Description
A quick and delicious Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad packed with tender chicken, crispy bacon, fresh vegetables, and creamy ranch dressing, perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound cooked chicken breasts (shredded, about 2–3 chicken breasts)
- 12 ounces gluten-free pasta
- 6 slices bacon
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 1–1/2 cup cucumber (diced)
- 1/4 cup red onions (sliced; pickled red onions are an option)
- 1 ripe avocado (diced)
- 3/4 cup homemade ranch dressing
Instructions
- Start by ensuring your chicken is cooked and shredded. If you don’t have leftovers, grill or use rotisserie chicken for convenience.
- Cook the gluten-free pasta as per the box instructions, then drain and set aside.
- Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until both sides become crispy. Place the cooked bacon on a plate, absorbing excess grease with a paper towel, and chop it into bite-sized pieces.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded chicken, cooked pasta, chopped bacon, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, sliced red onions, diced avocado, and ranch dressing.
- Mix everything together, ensuring the salad gets evenly coated in the creamy dressing. Adjust the amount of ranch dressing according to your preference for creaminess.
Notes
To keep avocado from browning, sprinkle it with lemon juice. Adjust the amount of dressing to suit your taste, and feel free to experiment with additional spices.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Keywords: pasta salad, chicken, bacon, ranch, gluten-free, quick meals
