Description
This Chicken Club Pasta Salad is a quick and flavorful dish perfect for a light lunch or picnic. Combining tender pasta, crispy bacon, juicy cherry tomatoes, crunchy celery, and cheddar cheese, all tossed in creamy Ranch dressing, it offers a delightful blend of textures and classic club sandwich flavors in a refreshing pasta salad.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 8 ounces pasta (rigatoni, shells, rotini, or penne)
- 12 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 2 cups cooked and chopped chicken
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
Dressing
- 1 cup Ranch dressing
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it for salad use.
- Prepare the Ingredients: While the pasta cooks, cook the bacon slices in a skillet over medium heat until they are crispy. Remove and crumble the bacon once cool enough to handle. Chop the cooked chicken, halve the cherry tomatoes, chop the celery stalks, and dice the green bell pepper.
- Combine the Salad: In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled pasta. Then add the crumbled bacon, chopped chicken, cherry tomatoes, cheddar cheese cubes, celery, and green bell pepper. Pour in the Ranch dressing over all the ingredients.
- Toss and Serve: Toss the salad ingredients thoroughly to coat everything evenly with the Ranch dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. For best flavor, chill the salad in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Choose your favorite pasta shape: rigatoni, shells, rotini, or penne work well for holding the dressing.
- Use leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken to save time.
- Chilling the salad enhances the flavor meld and ensures a refreshing taste.
- This salad can be prepared a few hours ahead and kept refrigerated.
- For a lighter version, use low-fat Ranch dressing and turkey bacon.
