Chicken BLT Pasta Salad Recipe

Close overhead shot of a serving of BLT Pasta Salad with chicken on plate.

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Chicken BLT Pasta Salad is the ultimate comfort food mashup! This creamy, hearty recipe combines the classic flavors of a BLT (crispy bacon, fresh tomato, and lettuce) with tender chicken and ranch dressing, all tossed in perfect pasta. It’s an easy, low-effort meal that doubles as the BEST potluck side dish, summer BBQ star, or simple weeknight dinner. Perfect for meal prep! Get the recipe and simplify your summer menu!

Prep Time10

Cook Time12

Total Time22

Course: Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: blt pasta salad, pasta salad meal, pasta salad with chicken

Servings: meal sized portions

Calories: 474kcal

Author: Mindy Boyd

Ingredients

8 ounces penne about 2 ½ cups
1 pound thin sliced chicken breasts
10 strips pre-cooked bacon
3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 cup ranch dressing
3 tablespoons milk
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
cooking spray

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, cook pasta al dente according to the package directions, usually 10-12 minutes. Drain and rinse with cool water.
8 ounces penne
Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook in a nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray over medium heat, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Chop into bite-sized pieces.
1 pound thin sliced chicken breasts, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, cooking spray
Crisp up the bacon in a nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat for a couple of minutes per side. Place on a paper towel-lined plate, when cool chop into smaller pieces.
10 strips pre-cooked bacon
Cut the tomatoes in half and chop lettuce if not using pre-chopped.
3 cups chopped romaine lettuce, 1 cup cherry tomatoes
Mix the ranch dressing and milk together.
1 cup ranch dressing, 3 tablespoons milk
Add everything to a large bowl and toss to combine.

Notes

See ingredient notes above for more details and options for each ingredient.

I buy the 2.1 ounce package of Great Value pre-cooked bacon.

Time-Saving Tip: Put the pasta pot on first thing! While the water comes to a boil and the pasta cooks, make the most of your time—cook the chicken, crisp the bacon, chop the tomatoes, and whip up the dressing. You can even chop the cooked chicken and bacon during this time. Once the pasta’s done, all that’s left is mixing everything together!

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Nutritional information is approximate.

See tips, notes, and suggestions in the post above.

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Nutrition