Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
This chicken bacon ranch pasta salad is grilled chicken thighs cooked to 185 and cubed, bacon, cheddar, cherry tomatoes, green onions and parsley tossed with pasta in a homemade chipotle ranch. All cold. It makes an amazing party dish or side or just plain dinner.
Ingredients For Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
| Ingredient | Notes |
|---|---|
| Chicken thighs | 2 lbs. Boneless and skinless. |
| Poultry seasoning | Or use salt, pepper, garlic and smoked paprika. |
| Pasta | I cooked mine for about 7-8 minutes till tender. |
| Bacon | Cut into 1/4 inch pieces. Cooked in a skillet. |
| Cherry tomatoes | Cut into quarters. |
| Shredded cheddar | Grate it fresh. |
| Green onions and parsley | Chopped. |
| Mayo, sour cream, buttermilk, chipotle in adobo and lime | This will make the ranch. |
| Garlic powder, onion powder, dill and dried parsley | Seasoning for the ranch. |
These are listed on the recipe card below.
Why I Cook My Chicken To 185 Degrees When It’s A Cold Dish
When cooking a cold dish you want your chicken thighs to be cooked all the way to 185 degrees.
Fat that hasn’t rendered out of your chicken will congeal when it’s chilled. By taking the chicken to 185 you allow that fat to render on the grill. Leaving only chicken in your pasta salad and not chicken with congealed fat in it.
Chicken thighs won’t become overcooked at 185 like chicken breast will. It will become more tender. Just make sure to flip the thighs occasionally.
How I Made the Chicken and the Ranch
Pat your chicken thighs dry. Coat with oil and season.
Grill the chicken to 185 flipping occasionally.
Once done remove from heat and cube.
Mix all the ingredients for the ranch together and refrigerate.
Prepare Everything Before Adding To Your Bowl
Everything in this recipe gets dumped into one bowl at the end. So have everything ready to go before adding to your bowl.
If you don’t have your cheese shredded and ready you will be shredding cheese with everything else in your bowl.
Make sure your chicken is grilled and cubed. Your bacon cooked. Cherry tomatoes cut into quarters. Cheddar shredded. Green onions and parsley chopped. Pasta cooked and cooled. Ranch mixed and chilled.
Remember this is a cold salad so make sure everything is cold.
How I Built the Pasta Salad
Cook pasta for 7-8 minutes until tender. Allow to cool.
Cut bacon into 1/4 inch pieces and cook.
Cut your cherry tomatoes into quarters. Chop green onions and parsley.
Add your pasta to a large bowl. Add chicken, cheddar, green onions, parsley, cherry tomatoes and bacon.
Pour chipotle ranch over top and mix.
All times and temperatures will be listed on the recipe card.
Author’s Notes
Have Everything Prepped In Advance
My pro tip is you wanna have everything already all cut up when you’re ready to mix. That way you’re not running back and forth, like, I should’ve prepped everything. So have everything prepped in advance. That’s the tip.
This pasta is better served cold, and you can also serve it with extra ranch if you want.
This is perfect for a party. It’s also very perfect for like a side for a dinner, or even on its own, it’s excellent.
Miguel
Tips From Miguel
- Use chicken thighs. Not breast.
- Cook chicken to 185 degrees.
- Have everything prepped before mixing.
- Cut cherry tomatoes into quarters. Cut in half then in half again.
- Make sure pasta is cool before mixing.
- Add your chipotle ranch last.
- Mix once and enjoy cold.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken breast?
Yes you can. But take your chicken breast off at 165 degrees. It will not be as tender as chicken thighs.
How long can I make this ahead?
You can make it the day before. It actually tastes better cold. Make sure to keep some chipotle ranch on the side to add to it.
Can I use store bought ranch?
Yes you can. Just add chipotle in adobo to it.
Related Recipes
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Subs
- Parmesan Garlic Grilled Chicken Wings
- Chicken Fajita Quesadillas with Fresh Guacamole
- Chili Cheese Fries
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Grilled Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad with Chipotle Ranch
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Pat the chicken thighs dry and coat lightly with olive oil. Season generously with poultry seasoning, or salt, pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika.
- Grill, flipping every so often, until they reach 185°F internal. Thighs are dark meat and get more tender at that temperature, and it renders the fat so it will not congeal in the cold salad.
- Remove, let rest a few minutes, and cut into bite sized cubes.
- Mince the chipotle peppers fine. Combine them in a bowl with the mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, adobo sauce, lime juice, garlic powder, onion powder, dill, dried parsley, salt and pepper. Mix well and refrigerate.
- Cook the rotini in salted boiling water about 7 to 8 minutes until tender. Drain and let it cool completely.
- Cut the bacon into 1/4 inch pieces and pan fry until crispy. Drain and let cool.
- Quarter the cherry tomatoes, grate the cheddar, and chop the green onions and parsley. Have everything ready before you assemble.
- Add the cooled pasta to a large bowl, then the chicken, cheddar, green onions, parsley, cherry tomatoes and bacon.
- Pour the chipotle ranch over the top and mix once until everything is coated. Refrigerate until serving. Serve cold with extra ranch on the side.
