Creamy Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
This is not your typical pasta salad. Juicy chicken, crispy bacon and the best ranch dressing are tossed with orecchiette pasta to make a salad hearty enough to be dinner, but equally comfortable as a bbq side dish. A creamy pasta salad recipe that is super flavorful thanks to lots of fresh dill.
Servings 8
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 lb orrecchiette pasta
- ½ lb bacon cooked crispy and cooled; or more for using the next day
- 2 chicken breasts shredded, cooked foolproof style (can use rotisserie chicken)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 4 oz blue cheese crumbled
- 2 stalks celery diced
For the dressing
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup mayo I use Duke's
- 3 Tablespoons fresh dill 1 ½ teaspoons, dried
- 2 teaspoons fresh minced garlic optional, from two cloves
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- splash of milk
Instructions
- In boiling heavily salted water, cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain the pasta to cool slightly.1 lb orrecchiette pasta
- Cook chicken according to pan-seared, foolproof method.2 chicken breasts
- Cook bacon until crispy. I bake mine on a sheet pan lined with parchment and then foil in a 400° oven about 18 minutes.½ lb bacon
- Dice the veggies. Crumble the blue cheese.1 cup cherry tomatoes, 2 stalks celery, 4 oz blue cheese
- Mix the dressing ingredients together until smooth and blended.1 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 cup mayo, 3 Tablespoons fresh dill, 2 teaspoons fresh minced garlic, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon garlic salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, splash of milk
- Add the pasta to a large serving bowl. Toss with the chicken, tomatoes and celery until well combined.
- Pour in half the dressing and toss the salad. Add in ¼ cup of reserved pasta water.
- Taste and adjust the dressing according to taste.
- Crumble over the bacon and blue cheese and add more dressing as needed. Serve at room temperature.
Notes
If making ahead or to fortify leftovers, reserve some of the dressing to toss before serving. Add a splash of milk, pasta water or regular water to loosen the dressing and easily coat the pasta and veggies.
