Crispy Chicken Ranch Pasta Salad (Printable)

Refreshing pasta salad featuring crispy chicken bites, vegetables, and creamy ranch dressing.

# What you'll need:

→ Pasta & Vegetables

01 - 9 oz short pasta (rotini or penne)
02 - 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
03 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
04 - 2 green onions, sliced

→ Crispy Chicken

05 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
06 - ½ cup all-purpose flour
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
09 - ½ tsp garlic powder
10 - ½ tsp paprika
11 - ¼ tsp salt
12 - ¼ tsp black pepper
13 - Vegetable oil, for frying

→ Ranch Dressing

14 - ½ cup mayonnaise
15 - ¼ cup sour cream
16 - ¼ cup buttermilk
17 - 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
18 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
19 - 1 tsp garlic powder
20 - 1 tsp onion powder
21 - ½ tsp salt
22 - ¼ tsp black pepper
23 - 1 tsp lemon juice

# How-To Steps:

01 - Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions. Drain well and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Set aside to cool completely.
02 - Slice chicken breasts into uniform bite-sized pieces, approximately 1-inch cubes.
03 - Arrange three shallow bowls: place flour in the first, beaten eggs in the second, and combine panko breadcrumbs with garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper in the third.
04 - Dredge each chicken piece in flour, shaking off excess. Dip into egg wash, allowing excess to drip off. Press firmly into panko mixture to coat evenly on all sides.
05 - Heat ½ inch vegetable oil in skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry chicken in batches, turning once, for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
06 - Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, fresh dill, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and lemon juice until smooth and well combined.
07 - Place cooled pasta, thawed peas, diced bell pepper, and sliced green onions in large mixing bowl. Pour dressing over and toss gently until evenly coated.
08 - Gently fold crispy chicken pieces into pasta mixture just before serving to maintain texture. Serve immediately or refrigerate 30 minutes for chilled salad.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The combination of warm crispy chicken against cold creamy pasta creates this incredible temperature contrast that keeps every bite interesting
  • Its portable enough for picnics but hearty enough to stand alone as dinner which means zero leftovers going to waste
02 -
  • Rinse the pasta thoroughly with cold water or the residual heat will make the dressing separate and turn oily
  • Do not overcrowd the pan when frying chicken or the oil temperature will drop and you will end up with soggy coating instead of crispy perfection
03 -
  • Pat the chicken pieces completely dry with paper towels before starting the breading process or the flour will clump up instead of creating an even coating
  • Let your breaded chicken rest on a wire rack for 10 minutes before frying so the coating sets and will not slide off during cooking
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