Crispy Chicken Ranch Pasta Salad (Printable Version)

Golden chicken bites with pasta and crisp vegetables in a zesty homemade 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 Make It:

01 - Boil pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Set aside.
02 - Slice chicken breasts into even bite-sized pieces, approximately 1 inch.
03 - Arrange three shallow bowls: flour in the first, beaten eggs in the second, and panko mixed with garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper in the third.
04 - Coat chicken pieces in flour, shaking off excess. Dip into egg, then press into panko mixture to coat evenly.
05 - Heat ½ inch oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Fry chicken in batches 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on paper towels.
06 - Whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, dill, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and lemon juice until smooth.
07 - Toss cooked pasta with thawed peas, diced bell pepper, and green onions in the ranch dressing until evenly coated.
08 - Gently fold crispy chicken into salad just before serving to maintain texture. Serve immediately or refrigerate 30 minutes for chilled version.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The combination of warm crispy chicken against cool creamy pasta creates the most incredible temperature contrast
  • It travels beautifully and actually tastes better after the flavors have time to mingle
  • Everyone assumes it took hours but the whole thing comes together in under an hour
02 -
  • Never add hot chicken directly to the cold pasta salad or the coating will instantly become soggy
  • The dressing will seem thick at first but thins beautifully as it coats the pasta
  • This salad needs at least 30 minutes of chilling time for the flavors to truly come together
03 -
  • Cut your chicken pieces slightly larger than you think necessary because they shrink during frying
  • Season your pasta water generously since the pasta itself needs flavor beyond the dressing
  • Let the breaded chicken rest on a wire rack instead of paper towels to stay crispy on all sides
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