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Chicken Club Pasta Salad

Chicken club pasta salad with ranch pasta vibes, loaded like a club sandwich. Penne or rotini is cooked, rinsed cool, then tossed with diced chicken, crumbled bacon, tomatoes, cheese, and a creamy ranch-mayo dressing for a chilled, layered feel.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta
  • 1 lb penne or rotini pasta
Chicken and bacon
  • 3 cup cooked chicken breast, diced
  • 10 bacon, cooked and crumbled
Salad add-ins
  • 2 cup romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Ranch dressing
  • 1 cup ranch dressing
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise
Seasoning
  • 0.25 salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 large pot

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then cook the penne or rotini pasta according to package directions until al dente, about 10–12 minutes. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water to stop cooking and keep the pasta from clumping.
Make the creamy ranch base
  1. In a large bowl, mix the ranch dressing with the mayonnaise until smooth and evenly combined. The mixture should look creamy and lightly thickened.
Build the salad (without lettuce)
  1. Add the cooled pasta, diced chicken, crumbled bacon, halved cherry tomatoes, and shredded cheddar cheese to the bowl. Toss gently until everything is evenly distributed.
  2. Pour the ranch-mayo dressing over the salad and toss to coat thoroughly. Make sure the pasta is slickly coated so it chills well.
Chill
  1. Refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour to let the flavors meld and the dressing set up. Cover the bowl so the pasta stays moist.
Finish and serve
  1. Just before serving, add the chopped romaine lettuce and toss again. The lettuce should stay crisp rather than wilting from the chill.

Notes

Pro tip: rinse the pasta thoroughly and chill before adding romaine so it stays crisp. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; the texture is best within 1–2 days. Freezing is not recommended because the lettuce and dressing break down. For a lighter option, use light ranch and reduced-fat cheddar to cut calories while keeping the club-salad flavor.