BBQ Chicken Pasta Salad

Name: BBQ Chicken Pasta Salad with Bacon
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 12 oz elbow macaroni or similar short pasta; salt, for pasta water; 1 cup ranch dressing; 1/2 cup BBQ sauce; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped; 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced; 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced; 1/2 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled; 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus more for garnish

This BBQ Chicken Pasta Salad combines elbow pasta, shredded chicken, crispy bacon, and bell peppers in a tangy BBQ ranch dressing. It's a make-ahead dish that tastes better the next day, making it ideal for summer cookouts and potlucks.

🌍American 🏷️Pasta salad 🏷️Bbq chicken 🏷️Chicken salad 🏷️Bacon Summer salad

🏷️

🏷️Potluck

-0:00

dinnerin321onTikTok

Total

25 min

Servings

6

Difficulty

Easy

Est. Cost

$20–$33

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From TikTok · by dinnerin321

-0:00

dinnerin321onTikTok

Ingredients

12 oz elbow macaroni or similar short pasta
salt, for pasta water
1 cup ranch dressing
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus more for garnish

10 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook your favorite pasta according to package directions.
2
Drain the pasta and set it aside to cool.
3
In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the ranch dressing, BBQ sauce, and minced fresh garlic to create the dressing.
4
Prepare the salad ingredients by chopping the cooked chicken and thinly slicing the green bell pepper and red onion.
5
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, sliced green pepper, sliced red onion, chopped chicken, crumbled bacon, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
6
Pour the prepared BBQ ranch dressing over the ingredients in the bowl.
7
Toss everything together until all ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
8
Cover the bowl and refrigerate until chilled.
9
When ready to serve, transfer the pasta salad to a serving bowl and top with additional freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Cool the cooked pasta completely before mixing with dressing to prevent it from absorbing too much liquid and becoming mushy.
Cook bacon until crispy, then crumble it just before serving to preserve texture—adding it too early makes it soft.
Whisk the ranch dressing and BBQ sauce together thoroughly so the flavors distribute evenly and the dressing is smooth.
Reserve 1–2 tablespoons of the dressing mixture and add just before serving; the salad will absorb liquid as it sits.

Substitutions

Ranch dressing → Greek yogurt mixed with ranch seasoning (lighter, tangier)
BBQ sauce → honey mustard or chipotle mayo (different flavor profile, still tangy)
Elbow macaroni → fusilli or penne (shape variation, same cooking time)
Bacon → smoked turkey bacon or tempeh bacon (leaner alternative)