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Popcorn Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

Popcorn chicken bacon ranch pasta salad with tender penne, crispy chicken, and bacon loaded into a creamy ranch dressing. Chill it until cold and toss with cheddar and tomatoes for a loaded salad texture.
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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: 980
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

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

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook pasta
  1. Cook the penne pasta according to package directions in a Dutch oven until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and keep it from getting mushy.
Cook popcorn chicken
  1. Prepare the popcorn chicken according to package directions on a sheet pan. Let it cool slightly so it stays crisp when added to the chilled salad.
Mix ranch dressing
  1. Whisk the ranch dressing and milk together until smooth. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble the salad base
  1. Combine the pasta, bacon, cheddar cheese, cherry tomatoes, and green onions in a large bowl. Toss gently so the cheese and bacon distribute evenly.
Dress and chill
  1. Pour the ranch dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Chill for 1 hour to let flavors meld and the dressing set.
Serve
  1. Top the chilled salad with the popcorn chicken just before serving. Serve immediately so the chicken remains crispy.

Notes

For best texture, keep the cooked popcorn chicken separate from the pasta salad until the last moment—this prevents sogginess. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; freeze is not recommended. Dietary swap: use low-fat ranch and reduced-fat cheddar for a lighter version while keeping the creamy ranch coating.