It’s not often that I hold on to recipes this long before sharing them. But with over a month of travel coming up, I’m working to create some recipes in advance. I made this a couple of weeks ago and have been patiently waiting to share. It’s become a family favorite. This is such a yummy pasta salad—it’s unique in the best way possible. I created this with the idea of spring entertaining in mind, but honestly, I’ve made this for dinner on multiple occasions now. I served it slightly warm, and everyone just loved it.
Of course, this will be great as a salad for outdoor picnics, sides, or for your holiday dinner parties. And the leftovers are so great for lunch! I’m sharing my easy homemade ranch dressing too. It’s my go-to and super delicious when tossed up with pasta.
These are the details
Step 1: mix the dressing For my ranch dressing, I love to use either plain Greek yogurt or sour cream mixed with mayo. I add dried parsley, chives, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Then, I add Worcestershire and buttermilk. It’s the perfect ranch dressing—light and creamy, heavy on the herb mix, and just perfectly salted. I know you will love it.
Step 2: cook the pasta and toss the salad Next, boil off your favorite shortcut pasta. Add the steaming pasta to a big bowl. Then, while it’s still hot, toss the pasta with the salsa verde, and shredded chicken. Now pour over the dressing and toss it all up, make sure the creamy ranch coats each noodle and piece of chicken. I know the salsa verde sounds random, but the flavor it adds is wonderful. Trust me, it’s delish.
Step 3: the rest of the salad Finish tossing the salad with cubes of sharp cheddar cheese, romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and fresh cilantro. Top the salad off with crispy bacon and slices of creamy avocado.
This hits all the flavors, and it’s the first dish to disappear on any buffet table! I know I say this just about every day, but this recipe really is good. It’s one of those dishes you’ll crave time and time again. The creamy dressing with the pasta, spicy salsa, cheese, avocado, and bacon is the yummiest.
Looking for other salad recipes? Here are a few ideas: Caprese Caesar Pasta Salad Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Pasta Salad Greek Olive Pasta Salad Caprese Chicken Pasta Salad Pesto Chicken Caesar Salad with Tomatoes and Burrata Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken and Avocado Bacon Salad Melon Basil Burrata Salad Lastly, if you make this Creamy Avocado Ranch Chicken Pasta Salad, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
