Description
Crack Chicken Pasta Salad is a flavor-packed dish that brings together tender shredded chicken, crispy bacon, and creamy ranch dressing over al dente pasta. Perfect for summer barbecues, family picnics, or quick weeknight dinners, this crowd-pleaser is easy to prepare and customizable to suit any occasion. With its delightful blend of textures and tastes, this salad is bound to become a family favorite. Serve it chilled for a refreshing main course or as a side at your next gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb bow tie pasta or elbow macaroni
- 2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 10 slices cooked bacon (crumbled)
- 1 1/2 cup cheddar cheese (cut into small cubes)
- 1/4 cup green onions (chopped)
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing
- Salt, pepper, and paprika for seasoning
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and transfer to a bowl.
- In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and paprika. Cook until golden brown (approximately 8 minutes per side). Let rest before cutting into pieces.
- Combine the cooked pasta with chicken, crumbled bacon, cheese cubes, green onions, cherry tomatoes, and ranch dressing in the bowl. Toss until well mixed.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature, garnished with extra green onions if desired.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main
- Method: Boiling/Searing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (200g)
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 80mg