Easy Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
This easy chicken bacon ranch pasta salad is sure to be a family favorite. Coated in a high protein greek yogurt ranch dressing and full of chopped chicken, this high protein pasta salad recipe is perfect for summer BBQ's or enjoyed as a meal prepped lunch throughout the week!
One of my all time favorite pizzas was the chicken bacon ranch pizza from California pizza kitchen. Juicy chicken, melty cheese, crispy bacon, and a drizzle of ranch dressing makes for a delicious slice that goes against the grain of normal pizza flavors!
While pizza is one great way to serve up these crowd pleasing flavors, another delicious option is this easy chicken bacon ranch pasta salad instead! This pasta salad is filled with all of the simple and delicious CBR pizza flavors but with my dietitians twist on it.
Coated in a high protein greek yogurt ranch dressing and filled to the brim with chopped chicken, crispy bacon bits, and creamy mozzarella, this pasta is one way to enjoy a high protein pasta salad. Want it even higher in protein? Choose protein noodles like Banza instead of the standard elbows I use here!
This recipe has a short list of ingredients yet is full of flavor. You’ll love having this pasta salad on hand for summer BBQ’s or even to enjoy as a grab and go lunch throughout the week.
Let’s get to the recipe!
Why you’ll love this chicken bacon and ranch pasta salad:
You’ll love this pasta salad recipe because it is:
A high protein pasta salad: Yes, high protein pasta salads exist! We add protein to this pasta salad with the chopped chicken, cooked bacon, and high protein greek yogurt ranch dressing. While I used regular noodles, you can add more protein by switching to protein noodles instead.
Easy to make: As written, this recipe only calls for a few classic ingredients that are simple to prepare. Cooking your bacon and boiling your noodles is the hardest part of this recipe!
Convenient proteins: Use cooked chicken like rotisserie chicken, canned chicken, or any meal prepped chicken that you have on hand to cut down on preparation time.
Full of flavor: While the ingredients list is short, this pasta is loaded with those classic chicken bacon ranch pizza flavors.
Customizable: I kept this recipe simple and delicious but recommend adding green peas, chopped tomatoes, chopped green onions, and some diced avocado for extra flavors if desired.
You’re going to love this high protein pasta salad recipe! Now let’s get into the flavorful ingredients you will need to make it:
Ingredients you’ll need:
The chicken bacon and ranch title gives away most of the ingredients you will need to make this higher protein pasta salad recipe:
Cooked chicken: Use rotisserie, canned, or any meal prepped chicken that you have on hand. Dice it into small chunks!
Bacon: I used an entire 16oz packet of bacon that was cooked until crispy then crumbled into 2 cups of bacon bits.
Mozzarella pearls: I opted for the pearls to cut down on cutting time but you could use shredded mozzarella or diced fresh mozzarella.
Red onion: Finely diced and added to taste.
Cooked elbow noodles: If you want to boost the protein of this protein pasta salad even higher then you can switch out the traditional noodles and choose a higher protein noodle instead. I do find that the protein noodles tend to break easier so be gentle when you stir!
Greek yogurt ranch dressing: You can use any dressing you want but this is the key ingredient to boost the protein content of this pasta salad. Use my recipe here or any protein ranch dressing recipe that you enjoy!
Garnish: Fresh or dried green onions.
Optional add ins: Add green peas, chopped tomatoes, diced avocado, or extra green onions for a boost in nutrition and delicious flavor.
That’s all you’ll need!
Serve it with my high protein greek yogurt ranch dressing!
Step by Step Instructions:
Now let’s walk through how to make this chicken bacon ranch pasta:
1) Boil a large pot of water and cook noodles to package instructions. While your noodles boil, cook your entire packet of bacon until it’s crispy (about 12-15 minutes) and then chop into bacon bits. Chop your cooked chicken cooked chicken and red onion then drain your mozzarella pearls.
Drain your noodles and rinse under cool water to cool then add your bacon, chicken, red onions, and mozzarella pearls. Add any other mix ins if desired.
2) Add all of the ingredients needed for your greek yogurt ranch dressing (or other high protein ranch dressing of choice) to a blender and blend until smooth, adding milk to thin as needed. Pour into your pasta salad and toss until evenly coated. Garnish with green onions and enjoy!
Swaps, substitutions, and serving suggestions:
I love pasta salad recipes because just about anything goes when it comes to ingredients and flavors! This recipe is really simple and can be modified by:
Make it a chicken bacon salad instead: If you prefer a chicken bacon ranch salad, you can prep all of the ingredients as listed and then serve them over chopped salad greens instead of noodles.
Add vegetables: The one thing missing from this pasta salad recipe is colorful vegetables which would be a tasty addition. I recommend green peas or diced tomatoes for this recipe!
Change your dressing: I love pairing my high protein greek yogurt ranch dressing with this recipe because it’s nutritious and easy to make. You could also make a two ingredient cottage cheese ranch dip or choose any other ranch you prefer!
Serve it hot or cold: All the ingredients in this pasta salad make it microwave friendly! It’s delicious served hot or cold.
Add more protein: The greek yogurt ranch dressing, cooked chicken, mozzarella, and cooked bacon all add protein to this pasta salad. If you want even more protein in your pasta salad then I would recommend using a protein pasta like Banza.
And more! Make this recipe your own and tag me on instagram with any fun ideas you come up with!
Recipe FAQ:
How should I cook the bacon?
I like to cook bacon in a large sheet pan in the oven at 400 degrees for about 20-25 minutes or until its crispy.
For this recipe, I cut my bacon into small squares and cooked it in a large skillet over medium heat for 12-15 minutes.
Will using protein pasta give me the same flavor and result?
Protein pasta is a great base for a high protein pasta salad but I do find that the cooked noodles are a little bit more fragile. If you choose protein pasta then be very gentle when stirring in your ranch dressing!
Do I have to use the greek yogurt ranch dressing?
I recommend it but you can use any ranch dressing that you and your family like. I used greek yogurt ranch dressing to make this a high protein pasta salad and lower the fat content but using a bottled dressing will cut down on time and ingredients!
Other side dish recipes you will love:
Looking for other side dish recipes? I have a few on my blog that I think you will love:
Buffalo Chicken Flatbread
Elote Pasta Salad
Healthy Cowboy Caviar
Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese
BBQ Chicken Sliders
My favorite Zesty Italian Pasta Salad
Easy Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
This easy chicken bacon ranch pasta salad is sure to be a family favorite. Coated in a high protein greek yogurt ranch dressing and full of chopped chicken, this high protein pasta salad recipe is perfect for summer BBQ's or as a meal prepped lunch throughout the week!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook your noodles according to package instructions. Once cooked through, drain the water and set to the side.
- While your noodles boil, place a large skillet over medium heat. Chop your bacon into small pieces and cook in the skillet until it reaches your preferred level of crispiness (about 10-15 minutes). Remove from the skillet and place on a plate with paper towels to absorb the extra grease.
- Chop your cooked chicken, red onion, and any other flavor additions.
- Add all of your greek yogurt ranch dressing ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth, adding milk until it reaches the consistency you prefer.
- Add your noodles, bacon, chicken, red onion, and other ingredients to a large bowl. Add your greek yogurt ranch dressing and toss until fully coated. Top with extra cooked bacon and diced green onions for garnish. Enjoy!
*All nutrition information has been approximated. Results may vary depending on brands used and serving size.
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Hey! I’m Lauren
I’m a Registered Dietitian and busy toddler mom committed to bringing you delicious, nutritious, and easy-to-make recipes!