It’s a pasta salad with a twist! This BBQ Ranch Pasta Salad recipe is a delicious blend of BBQ Ranch flavors–perfect for summer picnics, potlucks, and barbecues.
BBQ Ranch Pasta Salad is the perfect summer side dish! It’s quick and easy to make, and it’s always a hit at gatherings.
This salad is packed with flavor, thanks to the BBQ sauce and ranch dressing. The pasta provides a filling base, while the corn and Rotel add a fresh crunch. And who can resist the addition of chicken and bacon?
We absolutely love making this pasta salad because it has all the flavors everyone loves. Chicken, Bacon, Ranch, and, of course, BBQ sauce.
Not only is this super easy to make, but doubles and triples well if you are feeding a big crowd. We also like to make this ahead of time when we go camping so we can serve it alongside our other camping favorites for the whole trip.
Here are some commonly asked questions
What does it mean to cook your pasta “al dente.”
The literal translation of al dente means “to the tooth.” When a recipe calls for you to cook your pasta “al dente,” all it means is that you want to ensure that your pasta is soft but still chewy when you take a bite.
Often, people overcook their pasta, causing it to fall apart when they start mixing-in other ingredients. Instead, pasta that is cooked al dente will hold its shape when you mix it with other components of your dish. Pasta salad in particular has more “hefty” ingredients that will pulverize your pasta as you try to mix it all together.
To know when your pasta is cooked al dente, remove one piece from the pot with a spoon, then allow it to cool. When you eat the noodle, it should not be hard – indicating that it is not raw still – but it should be chewy.
If you can easily break up the noodle with your tongue, you have cooked your pasta too long. Be very careful with this process as the difference between fully cooked al dente noodles and overcooked noodles is only a minute or two.
Know that your pasta is still cooking in the pot when you are doing this test. Thus, they are ready to come off the stove and be drained if it seems like they are close.
Why are my bacon bits overpowering my dish?
There are two types of bacon bits in the world, those that are real and those that are imposters. If your dish is overpowered by the bacon flavor, but you did not use that many bacon bits, you probably are using imitation bacon bits.
The thing about using imitation bacon bits is that they are not meat at all. Really, they are made of pieces of soy that are flavored to taste like bacon. Companies often try too hard to make their imitation bacon taste like the real deal, and overdo the flavoring, ruining many dishes you add them to.
Your best bet is to always ensure you are using real bacon bits for your recipe. It is easy to make a mistake and purchase the wrong ones since they are both unrefrigerated and sit on the shelf at the store next to one another. Always be sure to confirm the type of bacon bits you have before going through the checkout.
How should you store BBQ Bowtie Pasta Salad?
You can store BBQ Chicken Salad in the refrigerator for up to five days before you should make another batch. Remember that hot foods need to stay hot and cold foods need to stay cold. Thus, you should never allow food to sit out long enough to reach room temperature.
This time window happens to be about one hour. This is because microbes grow best in environments that are slightly above room temperature. Depending on the organism, the population can be 8 times what it was only an hour before.
Do I have to use ranch dressing from the bottle or the packet?
Either one will work just fine. The bottle of ranch dressing can be more expensive than the packet and it could be harder to ensure that you have enough for a recipe. That is why I prefer to use the packet. I can just make what I need, then be done with it.
That being said – you can always make your own using my favorite homemade ranch recipe.
Ingredients for BBQ Ranch Pasta Salad
- bowtie pasta
- cooked chicken- shredded rotisserie leftovers or cooked & shredded
- canned corn
- shredded cheese cheddar blend
- Rotel
- ranch dressing
- bbq sauce
- diced green chiles
- chopped bacon or bacon bits
- minced onions
Can I use fresh ingredients instead of those from a can?
You sure can! This recipe would go nicely with freshly diced tomatoes, green chilies, and grilled corn. It may take a bit longer to prepare fresh ingredients for this dish, but the resulting flavor would be well worth it!
Why do you use rotisserie chicken?
I love to use rotisserie chicken for recipes like this because it is already cooked and seasoned saving so much time when I need to put something together quickly. It also has the added benefit of staying moister than most other pre-cooked meat I could use in my recipes.
The only real work with using rotisserie chicken is that you need to take the time to shred it, but you would have to do that anyway if you made chicken from scratch. It is a great way to spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying the meal!
How long does it take to make this recipe?
Assuming that your chicken is already shredded, this recipe can be completed in about 15 to 20 minutes. The longest part of the process is cooking the noodles.
Beyond that, all of the ingredients are canned and are added simply by dumping them into the bowl and mixing them together. It is super easy!
How to Make BBQ Ranch Pasta Salad
- Cook the pasta to al dente, drain and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Add in the cooked chicken, corn, cheese, Rotel, ranch dressing, bbq sauce, green chiles, bacon, and onions. Toss to combine.
- Chill until ready to serve.
Can I include a different type of chicken in this recipe?
Absolutely! Though I personally love to use a rotisserie chicken for this recipe, there are other quick and easy ways to prepare your chicken for this dish.
My favorite alternatives are to make my Grilled Boneless Chicken Thighs or use my Best Chicken Marinade. You can also try my Oven-Baked Chicken recipe if you prefer a more hands-off way to prepare dinner.
What goes best with BBQ Bowtie Pasta Salad?
This recipe is able to stand alone or be a great compliment to any backyard barbecue. Pair this recipe with your summer favorites like a Steakhouse BBQ Bacon Burger or Smoked Baby Back Ribs!
Products I love when making BBQ Ranch Pasta Salad…
This recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made a recipe like this before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love it. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this delicious recipe. (you can also SHOP MY FAVORITES in my store)
If you love this easy pasta salad recipe, you’re going to love these other sides too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
Other Casserole-Style Dishes
Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells
Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole
Instant Pot Tuna Noodle Casserole
Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Casserole
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BBQ Ranch Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 12 ounces bowtie pasta
- 3 cups cooked chicken- shredded rotisserie leftovers or cooked & shredded
- 15 ounces canned corn
- 2½ cups shredded cheese cheddar blend
- 10 ounces Rotel
- 1 cup ranch dressing
- ¾ cup bbq sauce
- 7 ounces diced green chiles
- ½ cup chopped bacon or bacon bits
- 1 tbsp minced onions
Instructions
- Cook the pasta to al dente, drain and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Add in the cooked chicken, corn, cheese, Rotel, ranch dressing, bbq sauce, green chiles, bacon, and onions. Toss to combine.
- Chill until ready to serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate. Please double-check with your own dietary calculator for the best accuracy. We at Yummi Haus cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
Jill Mohs says
Does the corn have to be drained? I have fresh freezer corn that I would prefer to use, just wondering about the liquid?
Gina Kleinworth says
Yes – please drain the corn when using canned. If you would like to cook frozen corn and use that instead – that works fine. Just remove it from the water you boil it in and make sure it isn’t too soggy or over-cooked when added.