
- Mayonnaise
- Soured Cream
- Parsley
- Dill
- Lemon Juice
- Garlic
- Salt & Pepper
🔪 How to make chicken bacon pasta salad
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Mix together the ranch dressing ingredients in a bowl.
Two: Place the cooked pasta, cooked chicken chunks, grilled bacon pieces, salad vegetables, and grated cheddar in a large mixing bowl.
Three: Pour over the ranch dressing.
Four: Mix gently to coat the pasta and salad vegetables. Store in the fridge until needed.
Top Tips
- Use store-bought ranch dressing to save time. Add a squeeze of lemon juice to store-bought dressing and check the seasoning is OK.
- Use leftover roast chicken in the pasta salad, instead of cooked chicken breasts.
- If you're not serving this pasta salad straight away, save a dollop of the dressing to spoon through it when you are ready to eat!
🍴 Serving suggestions
The chicken pasta salad is perfect for BBQs, picnics, and alfresco summer lunches. I like to serve it alongside my curried rice salad, 5 bean salad, and prawn and avocado salad.
My kids love it with cheesy courgette fritters or carrot fritters for an easy meal. I think it has to be their favourite summer dinner!
📖 Variations
- Use different salad vegetables such as celery, radishes, or fennel. You could also add cooked peas or sweetcorn.
- Add a sliced ripe avocado to make a chicken bacon avocado pasta salad.
- Lower the fat content by using low-fat mayonnaise.
- Make a healthy chicken bacon pasta salad and use wholewheat pasta and a lighter vinaigrette dressing.
- Add a sprinkling of dried cranberries for a chewy sweetness, or some toasted nuts for crunch.
🥡 Storage
The pasta salad can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. This recipe is not suitable for freezing.
❓ FAQs
Some of my favourite dishes to serve with pasta salad are;
Grilled meat and fish
Burgers or hotdogs
Corn on the Cob
Courgette Fritters
Sandwiches or Toasties
Celery and Carrot sticks
Yes! Cooked chicken adds protein and ensures your pasta salad is filling and hearty.
As long as the pasta salad has been stored in the fridge, it will be safe to eat for up to 3 days. Make sure any leftovers are returned to the fridge within 30 minutes.
😋Related recipes
You might also like my easy coronation chicken pasta salad recipe!
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Recipe
Chicken and Bacon Pasta Salad
Would you like to save this?
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Equipment
- Saucepan
- Chopping Board
- Knife
- Wooden Spoon
Ingredients
- 250 g Cooked Pasta
- 2 Cooked Chicken Breasts cut into chunks
- 6 Grilled Streaky Bacon Rashers chopped
- 4 Spring Onions chopped
- 10 Cherry Tomatoes halved
- ¼ Cucumber diced
- 1 Red Pepper chopped
- 100 g Cheddar Cheese grated
For the ranch dressing
- 200 g Mayonnaise
- 100 ml Sour Cream
- 2 tablespoon Parsley finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon Dill finely chopped
- 1 Lemon juice only
- 1 Garlic Clove peeled and finely chopped
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Mix together the ranch dressing ingredients in a bowl.200 g Mayonnaise, 100 ml Sour Cream, 2 tablespoon Parsley, 2 tablespoon Dill, 1 Lemon, 1 Garlic Clove, Salt and Pepper, 100 g Cheddar Cheese
- Place the cooked pasta, cooked chicken chunks, grilled bacon pieces, salad vegetables, and grated cheddar in a large mixing bowl.250 g Cooked Pasta, 2 Cooked Chicken Breasts, 6 Grilled Streaky Bacon Rashers, 4 Spring Onions, 10 Cherry Tomatoes, ¼ Cucumber, 1 Red Pepper
- Pour over the ranch dressing and mix to combine. Store in the fridge until needed.
Notes
- Use store-bought ranch dressing to save time. I would suggest adding a squeeze of lemon juice to store-bought dressing and check the seasoning is OK.
- Use leftover roast chicken in the pasta salad, instead of chicken breasts.
- If you're not serving this pasta salad straight away, save a dollop of the dressing to spoon through when you are ready to eat!
- Use different salad vegetables such as celery, radishes or fennel. You could also add cooked peas or sweetcorn.
- Lower the fat content by using low-fat mayonnaise.
- Up the fiber by using wholewheat pasta.
- Add a sprinkling of dried cranberries for a chewy sweetness or some toasted nuts for crunch.
Jenny
You can't go wrong with chicken+bacon+Ranch! I love having pasta salads like this in my refrigerator for any easy lunch.
Anjali
This pasta salad was so easy to make and so satisfying and creamy! Made it for our family picnic this past weekend and everyone loved it!
Wanda
This salad has summer written all over it! Going to make it this weekend!
Sarah Baumeister
Yum! Hubbies going to love this.
Beth
This is a complete meal in a bowl. So delicious and creamy. My family loved the dressing too!