Chicken Bacon Ranch Macaroni Salad.
A loaded macaroni salad with pasta, rotisserie chicken, bell peppers, and bacon, all combined with a creamy mayonnaise and ranch dressing mixture.
This macaroni salad is the perfect side dish to serve at any get-together and is a meal in itself.
Summer cook-outs, graduation parties, and picnics are just about here. This recipe can be adjusted to serve any size crowd.
Macaroni salad is like having a blank canvas to add any number of other ingredients. A rotisserie chicken and a package of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix are some of the flavorful ingredients in this recipe. I also added bell peppers and celery to give it some extra crunch.
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN BACON RANCH MACARONI SALAD
Ingredients
(Full list of ingredients and instructions in printable recipe card.)
- elbow macaroni
- mayonnaise
- Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
- celery
- red and green bell pepper
- sweet relish
- salt and pepper
- rotisserie chicken
- bacon
Instructions
- Boil the macaroni in a large pan of salted water as directed on the box. Drain water and set aside. Any pasta shape can be used. I used elbow macaroni for this one.
- Combine mayonnaise and package of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix in a small bowl.
- In a large mixing bowl, place the celery, bell peppers, relish, salt and pepper, cooked macaroni, chicken and half of the bacon. Add the mayonnaise mixture and combine well to coat all ingredients.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and top with remaining crumbled bacon.
- **If the pasta salad seems a little drier than you like, stir in a little more mayonnaise. Sometimes the pasta seems to absorb it. I check it prior to serving also.
Why You’ll Love Chicken Bacon Ranch Macaroni Salad
- Spring and summer get togethers always need a macaroni salad.
- This one is unique and always gets raves reviews when I have taken it someplace.
- By adding the rotisserie chicken, this can also be a one dish meal.
- This is a quick and easy recipe to make and it serves a crowd.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Do not overcook the macaroni or it will become mushy.
- Rinse the macaroni just after it finishes cooking or the pasta will stick together.
- Allow this to chill at least 4 hours before serving. Gently toss before serving. Sometimes the pasta will absorb the dressing and make it a little dry. Add more mayonnaise if needed.
How to Store
Place this macaroni salad in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. It can be made a day ahead of time and then stored for 2 days.
Do not leave out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if temperature is over 90 degrees.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use another pasta besides the elbow macaroni?
Yes, Any pasta that is short, tube-shaped or twisted as these will hold the dressing better. Examples are cavatappi, fusilli, rotini, or medium shells.
Some other cook-out side dishes are:
Chicken Bacon Ranch Potato Casserole
Old Fashioned Potato Salad
This recipe was shared on Weekend Potluck@ Sweet Little Bluebird.
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CHICKEN BACON RANCH MACARONI SALAD
Ingredients
- 2 cups elbow macaroni uncooked
- 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups mayonnaise
- 1 1oz package Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
- 1/2 cup celery chopped
- 2 Tablespoons red bell pepper chopped
- 2 Tablespoons green bell pepper chopped
- 1/4 cup sweet relish
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 1/2 cups rotisserie chicken chopped
- 5 slices bacon cooked crisp and crumbled
Instructions
- Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook macaroni until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise and ranch dressing packet.
- In a large mixing bowl, place the celery, bell peppers, relish, salt, pepper, cooked macaroni, chicken and half of the bacon. Add the mayonnaise mixture and combine well to coat all of the ingredients. May add the remaining mayonnaise if mixture is too dry.
- Transfer to a serving dish and top with remaining bacon.
Notes
- Do not overcook the macaroni or it will become mushy.
- Rinse the macaroni just after it finishes cooking or the pasta will stick together.
- Allow this to chill at least 4 hours before serving. Gently toss before serving. Sometimes the pasta will absorb the dressing and make it a little dry. Add more mayonnaise if needed.
- Place this macaroni salad in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. It can be made a day ahead of time and then stored for 2 days. Do not leave out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if temperature is over 90 degrees.
Love this recipe!❤️
Thank you so much. You are so kind.
Delicious, love the combo of chicken and bacon, Will try to find GF macaroni and give this a whirl.
I visited you via The Country Cook. My entries are Korean BBQ Beef and Cheesy Tuna Vegetable Casserole. Feel free to join SSPS Linkup M-S: https://esmesalon.com/tag/seniorsalonpitstop/