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Popcorn Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

Popcorn chicken bacon ranch pasta salad with creamy ranch dressing coats tender penne, bacon, cheddar, and juicy cherry tomatoes for a loaded salad with crunch. Chill for 1 hour, then add crispy popcorn chicken right before serving so it 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: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

penne pasta
  • 1 lb penne pasta
popcorn chicken (frozen or homemade), cooked
  • 1 lb popcorn chicken (frozen or homemade), cooked
bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
ranch dressing
  • 1 cup ranch dressing
milk
  • 0.25 cup milk
green onions, sliced
  • 0.5 cup green onions, sliced
salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook pasta
  1. Cook penne pasta according to package directions until al dente, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. This should look glossy and just-tender when you taste a piece.
Cook popcorn chicken and let cool
  1. Prepare popcorn chicken according to package directions, then let it cool slightly before assembling. It should feel warm but not hot when you handle the pieces.
Make ranch dressing
  1. Whisk ranch dressing and milk until smooth and pourable. The mixture should have no streaks and coat the back of a spoon.
Assemble salad (chill base)
  1. Combine pasta, bacon, cheddar cheese, cherry tomatoes, and green onions in a large bowl. The mix should be evenly distributed with visible red tomatoes and green onion flecks.
  2. Pour the ranch dressing over the salad and toss to coat all pasta and fillings. Stop when everything looks lightly glossy and lightly dressed, not dry.
  3. Refrigerate for 1 hour so the flavors meld and the salad sets. It should look chilled through with dressing clinging to the pasta.
Finish and serve
  1. Top the chilled salad with popcorn chicken just before serving to keep it crispy. The chicken pieces should sit on top and look distinct rather than softened.

Notes

For best crunch, keep popcorn chicken separate until the last moment (after chilling the pasta base). Store leftover pasta salad covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; the chicken may soften, but it’s still good. Freezing is not recommended for this dish. If you want a lighter option, use reduced-fat ranch and swap some cheddar for part-skim cheese to cut calories while keeping the creamy coating.