This Popcorn Chicken Pasta Salad is perfect to take to a get together or BBQ!! Combine ranch, popcorn chicken, and bacon into a pasta salad a sure fire hit!
Preheat your oven and cook the chicken according to the directions on the bag. I placed mine on a pizza stone for baking the popcorn!
Boil water and prepare the pasta according to the directions on the box.
Strain your pasta and it to cool. I stuck mine in the freezer while making the bacon.
Cut your slices of bacon down and fry up on the stove top. You could use bacon bits, but I love fresh juicy bacon.
Once your bacon is done, remove and set it on paper towels to help to absorb some of the reaming grease of the bacon.
When the popcorn chicken is done, cut the pieces in half.
Reserve some bacon, cheese, and popcorn chicken to garnish the top of the salad.
In a large bowl, combine the ingredients. I layered mine to help with mixing by doing pasta, chicken, bacon, cheese, ranch, then repeating, all while salting and peppering to taste.
Mix together. Keep adding whatever ingredient you want more of. I went easy on the ranch until I saw how it was coming together.
Place in a serving dish and garnish with the remaining bacon, cheese, and popcorn chicken.
Pop in the refrigerator. It tastes great when it has had time to have the flavors combine.
Now, seriously, there are so many different variations and spins you can put on this!! Change the flavor of ranch, type of cheese, flavors of popcorn chicken, etc. Plus the add-ons are endless as well.