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Popcorn Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

Popcorn chicken bacon ranch pasta salad with penne, cheddar, and creamy ranch dressing. Crispy popcorn chicken goes on top after chilling so the loaded salad stays crunchy.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 780
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Penne pasta
  • 1 lb penne pasta
Popcorn chicken
  • 1 lb popcorn chicken (frozen or homemade), cooked Cook and cool slightly before adding.
Bacon
  • 8 slices bacon Cook until crisp, then crumble.
Cheddar
  • 2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
Ranch dressing
  • 1 cup ranch dressing
Milk
  • 0.25 cup milk
Green onions
  • 0.5 cup green onions, sliced
Salt and pepper
  • salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and cool
  1. Cook penne pasta according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
  2. Prepare popcorn chicken according to package directions and let it cool slightly so it won’t soften the salad.
Make the ranch and assemble
  1. Whisk ranch dressing and milk until smooth for an even coating.
  2. Combine penne, bacon, cheddar, cherry tomatoes, and green onions in a large bowl.
  3. Pour the ranch mixture over the salad and toss until everything is coated.
Chill and serve
  1. Refrigerate the pasta salad for 1 hour to let the flavors meld and the texture set.
  2. Top with popcorn chicken just before serving to keep the chicken pieces crisp.

Notes

Pro tip: Rinse the pasta in cold water and chill the salad before adding the chicken—this helps the pasta stay firm and the popcorn chicken remain crunchy. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days; freeze is not recommended. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat ranch dressing and part-skim cheese if you want a less heavy salad.